THE AXLMAL l.IPE OF TIIK (IHOTP. . 321 



fanning lands on the lower levels about all the islands are wilhuul native birds 

 of any kind. Fortunately, this is not true of the ponds, marshes, streams and 

 the sea-slioi'c. as the waters of Hawaii ai'c slill inliabitcd l)y several eharaeter- 

 istic forms. Unfortunately, some of the species of the rcLiion jifc now vciy 

 rare, while others that are more common are of more lluiii usual iul crest, since 

 they are not met with elsewhere in the world. The majoi-ity of the hii-ds 

 belonging to this low-land section, however, are I'epresentat i\'cs of wide- 

 ranging species that visit Hawaii as a winter resoi't to escape the rigoi's of 

 the climate in the far north wliei'c most of the shoi-e and walei- l»ii-ds repnii- 

 every summer to nest and rear tlieir young. 



The Golden Plover. 



Conspicuous among the migrants visiting Hawaii each year are tlie tzolden 

 plover, the wandering tattlei", the turnstone and the sanderling. A sti'oll along 

 the sea-shore, especially in the coimtry districts during the winter s;'as(in. will 

 be rewarded by a sight of one oi- more Hocks of at least some of these species 

 as they follow up the receding waves in seai'ch of the dainties that are left 

 strewn on the sand ])y the sea. Often the plover ^ Avill be seen in lai-ge num- 

 bers, feeding on the upland, where, in th(^ freshly-plowed fields or in the newly- 

 planted cane or on the open grass lands, they find an abundant supply of 

 worms and insects. They doubtless render a gi-eat service to tin- |)lantci- and 

 farmer during this season, and are entitled to all the protection they receive in 

 return. 



When the })lover arrive at the islands in the autumn, fi'oni the summer 

 spent in the far north, they are usually in pool* tiesh. But when we think of the 

 long journey they must make over the three thousand miles of ocean witlumt 

 a rest, the wonder is that they do not perish on the way. -Just wh\' the j)lover 

 and all the other migratory birds undertake these wearisome Mights across 

 the wild open ocean, it seems must ever remain a mystei'y. Without doulit. 

 when storms are encountered many must lose their way aiul go down to wa1ei-y 

 graves or, thrown from their course, must tly for days over the great dull 

 expanse in search of land. Perhaps it was in some such accidental wa\ that 

 the first plover happened to visit Hawaii in the long ago. Since it doubtless 

 found the islands a pleasant land, it seems almost incredihie that a helpless 

 wanderer should ever put to sea again in search of the distant land fi-om 

 w^hence it came. But the instinct to migrate to the far-away north and rear 

 a brood and return again to these little islands over the sea nnist have ix-eii 

 very strong — strong enough to cai'i-y it and its descendants liack and toi'th 

 year after year. Doubtless such is the story ot the beginning of the colonies 

 of most, if not all. of the ditftM'cnl spcM-ics of mii^i-itoiy sIku'c and watci- bii-ds 

 that visit Hawaii each vear. 



^Cliarndriiis do)iii)iiriis tiilnis. 



