THE ANIMAL LIFE OF THE GROFP. 411 



tures of the native fauna, since it is one of (•(iiisi(l('raV)le >i('nt'ral as well as bio- 

 loo-ic interest. 



^t^' 



Character ok the Native Fatna. 



The nnmlier of species even in the limited and |)i'('('inctive area of the 

 islands is so great that it is not possible to do nioi-e than indicate in the briefest 

 way the character and extent of the vaiious orders represented in the firoup, 

 and to assure those who take especial interest in the subject of entomology 

 that they will lind in Hawaii an extensive literature already {)i-epai'ed and an 

 interesting field befoi'e them foi- study and investigation. 



The stranger in the islands, with only a few days to sjjcnd in the collect- 

 ing of specimens, is fortunate in that two of the most favorable localities for 

 gaining a bird's-eye view of the native insects in their native envirotunent. are 

 also two of the most accessible. They ai'e the mountains back of Honolulu, 

 particularly the higher slopes of Tantalus, and the region in the vicinity of the 

 Volcano Kilauea, on Hawaii. 



Dr. Perkins, the veteran naturalist of the islands, whose active life in the 

 field of ento)nology has been largely spent in bringing together the material 

 on which a monumental work, in three volumes, knoAvn as Fauna llawaiiensis 

 is based, has published short papers ^ setting forth briefly the more important 

 and interesting forms that may be met with in the localities mentioned. These 

 succinct papers will serve the collector as a field guide to each locality and aid 

 him in his search for the rarer forms to be found in these favored precincts. 



The student will early learn to appreciate the importance of careful and 

 intensive study of circumscribed localities, since each island, valley, mountain, 

 and even limited areas and often certain {peculiar plants, have tlieii- peculiar 

 forjns. It will also be noted that such infiuences as elevation, moisture and 

 dryness play important parts in the distribution of sjx'cies and the establish- 

 ment of their vertical and horizontal range. 



Insects Occurring on ^Iamaki. 



The work on tlie life histories of various groups of Hawaiian insects that 

 has been carried on by the individual members of the local Entomological 

 Society has added material of the greatest interest to oiii- increasing stoi'c of 

 knowledge concerning the habits of the native insect fauna. This is especially 

 true in the grou[) of Lfpidoph rd, wherein Professor Otto S\veze\-. in his study of 

 moths and butterfiies, has done much to clear up man\- obscure i-elations exist- 

 ing between that order of insects and tlu)se insects preying ujton them in their 

 early stages of development. The bearing of these inter-i-elations in their 

 effect on tlu' native vegetation has often |)i'oved to be of gi'cal biologic interest. 



In his investigation of the insects associated with the mamaki (a native 

 Hawaiian shrub, fi-om which kapa was formerly madei. lie has iiiilic;itc(l the 



■ Insects of Tantalus. Perkins. Proc Haw. Kntoni. .Six-., Vol. 1. i>t. -. \}\>. :iS-.".l. Ins.'.ts nf Kiliima. 

 Perkins, Proc. Haw. Kntoni. Soc, Vol, I. lit. :!. pp. 89-99. 



