60 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. II, January, 1948 
exist in considerable numbers. Furthermore, it 
is probable that the importation of foreign 
species has contributed not a little to this ap¬ 
parent paucity of the avifauna by driving the 
native species farther into the mountains and 
perhaps by aiding materially in the extinction of 
some species. 
This desire to have birds in the Hawaiian 
Islands has gone beyond the concept of filling a 
vacancy in the lowlands and has proceeded to 
extremes as shown by the following statements 
of a former official of the Territorial Board of 
Agriculture and Forestry in the Paradise of the 
Pacific (49 (1): 28, 30, 1937): "We want to 
fill the Islands with birds of all desirable species 
that will survive here” and, "Hawaii can be 
transformed into a universal aviary, a bird haven 
where every known species of birds, not in¬ 
jurious to Hawaii, will propagate and thrive 
under the conditions of their natural habitats.” 
It is true that these statements are qualified by 
the terms "desirable” and "not injurious,” but 
there is no positive way to predict the "in¬ 
jurious” phases of an exotic birds behavior in 
its new home. Yet, this same official indicates 
quite correctly (op. cit., p. 6) that what is de¬ 
sirable at one time may not be desirable at a 
later date by saying in regard to species wanted 
that ". . . things are different in the 1930’s than 
in the 1850’s.” He might also have said that 
birds desirable to one economic group are not 
so to another, and that birds esthetically desir¬ 
able may not be so desirable economically, and 
wice versa. No mention was made of the desire 
on the part of some to try to preserve and in¬ 
crease the populations of native birds, many of 
which are peculiar to these islands and, if lost 
bere, would be extinct. 
The movement for more and more birds has 
also been supported by unfounded generalized 
statements ( Aviculture, 3:333-334, 1931; and 
4:70-71, 1932) that exotic birds are not detri¬ 
mental to the native species in Hawaii. To my 
knowledge no comprehensive study has ever 
been made of the interaction of an exotic and a 
native bird in Hawaii! 
Whether the past introductions of birds were 
beneficial or detrimental is beside the point; we 
must now accept the successful exotics as a part 
of the avifauna; but at the same time extreme 
care should be exercised in the importation of 
additional species. It is not enough that a bird 
is desired by a group or an individual, and that 
it appears innocuous in its native ecological 
niche. No one can foretell definitely and accu¬ 
rately the overall activities of a species trans¬ 
planted to a new region, nor can anyone foresee 
all the multitudinous implications of such trans¬ 
planting. However, as Me A tee (1925: 160) 
states "... when we consider animals and plants 
not strictly domesticated, successful introduc¬ 
tions have almost invariably had regrettable 
consequences.” 
Birds that are omnivorous in their original 
home need special investigation before being 
transplanted. Such birds are often opportunists, 
as regards food, and thus feed on the most abun¬ 
dant and easily obtained food item. This item 
may be beneficial insects, a particular farm 
crop, or some other article more "valuable” than 
the bird itself, even to those who had clamored 
for its importation. A species predominantly 
insectivorous in its native region may for various 
reasons change its food habits so that its major 
item of food in its new home is grain, or per¬ 
haps fruit. Or, if it fed almost exclusively on a 
single insect or group of insects in its native 
home, it may find that this insect or group is not 
as easily obtained as some other insect; it may 
then feed on the most abundant food supply. 
Consequently, such a bird, when imported for 
insect control, particularly of a specific insect, 
may be a failure. Yet, it may become firmly 
rooted here. Perhaps the search starts again, 
and another species is tried, and another, with 
varying results, until we have a polyglot fauna 
such as is found in Hawaii at the present time. 
The breeding potential, or the ability of a 
bird to reproduce successfully, is another im¬ 
portant consideration when a bird is moved into 
a new region. We need not concern ourselves 
with those which cannot breed successfully. A 
