INTRODUCTION. 



Of recent years the study of nature has become popular and 

 widespread in America. Not only is Nature Study taught in 

 many of the schools, but the publications relating thereto have 

 become very numerous. Unfortunately these various treatises 

 apply wholly or in large part to the birds, insects, animals and 

 plants of the mainland, few or none of which are found in the 

 Hawaiian Islands. Such publications are hence of comparatively 

 little use to island teachers and pupils or to the Islanders generally. 



There being at present no popular work upon Hawaiian birds, 

 the present little volume has been prepared with the view of break- 

 ing ground in this department, and with the hope that it may 

 prove of assistance to those who are already bird-lovers and, as 

 well, may stimulate others to become such. 



For superbly illustrated volumes upon Hawaiian birds the read- 

 er is referred to the fine works issued by Mr. Walter Rothschild 

 and by Mr. Scott B. Wilson. 



Since the first part of the present treatise was published, the 

 Bishop Museum has issued a "Key to the Birds of the Hawaiian 

 Group" by W. A. Bryan. This valuable work supplies a ready 

 means for the identification of all the birds thus far found upon 

 the islands, and should prove a welcome and efficient aid to a 

 knowledge of the subject. Much of the preliminary field-work in 

 relation to the island plants, insects, shells and fishes has already 

 been done by private investigators or by public institutions, and 

 the results have been published. (Note the extensive and valuable 

 memoirs on various branches of biology issued conjointly by the 

 Royal Society of London, British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science and the Bishop Museum under title of "Fauna 

 Hawaiiaensis"). Investigations of a similar character are now 



