THE ANIMAL LIFE OF TTTF (IROri*. 319 



t-he wings have become so reduced in size as to be almost hidden in the body- 

 feathers, and so weak as to be useless in flight. Almost every square rod of 

 the grassy portion of the island has its pair of rails, and they are. williout 

 doubt, the most interesting, industrious and inquisitive creatures in the world. 

 At the slightest alarm they slink into cover under the grass tussocks, only to 

 peer out cautiously in their endeavor to get first-hand knowledge of the cause 

 of their alarm. Of their many interesting habits none is more entertaining 

 than the way in which they secure a portion of their food from the Laysan 

 canary. 



Laysan Canary. 



The Laysan canary is a sturdy little finch-like bird that nature has en- 

 dowed with a strong bill. One of its habits is to break open the thin-shelled 

 eggs of the terns and other ground-nesting species during the nesting season. 

 How^ever, the canary is seldom allowed to enjoy the fruits of its labor undis- 

 turbed. The little rails are always on the lookout, and at the proper moment 

 will rush out at the canary and, with a great shoAV of fuss and feathers, drive 

 it away from the broken egg. The rail will then calmly spoon up the contents 

 of the egg with its weak, slender l)ill, leaving the canary to open another egg 

 if it really cares for fresh eggs to eat. As to how this active little rail came to 

 be on the island we can only conjecture. As the species has no near relative 

 that can fly over a wide range, it is probable that the ancestors of the Laysan 

 rail came to the islands very long ago by accident, possibly being lost at sea 

 during the season of migration, or may have been stranded there by the sub- 

 mergence of lands connecting Laysan with other islands of the group. Find- 

 ing the island small, but well stocked with food and without serious naliiral 

 enemies, the species doubtless settled down to live the island life. Having 

 but little use for their wings, they gradually lost the power of flight. 



The Laysan canary is the best songster on the island, and as a rcsiUt 

 many of them have been captured by occasional visitors and carried to Hono- 

 lulu to be kept in cages as pets. On Laysan they are very jiumerous. Being 

 of good size and absolutely fearless, they are most interesting, ot'lcn coming 

 into the rough houses built by the guano company, to look for seed or to secure 

 a drink of fresh water. Fresh water is a real luxury to tlicin. tlnnmh Ihey 

 never care to bathe in it as ordinary canaries do. 



The MnxEi-: VUru. 



The miller bird, as it has been called on account of its uinisnal fond- 

 ness for a certain species of miller that is vci'v abiuidanl on Laysan, is a snndl 

 i'%ed-warbler. This small brown bii'd is the only i-epresentative of this exten- 

 sive family of insect-eating birds to be found in the native fauna of th»> gi-oup. 

 Ornithologists have been much interested in the discovery of this well-marked 

 species occurring only on this isolated spot of hind, since all of its relatives are 

 capable of making extended flights by sea and occui- widely distributed in 



