326 XATFRAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



and wings, all of which are marks of maturity. The male during the mating 

 season is designated from the female by a pair of long white streamers 

 that curve gracefully down from the back of the head. The young birds are 

 always spotted and mottled in various shades of brown, butf and white, and are 

 so different in appearance in this immature plumage that the Ilawaiians, even 

 though they were very close observers, gave to the old and young aukuu dif- 

 ferent names. 



The Coot and Gallinule. 



The Hawaiian coot ^"^ is almost as large as a small fowl. It is seldom seen 

 except in the fresh-water ponds, and brackish and fresh-water marshes. This 

 curious bird and its cousin the Hawaiian gallinule,'' a bird that in size and 

 general habits it resembles very much, are Haw^aiian species that have near 

 relatives on the mainland from which they differ but slightly. The coot is a 

 dark slaty-gray color, and is peculiar in that its toes, instead of being 

 w^ebbed as they are on a duck's foot, are provided with conspicuous lateral 

 lobes or flaps which enable it to swim with great speed and to dive almost at 

 the tlash of a gun. The upper bill has a curious large white shield over its 

 base. This white shield and the lobed feet help the beginner to identify the 

 bird and prevent it being mistaken for the gallinule. The latter has the frontal 

 shield, a vermillion red, and the toes are without the curious lobes. Both 

 species build their nest of dead rushes and grasses, placing them in the swamp 

 near their favorite haunts. 



The Legend of ^Iaui and the Alae. 



The Hawaiians have a very interesting story that seeks to explain how 

 the alae or gallinule acquired the red spot on its forehead. According to the 

 legend, the great ]\Iaui, who dwelt in the islands before the process of making 

 fire was invented, had four sons, who were fishermen. Each morning at sun- 

 rise they would take their canoes and go offshore to a favorite fishing ground. 

 One morning they espied a fire on shore and, being desirous of having their 

 food cooked, rowed to the spot where the fire had been seen, but lo ! no fire 

 could they find. The next day they repeated the experience and were again 

 disappointed. After repeated failures they resorted to strategy. Dressing up 

 a huge gourd to resemble a man, they placed the dummy in the boat as a 

 substitute for one of the four fishermen, and sent the canoe out to fish as usual. 



The man on shore crept close to where the fire had been located and 

 w^aited patiently. To his surprise he found it W'as the alae that had guarded 

 the secret of the fire so w-ell. 



Knowdng Maui had but four sons, this cautious bird had Avaited each time 

 until they were all away fishing before it dared to light the fire, and keeping a 

 sliarp watch it scratched it out again when they started home with their lioat. 

 Tliis time tlic dunnny in the boat had fooled the bii-d. At the proper moment 



^ Fulica ttlai. ^ (Sullinula .sandvicennis. 



