Evening star., 1901-09-21
THE HAWAII MOSQUITOES
TWO VARIETIES MAKE DAY AND
NIGHT BURDEN.
The Nina Bird Instead Of KILLING the
Pest Drove Out the Native
S0ngaters.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
In connection with that worldwide topic
Of present interest, mosquitoes. 1t is usual
to regard New Jersey as their most cher
fshed habitat, but any one who has spent
a week or two In Honolulu will be inclined
to dispute that conclusion.
While in New Jersey during the summer
months the nights rest is sure to be dis
turbed by the music and various attentions
of this tireless pest, in Honolulu both by
day and night. at all seasons of the year,
life is made miserable by their attacks In
the daytime a species somewhat light I'm
color, and both males and females wearing
striped pantaloons. infests the gardens and
verandas. This army Is relieved at sun
down by another variety as somber In
aspect as the night in which they commit
their deeds of darkness, and who defy net
proof rooms and all known exterminators.
The reason given why Honolulu Is par
tfcularly plagued by mosquitoes is that
owing to its natural situation, overlooked
by lofty hills, the trade winds that other
wise would carry them out to sea, sweep
above the city, leaving them to increase
rapidly In number. Be this as II may, Hon.
olulu. little paradise in all other respects,
has been SO troubled by mosquitoes that
to extermnate them and other noxious
insects the authorities in an unlucky hour,
were persuaded to import the nina bird
from India.
Good Qualities Lost.
In his native land the nina bird bore the
highest reputation for many admirable
qualities, to which he added a persistent
warfare against pernicious insects, but
after short residence in the islands, when
sufficient time had elapsed to enable him
to get grim grip with both Of his yellow
feet on the palm boughs and take a good
l.@I 49, IL.
other cause seemed entirely to change his
disposition. Instead of setting to work to
rid the islands Of mosquitoes, he was SO
charmed with his new surroundings which
he found exactly suited to the require
ments of the nina bird, that he straight
way proceeded either to kill or drive out to
sea all the beautiful native birds for which
the islands were celebrated-in fact, to as
sumo the ownership of the whole of Ha-
wall as far as birddom was concerned.
1t still was fervently hoped that when
this brigandage was accomplished he would
take up the business for which his services
had been enlisted, but whether the Ha-
waiian mosquitoes have different flavor
from those Of Madras and are unpalatable
to the taste of the nina bird. is not known;
only he soon made It plain that he infinitely
preferred grain and bananas: and, in addi-
tion to their destruction, he has so multi
piled in number on this diet that you may
now see his shiny black coat, with the
white-tipped wings. and hear his impudent
call from one end Of the islands to the
other.
The fact that among the personal accom-
plishments Of this peculiar bird Is q talent
for mimcking the human voice and learn
ing many curious tricks, is not regarded in
the islands as compensation for his total
failure to carry out the obligations for
which he was brought to those shores, and
for his infamous treatment of the native
birds. What to do with the nina bird Is a
question which has entirely super
seded that Of how to get rid Of the mos
OuitoeS.