The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-01-10

.RN no.. tOit SEMI WFEKf.
- -.
ofsuef ffc ris ti iht eject tf
rhe.tiHH tir yufi lows mHn .sitfe AND
tipg ffitrRfcd leaving b wiie sifeam
off crimson in ,hcIf wake Some of ihc
fhafte pcfr eHpiufpi. said tNr eotcf
nor Ai ONE time. while fishing, be- bad
one ON Doe hook. tni % snapped the line
in two nHI escaped.
Transforming Midway.
ONLY hfiei stop was made at Mid
why. Governor Froat says she work ar
.t.f $500 ns Hrualv. NDrI,ou, i.
Uhu.ft of this lonely South rap Ole stu
tion s irarnAuG VI ronrmvrdntlom rh.
island. irr the most paft BE- q hutrru
sand waste. u few feet above she water
Manager Morrison has planted trees
and grass about the station. dug we'll.
and built rcceptaclos fot catching the
rain water
Algaioha and hanvan trees arc grow
ing there now. Para as were also thriv.
ing Sweet rotatoc, aud otacr yuTc.
tnbles 10 being rnised Chickens. pig
cons and canarics also thrive The
cauarics were not kept in cages nv Man.
agcr Morr son. In tend they were turn.
ca loose on the island and are rapidly
mult plying.
4 small island close to Midway where
there is more vegetation is inhabited 10y
numl or OF burros. These are also
increasing rapidly in numbers, says the
Governor.
Paradise for Birds.
II was at Laysau that Biologist Will
lett and party landed. Wilett and his
tides lave been sent to the island to
aid in discriminating rabbits which
now oyefIun that place The island is
about two miles IN length and one mile
in width Willctt estimated that there
were at least 10000 rabbits on this
place and their numbers growing daily,
Governor Frear and party spent two
homs hunting rabbits while stores were
being unloadcd from the Thetis. In that
time they killed more than fifty A
week later when the Thetis returned to
the island Willett and his assistants
had killed more than eight hundred of
the pests. The rabbits live in burrows
and rapidly destroy the vegetation on
the island. Though the scientists were
engaged in shooting the rabbits it is be.
lieved they win finally decide to eXter-
inmate them with poison.
Despite the presence of the rabbits
the island was found fairly alive with
birds Albatross were engaged in hatch
ing and raising their young, Plover
and curcw appeared plentiful. Several
ducks were also seen. peculiar bird
of dull plumage, but incapable of fly
ing, was also numerous
Willett and his party hope to finish
their work on Laysan within two
months.
Seal for Museum.
After their experience with the
sharks at Pearl and Hermes Island
Governor Frcar and party encountered
number of seals asleep on the littl,
island Two of them were killed. TIL,
seals, though frightened, made no at
tempt to escape, and allowed the mem
hers of the party to touch them befort
they sought safety in the sea.
The skin and bones of these seals will
be mounted and added to the collection
at the Bishop Museum. Two live tur
ties were also brought back from the is
land.
crows nest of the Thetis one mornin
spoke ship off the starboard bow o
the revenue cutter. Captain Cobra
: had the Thetis brought to in order t
: hail the strange vessel, only to lear
that they were passing Frigate IslanC
4 so named because of its peculiar formJ
ton rising from the sea and giving n
q outline of barkentine, all sails set. n
l,,At 40 20 efn ntt ssNo
+ Protection Brings Results.
e Governor Frear warmly approves {
l. the action by the government in NAL
g ing a bird reserve of the numeror
g small islands west of Honolulu.
:, "The protection thus insured IL
d birds of these .lrnds is working wol
3 dcrs in the increase of the hocks," !
n sai7, With the elimination of Il
d ruthless slaughter by japanese an
n others who sought the birds for the
lplumage. their numbers are increasir
r rapidly and they are surprisingly tam
d So seldom do they see a human beir
d that they looked upon us with rs muC
i curiosity as perhaps we would have dor
g n seeing strange creature But the
did not seem 10 have any fear,'
|, The scientists who were left
It Laysan were provided with q
a ample supply of provisions and equi
8 ment to make their two-months' sta
It in their lonely tropical station as cor
e Portable as possible. The party co
o sists of Commodore G.. s. Salisbur
Il George Willett, Los Angeles biologis
w. s. Wallace, an expert on vario,
;, forms of sea life, and A. NJ. Bailey,
h taxidermist, who viii prepare sue
II specimens rs are gathered by the part
T. In addition to two seal skins m
l. carcasses and two live turtles, Govern,
q Frear and party brought back a variC
/ collection of sea smells. wild canari
and other birds, most of which will !
given to the Bishop Museum.