INTRODUCTION. xxiii 



The appended Table, shewing the Distribution in the principal Islands of the species 

 of the Order Passeres, tells its own story ; but the fact must be emphasized that every 

 one of them is peculiar to the group — that is to say, not found elsewhere. In addition 

 to these (fifty-three in number), there is one peculiar species of Accipitres, two of 

 Anseres, one of Limicolce, and apparently there were four of Rallidce — two being now 

 extinct, — making the whole number of peculiar species of Birds amount to sixty. 

 Indeed, setting aside the sea-birds, there seem to be but two breeding species — the 

 Short-eared Owl (Asio accipitrinus) and the Night-Heron (Nycticorax griseus) — which are 

 also inhabitants of other lands, and these two have possibly the widest range of their 

 respective Families. This remarkable amount of peculiarity well deserves the attention 

 of all interested in the problems of Geographical Distribution, and especially of those 

 who study that subject in the light it casts on the history of the globe. Those students 

 must also be reminded, as already briefly stated by Prof. Newton, that of the resident 

 land-forms of the Sandwich Islands there is only one genus, Chasiempis, which is allied 

 to any that are characteristic of the Islands of the Pacific Ocean in general, though 

 there are two, Acrulocercus and Chwtoptila, not far removed from forms peculiar to the 

 continent of Australia. These facts, combined with the absence of Parrots, Kingfishers, 

 and Doves — all so characteristic of the South Sea Islands, — are very significant, and 

 seem to indicate that the Hawaiian Archipelago should be no longer included in what 

 most authors have called the " Australian Region." 



It remains to be stated that, as before announced to the Subscribers of this work, 

 Mr. Wilson made a second visit to the Islands in 1896, but no new species were then 

 discovered. 



