314 ISLAND LIFE part ii 



two ducks, Anas Wyvilliana and Bernicla sandvichensis. 

 The birds of prey are also great wanderers. Four have 

 been found in the islands — the short-eared owl, Otus 

 brachyohcs, which ranges over the greater part of the globe, 

 but is here said to resemble the variety found in Chile 

 and the Galapagos ; the barn owl, Strix Jlammea, of a 

 variety common in the Pacific ; a peculiar sparrow-hawk, 

 Accipiter hawaii, \Sind a buzzard of a peculiar species, 

 JButeo solitarius, coloured so as to resemble a hawk of the 

 American sub-family Polyborinse. It is to be noted that 

 the genus Buteo abounds in America, but is not found in 

 the Pacific ; and this fact, combined with the remarkable 

 colouration, renders it almost certain that this peculiar 

 species is of American origin. 



The Passeres, or true perching birds, are especially 

 interesting, being all of peculiar species, and, all but one, 

 belonging to peculiar genera. Their numbers have been 

 greatly increased since the first edition of this work 

 appeared, partly by the exertions of American naturalists, 

 and very largely by the researches of Mr. Scott B. Wilson, 

 who visited the Sandwich Islands in 1887 for the purpose 

 of investigating their ornithology, and collected assiduously 

 in the various islands of the group for a year and a half, 

 and he also made a second journey in 1896. 



In 1892 a Committee of the British Association sent 

 out Mr. R. C. L. Perkins, of the Cambridge Museum of 

 Zoology, who also made two separate visits of nearly two 

 years each, and obtained a considerable number of 

 novelties. These together with the results of other 

 private collections are described in a fine work, Avcs 

 Hawaiienses, by Mr. Scott Wilson, who has also furnished 

 me with a few of the latest additions to the fauna, so 

 that the following list embodies all the available informa- 

 tion down to the present year, 1901. A few alterations in 

 nomenclature have, however, been made in accordance with 

 a very valuable paper on the Drepanididse by Mr. R. C. L. 

 Perkins in the Ihis of October, 1901, in which the habits, 

 classification, and distribution of this extremely interest- 

 ing family are very fully discussed. 



