THE ANIMAL LIFE OP THE GROUP. 307 



however, for supposing this to be the true cause. Tlicrc may be eases, about 

 settlements especially, where the mynali lias been known to interfere willi the 

 nests and eggs of certain birds, particul;ii-ly those (»f tlie English sparrow, a 

 species with which its habits bring it iii shai'|) and direct contact: hut so far 

 as the opinions of the l)est observers and my own experienee go, ihc ni> iiah. 

 when he tinds himself in tlie forest, lives at peace willi the native hii-ds. The 

 general habits of the forest birds differ widely from those of the myiiah. and 

 their nesting and food habits are so different tluit the two seldom come into con- 

 flict. 



The Skylarks. 



The English skylark" was introduced into Hawaii purely for sentimental 

 reasons, because of its beautiful song. ^Many persons who have settled in 

 Hawaii came directly from England, and Avere familiar with the profuse strains 

 of this songster in their native land : naturally, the lark is a favorite with 

 them. These birds, now fairly common in the pastures and on the open fore- 

 hills of the principal islands of the group, are descended from birds l)rought 

 by the Hon. A. S. Cleghorn from New Zealand, where the bird had been suc- 

 cessfully introduced from England by early colonists. 



The lark is a dull-l)rownisli l)ii'd, well known to every one who strolls along 

 the paths that lead into the mountains. Often they Avill be startled into song 

 from the roadside by the rumble of a carriage or the tread of a pedestrian, 

 and, singing, they will mount higher and higher into the sky, carrying their 

 song with them, up, up, until both singer and song are lost to sight and ear. 

 They are not content with merely lilting their song to the heavens, but will 

 SAveetly and skilfully coax it back with them to earth again. It often hapi)ens 

 that a half dozen of these blithe singers will mount skyward at the same time, 

 dropping after them a veritable shoAvei- of song that could but delight the most 

 careless cross-country rambler, and bruig him home again glad that there is in 

 Hawaii such a bird as the skylark. 



Pheasants. 



The several species of game-birds that have been introduced into Hawaii 

 are of special interest to the sportsman. To the credit of many of oui- fore- 

 most citizens of a generation or more ago, pheasants jind (piails wei-e brought 

 to Hawaii at ju-ivate expense and liberated. New l)reeding stock has been 

 brought in, from time to time, and the welfare of tlu' game-birds so guarded 

 by law that they have increased, particularly on the islands of Kauai aiul 

 Molokai, until they are sufficiently al)iuidant to make uanie shooting an I'u.joy- 

 able sport. 



Two species of pheasant are now well naturalized in Hawaii. The ring- 

 neck or Chinese pheasant- came originally from China, but as it has been 

 extensivelv reared in England and Auiecira, usually as a cage-bird, it is dif- 



' AUntda (irrcnsin. •* PlidKiiniiiti tdniiuiliis. 



