THE ANIMAL LIFE OF THE GROUP. 299 



in the Territofx'. They are of iiiucli iiiiportjiiicc in ihc cvcm'-iii-csi'iiI ii<iht 

 against mosquitoes, since they are known to feed on llirir l;irv;i'. 'I'lu'v ;ire 

 also supposed to feed on the liver-fluke which is (piilc coiiiiiion in cciijiin 

 localities. Bullfrogs-- of very large size and wi1li nci-v (Icc|) hull-like voices 

 are well established, and frogs' legs are often seen in the markets. 



Tadpoles of the various species of frogs and toads are ])lentifiil in the 

 pools along the streams far up into the mountains and arc sure to attract th(^ 

 attention of the student of iiature. A few captured and placed in a jar at 

 home or at school will prove of great interest, as the transformation proceeds from 

 an aquatic tish-like animal with gills, to an air-breathing quadruped with lungs. 



No Snakes in Hawaii. 



Fortunately, there are no land snakes in Hawaii. On several occasions, 

 hovrever, snakes from California have reached the islands in bailed liay. but 

 as yet they have never made their escape so as to become established hei-e. 

 The same is true of certain California lizards. A specimen fifteen inclies in 

 length w^as killed on the wharf in Honolulu harbor a few years --^ ago. P>ut as 

 commerce from outside ports is safeguarded at present, thei-e is little dang(M' 

 of the larger reptiles gaining a foothold here. 



Turning from the land and fresh-water vertebrates to those inhabiting the 

 sea, three specimens of sea-snakes are reported to have been collected 

 in Hawaiian w^aters. Two specimens, secured on opposite sides of Oalui, ai'e 

 preserved in the Bishop Museum. The first specimen reported, however, was 

 identified by Prof. II. W. Henshaw. It was taken alive at Laupahoehoe, on Ha- 

 waii, in 1902, by ]Mr. E. AV. Barnard. When found, the creature was sunning it- 

 self on shore and had evidently come from the water to shed its outei' skin, which 

 was still attached to the body. The family of sea-snakes -"^ to which this 

 species belongs is characterized by having the tail flattened to serve as a fin. 

 The specimen,--'' being the first sea-snake to be taken in Hawaii, made (piite a 

 stir at the time, but as it was but two feet in length, and as only three speci- 

 mens have been reported in the history of the islands, theii- occui-rence hei-e 

 may be considered purely accidental. 



Sea-Turtles. 



Among the more important animals inhabiting the sea. uu-ntion should be 

 made of the two species of sea-turtles that occur in the watei-s aliout the islands. 

 They are known as the honu and the e-a by the natives, who ai-e \-ei-y foiul of 

 the honu as a food. In former times the llawaiians made use of the shell plates 

 in the manufacture of fish hooks, scrapers for removing the ti-ash fi-om olona 

 fiber, and, to some extent, in more recent times, in the manufactui-e of oi'ua- 

 ments. Turtles two feet or more across the shell are not rare, though the 

 specimens which reach the market are usually much smallei-. In both species 

 the limbs have become conijiletely modified into llippei-s oi- paddles which 



-- Rana catesbiana. =''1911. -^ II tidiniihidce. "^' Ui/dnis jilntiini.i. 



