The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1885-07-03
MAMMAllA OF THE HAWAIIAN
ISLANDS.
BY HATTIE HITCHCOCK.

members of this class were the dog,
hog, and a species of rat. The
hogs, or suridel, were small animals
with long heads and small, erect
ears. These have all or nearly all
disappeared in late years, but for.
eign varieties have been introduced
and have multiplied very rapidly.
In the forests of Hawaii and Kauai,
and presume in those Of other is
lands also, although / do not know,
great many are running in the wild
state. These sometimes grow to
great size, and though they never
attain to the degree of fairness that
the domesticated hogs do, they are
tenderer and their flesh has sweet,
delicate flavor not found in the
domesticated hog. The boar has a
pair of tusks which often grow to
the length of eight or ten inches,
and are very strong. When cornered
or angered in any way they do not
hesitate to charge, whether on man
or beast, and oftentimes dog has
been killed by a single thrust from
one of them, which become danger
Gus weapons when welded by such
foe. The natives were and are
very fond of pork.
Of the dog which was found in
the Islands very little is known. 1t
is supposed that it was q small
species, hairless, or, if not entirely
so, it left that impression on the
mind of any one who saw it. They
were raised by the natives, great
care being taken to fatten them, for
when in this condition they were
considered great delicacies. Quite
number of dogs of foreign breeds
have been brought here; and at one
time the forests of Hawaii were full
of those which had become wild,
and they were very savage, making
it dangerous for any one to venture
into the woods unarmed.
The only variety of the family of
muridp, or rats, was an animal in
size between the rat and the mouse.
But since vessels have visited the
shores of our island kingdom, both
rats and mice have taken up their
abode with us in great numbers.
In 1892 Vancouver visited the
Islands and brought here some cat
tie. On the 10Th of February he
landed q pair, but the COW died
soon after; and on the 22nd of the
same month he landed five COWS
and some sheep, at Kealalekua
Bay. They were present to Ka-
mehameha l., who was then one of
the most powerful chiefs of Hawaii.
In 1928, extensive herds of cattle
were roaming the pasture lands of
Hawaii; while on most of the is
lands were iiocks of goats, and also
a few horses and sheep. These
were all introduced by Vancouver
some time during the years 1892 to
1894. Cattle and horses in the wild
state now range the uplands of some,
at least, of the islands. Within a
few years cattle of many valuable
breeds have been imported, and a
number of diaries furnish US with
milk, cream and butter; while the
cattle ranches supply our wants with
meat, good, bad, and Indifferent.
horses are used all over the group,
in some districts simply as riding
horses, while in others both for car
riage and riding.
Deer have been imported and
there are now quite number of
them both on Hawaii and Molokai f;
and although they are not as plenti-
full as some of us might wish, still
they are steadily increasing, and if
we wait long enough, we may have
our own venison.
Cats have been brought TO the
Islands and they now abound as
we'll as bound all over the group.
At one time number of them which
ran away, or which were turned
loose, became wild. Their native
name, which is popoki, was given
them in this way: missionary had
a cat which one day he was petting,
saying, "Poor pussy" A native
hearing him, tried to repeat it, and
succeeded in saying, "popoki."
This name has chung to them ever
since.
The mongoose were brought
here three or four years ago, by the
planters, who imported them for the
purpose of turning loose in the cane
fields, where they do much good by
destroying the rats and mice, which
they seem to have a special antipathy
for. The mongoose lisa carnivorous
animal. 1t is o little smaller than
the ichneumon, which is about the
size of a cat. The ichneumon is
dark brown, ringed with yellow; the
mongoose is little paler and grayer
than the ichneumon. The body is
long; legs short; head small, point.
ed and elongated; ears short and
rounded; the feet are five-toed, with
sharp semi-retractile claws; the eyes