Natural History of Hawaii. 



SEicTiON five: 



THE ANIMAL LIFE OF THE GEOll'. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



VARIOUS AXLMALS FRO.M LAND AND SEA. 



Hawaiian Rats. 



The HaAvaiian rat ^ was the largest land ariinia] iiihahitiiiu' the islands at 

 the time of their discovery by Captain Cook. Unfortunately, the species 

 appears not only to have completely disappeared, but so far as is known not 

 a single specimen has been preserved in any natural history collection or 

 museum. 2 This seems most singular, as we know from Hawaiian tradition 

 that at one time they wei-e very a])undant, and for many years wei-e trouble- 

 some in cane fields. 



From all accounts, they were small in size, and for that reason it is sug- 

 gested that their place was taken shortly after the discovery of the islands 

 by the common, wide-ranging grey and black rats, as these two species have 

 traveled all over the world in ships and were no do\ibt passengers on the first 

 ships to touch at the group. It is thought that the early and comi)iete disap- 

 pearance of the native species may have been due to the aggressive disposition 

 of the new comers, particularly of the brown or Norway species, as wherever 

 this rat has gone — and it is a great traveler — it has gained a footing and. in 

 many places, completely replaced the less pugnacious native forms. 



The brown rat ^ is the larger of the two common species in Hawaii at the 

 present time. It is generally believed that this species is a native of Western 

 China, but it was known in England as eai-ly as 1780, Avhoi-o it ranic to be 

 generally, though erroneously, called the Norway rat. it can he at once recog- 

 nized by its heavy build, massive blunt muzzle, comparatively small ears and 



• lole. 



- Mr. J. P. G. Stokes, of the Bishop Museum, secured bones of what is supposed to have been 

 the Hawaiian rat on Kahoohiwe, April. 1913. ^ Miis di'imntKniii.i = Mux norrei/iriix. 



(Description of Plate Continued from Opposite Page.) 



period of siiljsidoiK'o formod the cliaiinpl between Kauai (2a) and the Oalni, ^lolokai, Maui. 

 Lanai, Kohala land (21i). .3. Tlie second marl<ed period of sidisidence separated Waianae (.SI)) 

 and probably Koolau (3c) as islands at one end and Koliala (oe) at the other end of the 

 Molokai, Lanai, Maui area (3d). 4. Shows the last stajre of subsidence; the island of Niihau 

 (4a) separated from Kauai (4b) ; the two islands (3b and 3c) united to form Oahu (4c) and 

 the islands of Molokai (4d), Lanai (4e), Maui (4f) and Kahoolawe (4g) separated In- ehan 

 nels less than 100 fathoms deep. 



291 



