63 
pecially when young. The same statement may be made of a 
tropical swallow living on the coast of Mexico {Tachycineta 
albilinea). I should personally like to see an attempt made to 
introduce one or more of the several species of California hum- 
ming-birds into the Islands, although the desirability of doing 
this rests more upon aesthetic than economic grounds. They 
live to a considerable extent upon minute insects which they find 
within the corollas of flowers, and also upon the nectar of flowers. 
I do not doubt for a moment that they would thrive wonderfully 
well in the gardens about Honolulu, and also in the mountain 
districts where the Ohia abounds, the flowers of which would 
furnish them an abundance of food. Nor do I see any difficulty 
in the way of transporting them by steamer to Honolulu, as tney 
could be fed upon water sweetened with sugar during the six 
days of the voyage. 
An attempt to acclimatize the mocking bird in the Islands 
would be sure to arouse popular interest, would probably be suc- 
cessful, and would be attended with comparatively little risk. 
It is almost exclusively insectivorous during the breeding sea- 
son and largely so the year round. The mocking bird would 
be a fine addition to the Island avifauna, though it cannot be 
recommended unreservedly. 
There is another bird which I think worthy of trial, about the 
size of a blue bird and known to dealers as the ''Pekin nightin- 
gale" or "Japanese robin." Its scientific name is Liothrix lutea 
and it is somewhat related to the thrushes, but is probably nearer 
the flycatchers. It lives to some extent on small fruit and in- 
sects. It would be easy to obtain this bird from San 
Francisco bird dealers. There are a good many wild berries in 
the Islands, including the native blackberry or akala, the intro- 
duced Jamaica raspberry, the introduced mulberry and the na- 
tive species, together with a number of berry bearing trees, the 
names of which I have forgotten. These should furnish abund- 
ant food for such berry eaters as the ones just mentioned, and 
would greatly lessen the chance of their attacking cultivated 
ones. 
The game birds, like the turkey, pheasants and quail, so far 
introduced into the Islands, have suffered from the mongoose, 
since they nest on the ground, and, together with the n-ative Ha- 
waiian goose, are likely to ultimately undergo practical exter- 
mination. Should further introduction of game birds into the 
Islands be contemplated, I would suggest trial of the following, 
all inhabitants of Mexico: Chachalaca (Ortalis), guan (Pene- 
lope), and curassow (Crax). These gallinaceous birds are to a 
considerable extent forest inhabiters, would furnish excellent 
sport, and are fine eating. The curassow would probably thrive 
best in humid regions, the chachalaca in dryer parts. All these 
are tamed readily, and in Mexico frequently live about the houses 
of the residents, mingling freely with the domestic fowls. They 
