The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-12-28

ligious, aesthetic and industrial dew
elopment, as well as the problems of
race mixture and the causes of racial
decay among the many primitive tribes
inhabiting the multitude of islands
scattered over the hundreds of thou
sands of square miles of ocean in
cluded in the region. Since the mate
rial for the elucidation of these prob
lens does not exist in any museum or
museums, exhaustive collections must
be made, both in the field and by pur-
chase which will illustrate their cul-
ture before it is too late to secure
them tor the purposes of comparison
and study.
Next in Importance is the subject
of land biology. The limited size of
the majority of the islands makes the
determination of existing peculiar
forms q matter speedily accomplished
by the introduction of foreign plants
and animals, or unusual conditions, SO
speedily inueed, that among the birds
on the island of Oahu, the number Of
forms known to science which have
been exterminated since their descrip-
tion, exceeds those now existing on the
island. In Polynesia there yet remain
many islands unexplored by scientists
ard thousands of forms of birds, rep
tiles and invertebrates that are unde-
| scrIDed.
In the plant world similar condi-
tons exist, there being hundreds of
species which are unknown; while the
geographical extent, abundance, native
| names and economic uses of all the
J plants of the region should be in
vestigated and recorded Such n sur
vey would aid in the development and
utilization of the resources of the
tropical islands of the world.
The value of study of the shore
| fauna can not be exaggerated. A ves-
| sci equipped as is here proposed would
be able to accomplish wonders in this
direction while investigations were be-
ing prosecuted ON shore. Those who
published, Of the expedition of the
U. S. Fish Commission ship Albatross
in these Hawaiian waters can form an
idea of the possibilities of a careful
| investigation of the coast faunas
down to the limit of the effect of light
| on ocean forms. The value of work
as systematically conducted about the
! various groups of islands in our region
can scarcely be estimated.
| In order to study the life history
and economic Importance of both plants
and animals, living specimens should
be collected. AS rapidly as possible
it is proposed to establish biological
station, aviary and botanical gardens
in Honolulu. These are made to take
a prominent part in the general scheme,
| The expedition would be useful in sup
| plying them with fresh material while
| they would constitute the centers for
the study of the materials collected.
While geological and typographical
surveys would be made, they should be
so ordered as to furnish a basis or
which the biological and ethnograph-
ical survey must rely for many OF its
fundamental facts.
Exhaustive as such n survey must
be, its operations should be directed
towards n definite object, and in con-
sequence much that is desirable to dc
will doubtless be left undone. But II
is believed that 1t would not be wise
to attempt to investigate matters OF
local Importance, or such conditions
as are not liable to immediate change
Such subjects as coast and geodeti'
surveys, exhaustive geological investi
cations, etc, can await the action o
governments without material disad
vantage, but the demands for ethno
1graphical and biological surveys car
not longer be neglected.
So much concerning the field explor
alton, its relative importance and thu
scope OF its operations. The question
which naturally follows is, What shall
be done with the material and data col
lected? We therefore come to the con