6o THE CONDOR I 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" (:Flusick; [-lawall, Our New )osse$- sions; x898, p. 2o). 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 Maul. 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. Pall?finder, 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 domesticus is common at Honolulu but I saw it nowhere else. The most conspicuous species is the mina (?lcridotheres IrisIls). 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 (7?trtur 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 m.frontalis) were abundant wherever we landed on Maul, but were so wild as to not be obtained easily. Of five males secured but one was in the red plumage, 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 (Lophort,x c. vallicolus) have been introduced on Molokai and two partridges seen on Maui were probably of this same species. Mr. Henshaw records Lares gYaucescens as an irregular though rare visitor to the island of Hawaii (.4uk XV[[, p. 2or). An immature bird seen between Kehai and Lahaina was probably of this species. Albatross, possibly IDiomedia cltinensis, were frequently seen in the passes between Maul, Molokai and Lanai. On the ponds at Kahului were several large flocks of ducks which I took to be the Hawaiian duck (?tnous w. yvilliana,) 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:
