The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-02-22
SCIENTIST FAYORS
WELCOMING BIRD
Professor Bryan Thinks Denver
/ Visitors Offer ShovldsBe 2
Taken Up =

.
College Of Hawaii aud the recognized
leading authority on orpithdloRy In the
Territory, il enthusiastic over the ode,
recently made by p! O.. Bonfls, the
Denver publisher, to land in Honolulu,
without cost To anyone enough robins
blue. birds, iIfoekinabirds ana meadow
larks to stock every valley. His idea
is TO send the birds here and to turn
them loose. a3F. 81
The authorities have not yet taken
any definite steps with regard TO the
offer Of the Denver man, although the
matter has been referred TO the board
Of agriculture and forestry. tFfiN3
PROFESSOR Bryan stated yesterday
that the four birds, the bringing 81
which to Hawaii Is Contemplated, are
generally protected throughout the Uni.
ted States BY reason Of their food hab.
Its and their many pleasing qualities
While, Of coarse, unable TO state IL the
change of environment would affect this
habits of the birds, he thought that nc
chances would be taken were the ex
pertinent givsnA trial. r.. y
wv ASghBoA - elNph ~ =,
He does mot think that the fact that
the diet Of these birds il, in part, In
sectivorous, would initiate against Local
interests, as SO many Of Hawaiiss bene
fetal Insects are microscopic and para.
site, and being so, would be unlikely
TO attract the attention of the feather.
ed immigrants. q H. .gF.' ~ 80. at,.',f
( The four. birds are all Of n miRYatJfy
nature but Mr.. Bryan is Of the opinion
that were the birds to be shipped here
procured from the southern part OF
their range, their migratory instinct
would probably be nullifed, Ss}f
s, Whether the birds could End q suit.
able food supply in these islands, Is, OF
course, matter which can only be de
cided by experiment, as Is also the
question of whether they would stay
here If brought, FF 8
Professor bryan would express no
opinion rs to whether the combative
ness Of the mynahs would make it i'm
possible for the introduction of new
birds to be a. success.
Other Birds Welcome 's.- -" ~
I, The professor, while favorink the
birds mentioned, sd dive to the fact
that there are very many birds resident
IN the tropics, which would probably be
welcome here, DO wen and be more ehs
lily established than would be the ease
with the robin, irockingbird, bluebird
and meadowlarkl - 10 f3EF''r fif'saa'Ft
4 The common house wren, according "a
Mr. Bryan, would be q very good IN.
sect feeder II introduced here. He men.
toned also an African bird which lives
around animals, picking on dies and
other insect pests The only thing, APP
'parently, not TO its credit, Is the pick.
ing at the saddle gals n sores on stock.
Fhis bird, he thinks, would be an Ell
cient enemy of the horn Ay. ~ ss''tt
intelligent intr REDUCTION of
birds into Hawaii, |" said Bryan, IL
by no means the simple task that some
think IL to be- Three important ques.
tiOns with reference TO their food -hab.
its must be settled definitely In advance
Of the liberation Of any species Of bird
in the Territory. The food Of the spec.
les at home must be considered, also
what proportion of its food is injurious
insects, and what its food will be when
brought to Hawaii.
Take Them On Records
at would seem to be simple matter
for any one familiar with the facts to
suggest half q dozen species of birds
which should be imported ut once into
Hawaii. For example, the house wren,
the moekingbird and the fiycatchers
could be taken on their records"
The proposal to introduce useful birds
Of song and plumage into HAWAII is no.
a new one. The subject has been CON
sidered and debated from every angle
in times past 'until specialists and lay
men agree that the judieious and scien
dfic importation Of useful birds into
these, all but birdless islands is a thing
to be desired. .s'.''2 4 ar a.
The lack Of interesting birds in the
inhabited and frequented regions has
called forth adverse comment from res.
ldents and visitors alike IN the past
but ut last the community IL to be con,
graduated that gentleman with Mr..
Bonfl Is sympathies has interested him.
self sufficiently ID induce him to offer
to supply the sinews of war with which
TO carry out this project.
Native Birds DWindiO @'rs %
"It Is quite the usual thing" said
Professor Bryan, for those who would
oppose the introduction of birds to
point to the English sparrow In Amer
lea, the rabbit In Australia and the
mongoose In Hawaii, as safiicient proof
that IL Is not wise for man to NEEDLE
with nature and upset her Roaderful
balance of animal life. They overlook
the fact that since the coming of the
white man to Hawaii the natural bal.
anee Of wild life, both plant and ami
NAL, has been disregarded, and that
the native bird life has already been
reduced to the vanishing point. The
wise course would seem TO be to bring
the re establishment Of the proper re.
lation between birds and their insect
enemies by the liberation Of species of
known worth from other lands.
Pleasures and Benefits ~