HAWAIIAN BIRDS. 9 



to every nature-lover as well. The field is so broad and even, 

 yet so little worked, that the intelligent observer cannot fail to 

 discover facts of interest to himself and of positive value to 

 science. 



Of the nests and eggs of Hawaiian birds we know next to 

 nothing. In fact it may be said that of only one bird, the Elepaio, 

 have we an adequate knowledge of its life history, and even this 

 statement must be qualified by adding that even of it there re- 

 mains much to be learned. 



DESTRUCTION OF HAWAIIAN FORESTS. 



While the forest recesses upon the Island of Hawaii are being 

 rendered more accessible all the time, it is not to be overlooked 

 that the forest upon this and the other islands is being rapidly 

 destroyed. Large areas are now falling before the axe prepara- 

 tory to cultivation, and the birds that once inhabited them are 

 being hemmed irfto tracts of constantly diminishing size, even if 

 the birds themselves are not destroyed with the forests. 



The deforestation of Hawaii is much accelerated by the work 

 of cattle, which are ever increasing in numbers under the con- 

 stantly increasing demand for beef. They browse upon the ten- 

 der shrubs, vines and undergrowth, thus not only destroying the 

 young trees and preventing their natural increase, but robbing 

 the large forest trees of their natural protection. The trunks, 

 accustomed to a heavy covering of mosses, lichens, ferns and 

 vines, by which they are protected from the sun and wind and 

 are ever kept moist, succumb to the new conditions, when the 

 sun and wind have free access to them, and sooner or later die. 

 Thus ohias, koas and other large forest trees are destroyed by 

 cattle, though actually untouched by them. 



Another source of danger to the forests is a span-worm, which 

 has been identified by Mr. Perkins as the Scotorhythra idolias, 

 which has done great damage to the koa of Maui and is now 

 engaged in the same destructive work in Hawaii. Twice the 

 present year (1901) the koa woods of Kaiwiki have been stipped 

 by the larvae of this little moth, which exists in great numbers 



