COMMERCIAL FISHERIES OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 483 



where the canal passes under the street, so that the frogs will be 

 unable to get out and their enemies can not enter. At one side of 

 the pond, where the water is shallow, a large section has been fenced 

 off from the rest by a fine-meshed wire screen and divided into two 

 compartments, in which are placed the eggs and the young tadpoles. 

 In the larger section the young and full-grown frogs are allowed to 

 roam at will. The pond contains many water hyacinths and pond 

 lilies, which are quite necessary to the comfort and safety of the 

 batrachians, screening them from the sun and from their chief enemies, 

 the birds. The frogs are generalh^ secured from the rivers and ponds 

 near by, where they are caught by small boys armed with hook and 

 line or scoop net. A uniform price of $1 per dozen is paid for these 

 without regard to size. No attempt is made to feed them, and as they 

 grow rapidly it is evident that natural food is quite abundant in the 

 inclosure. 



Only the medium-sized frogs are now shipped to market, the large 

 ones being retained for breeding purposes. Shortly before shipment 

 the frogs are removed from the pond to the wholesale market at 

 Waiakea, near by, where thej^ are placed in a tank built specially for 

 the purpose. This tank, which is raised on supports, is about 15 feet 

 long, about 5 feet wide, and about 4 feet deep, with the top slanting 

 inward slightly in order to prevent the frogs from climbing up. The 

 tank is divided by wire screens into four compartments, two of which are 

 surrounded by a screen superimposed on the top of the tank, and 

 reaching up about 6 feet, and the more active frogs are put into these 

 compartments. Fresh water is supplied daily by means of a small 

 electric pump. Although not introduced until 1899, the frogs have 

 already attained a large size. Of three of the largest ones in the ship- 

 ping tank on one occasion, two weighed 2 pounds each and the other 

 li pounds. Thirt3^-six of all sizes, gathered from the tank and weighed 

 together, averaged 5 ounces each. 



Most of the frogs at present are shipped to the San Francisco markets 

 via the regular line plying between Hilo and that port. They are sent 

 in long, water-tight boxes with several inches of water at the bottom, 

 this being changed every day during the eight to ten days required for 

 the journey. The percentage of loss in transit is very small. A few 

 frogs are also shipped via the interisland steamers to Honolulu and 

 other towns, and all indications predict a rapid extension of the industry, 

 as the animals are being introduced on the other islands, and efforts are 

 being made to propagate them. 



In 1900 Hawaiians predominated in the fisheries of this island, num- 

 bering 405 persons. At that time there were but 134 Japanese 

 engaged in fishing. In 1903 this condition of affairs was reversed, 

 and there were then 406 Japanese to 391 Hawaiians, an increase of 



