6o 
THE CONDOR 
Vol. IV 
has been previously known from Hilo. Three species of lizards are fairly com- 
mon on Maui. 
Sea birds are almost totally absent from about the islands, a stray gull or alba- 
tross and a few flocks of noddies being the only species seen. Bird song is a 
scarce article on the islands, at least among native species, the greater part of the 
avian choir being recruited from the exotics. One author speaks of “the music of 
the minas, the plaintive note of the ring dove’’ (Mustek; Hawaii, Our New Posses- 
sions; 1898, p. 20). On these points I must dissent. The dove supplies but an 
imitation of cooing and for harsh, jarring noises the vocalization of a flock of 
minas discounts the house sparrow and bluejay combined. 
To those unfamiliar with the avifauna of the islands it is right to say that the 
following notes by no means fairly represent what is to be found on Maui. I 
have had some doubt as to their being worth printing. However, as a few of the 
species are but little known, I trust the older ornithologists will pardon my pro- 
lixity. I wish to express my thanks to Assistant Frank Walley Perkins of the 
United States Coast Survey, then commanding the U. S. S. Pathfinder, for his 
kindly interest and aid in my collecting. All measurements are in inches and 
hundredths. The islands are blessed with an uncommonly large number of intro- 
duced species. Passer domcsticus is common at Honolulu but I saw it nowhere 
else. The most conspicuous species is the mina (Acridotheres tristis). 
This introduced species is the most abundant bird on all the islands visited. At 
Kahului it was always to be seen about the streets and yards, or when not feed- 
ing large flocks were to be found in the dense shade trees about the houses. 
Their note is harsh and anything but entertaining to the person whose trees they 
frequent. The flesh of this bird is dark and is considered excellent by the 
natives. 
The Chinese dove (I'urtur chinensis) holds second place for abundance and is 
always found in flocks among the trees and bushes near the beach. In habits it 
is much like our mourning dove. Old nests were seen in the mimosa bushes of the 
lowlands. On December 27 I saw a nest and two fresh eggs. The note is easily 
recognized as that of a dove but is harsh compared with the soft cooing of our 
Zenaidura. 
House finches (Carpodacus ni. fironialis) were abundant wherever we landed on 
Maui, but were so wild as to not be obtained easily. Of five males secured but 
one was in the red plnmage, the others having orange and yellow. The species 
was common at Kaunakakai on Molokai, where I found heavily incubated eggs 
March 25. The nests were lined with goat hair. At Hilo they were kept in 
cages. 
An odd little weaver bird (Munia punctata nisoria) is common in flocks of fif- 
teen to thirty individuals about the rice, tarro and cane fields. California Quail 
(Lophortyx c. vallicolus) have been introduced on Molokai and two partridges seen 
on Maui were probably of this same species. 
Mr. Henshaw records Larus glaucescens as an irregular though rare visitor to 
the island of Hawaii (Auk XVH, p. 201). An immature bird seen between 
Kehai and Lahaina was probably of this species. Albatross, possibly Dioniedia 
chinetisis, were frequently seen in the passes between Maui, Molokai and Lanai. 
On the ponds at Kahului were several large flocks of ducks which I took to be 
the Hawaiian duck (Anous wyvilliana,) but the record is open to doubt. Many 
migratory species of the shore and water birds find a resting place on the vari- 
ous islands. The following four species belong in this class: 
