The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-02-10
ABOUT MOCKING BIRDS.
Sound Advice from Naturalist
Perkins.
NOT GOOD FOR THESE ISLANDS.
May Prove Worse Than Mynahs.
Conditions of the Country Not
Suitable-wou1d Spread Lantana.
The Skylark Not Objectionable.

The following letter from r. c.
L. Perkins, the English naturalist,
to the ADVERTISER is not without
interest to the people of Honolulu
who want to import the mocking-
bird
EDITOR ADVERTISER 1t has lately
been proposed to bring to the islands
another foreign bird-the American
mocking- bird-for the sake of its fine
singing powers. It is sincerely to be
hoped that neither this nor any other
species of foreign Passerine birds will
be turned out here, since their subse-
quent behavior under totally changed
conditions is purely enigmatical.
1t ia true no harm may follow the
Introduction = possibly, even, some
good; but, more likely, the very OppO-
site will be the result. The food of the
bird soon to arrive here is of two kinds,
vegetable aud animal, i e f, berries and
insects. OF the former, the islands
produce little or nothing in Inhabited
districts, save lantana, which would
then have new agent in spreading it
should the birds take Kindly to its
berries, and the various kinds of cul
tivated fruits, which might not at first
be begrudged for the sake of the birds
song. Should it multiply, as the my
nah has done, there would soon be a
different tale to tell.
As to- the destruction of insects, the
fnyriadS of mynahs are already more
than enough to hold these in check,
for ii is wildly improbable that the
new conner will attack species that
this omniverous bird rejects. The
nocturnal Japanese bug is not likely
to be aft cted by it to any great ex-
tent; it is much more likely TO destroy
some of the useful incOnspicuous spe
cies introduced by Mr.. Koebele, which
are active in the daylight. Whether
purely aesthetic purposes is very
doubtful when the damage that may
ensue is obvious, not to mention that
totally unforeseen harm may arise.
But there are other reasons quite
apart from the utilitarian point of
view, for excluding this and other
birds of a like nature, namely, the
effect likely to ne produced on the
native fauna. That any evil effect
will follow would seem improbable TO
any one who has not given any atten-
ton to such questions, on the ground
that no apparent ill. results have fol-
into new localities in America. But
the cases are utterly different. On
continental lands the struggle for ex-
istence is very severe, owing to the
variety of forms inhabiting them On
oceanic islands it is infinit-ly lees SD,
on account of the naturally limited
fauna. For this reason the latter eX-
hibit a large numbe of simple or
primitive creatures; the former, on
the contrary, creatures OF hlgh spe-
cialiZatiOn for all kinds of conditions
of life, and it is therefore natural that
if these be introduced into the homes
of the simpler island forms, the
weaker will soon go to the wall. To a
large extent this has already hap
pen+d here, for now there is almost no
native fauna left on the IOwland-, the
native species being driven further
and further back up the mountains as
the foreign OueS advance, aud these
latter, mostly Injurious, now replace
the old, harmless native species. The
bird in question will affect the insect
fauna directly and the birds Indirect
ly; the mynah affects both directly,
for [ have seen it attacking adult
native birds and also destroy ing the
young in the nest.
The insect fauna OF the islands in It's
natural state is most beautifully regu
lated, all being kept in check by the
birds, anu some of the species, like the
blights, by other insect parasites. Iu-
trOduce such n disturbing element as
the muckiug bird Is likely to be, aud
one cannot fOresee hat the results
will be. The food supply suitable for
the native birds, except perhaps in
the case of few which live on the
honey of flowers, is, after all, limited.
Already they have to contend with
introduced species, which are grow
ing more and more abundant. The