18 HA WAIIAN BIRDS. 



goose. Yet the experiment upon a liberal scale is well worth 

 trial. 



Lower Forest Zone.— This zone may be defined as extend- 

 ing from about 500 feet to 1,500. It is well marked by its vege- 

 table productions, especially by the kukui (Aleurites moluccana), 

 lauhala (Pandanus odoratissimus) , and by the hau (Paritium 

 tiliaceum), which do not pass beyond it, as also by the awapuhi 

 (Zinsiber zerumpet), the ti {Cordyline terminalis) and the ohia ai 

 (Eugenia malaccensis) . The ieie {Freycinetia arborea) , import- 

 ant as furnishing the chief food of the ou, abounds, but extends 

 into the next zone. The ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) consti- 

 tutes the bulk of the forest in this, as in the next zone, but does 

 not attain the proportions and vigorous growth characteristic of 

 the tree higher up. The same is true of the koa, which makes 

 its appearance here. 



There are no birds that are characteristic of this zone. Chas- 

 iempis, Phceornis, Chlorodrepanis, Psittacirostra, Himatione, 

 Vestiaria and Buteo are all present, in small numbers towards its 

 lower edge (or altogether wanting), but in increasing numbers 

 towards its. upper confines. 



There is evidence tending to show that the above species for- 

 merly extended somewhat lower down than they do now, and in 

 greater numbers, especially Chasiempis. In the past fifty years 

 the treeless area has been constantly creeping upwards as the 

 direct result of deforestation by the planter and indirectly by the 

 work of cattle, elsewhere alluded to, and this has considerably 

 affected the range of the birds. 



The temperature is somewhat cooler than in the preceding 

 zone and the rainfall also is greater. 



Middle Forest Zone. — The middle forest region may be de- 

 fined as extending from about 1,500 feet to 6,000 feet. This 

 region is within the belt of greatest rainfall (130-180 inches), 

 and upon all the islands is by far the richest botanically, and in 

 all forms of animal life, including the birds. 



The temperature varies much between the upper and the lower 

 confines, but the average summer temperature is not above 65 

 degrees and in winter falls considerably below that. At 6,000 



