The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1920-01-02
Fight Uncle Sam Is
Making To Save Birds
On Windward Islands

protectorate over the bird life on the
windward islands of the Hawaiian
group, but probably few know much
about the extremely interesting bird
life which exists on these bits of land
in the midst of the vast ocean. The
following article sent out by the de.
partment of agriculture gives some of
the details of this remarkable bird
breeding ground, and should especial
ly appeal to local people:
Sticking out in the Pacific Ocean
900 miles beyond Honolulu is a group
of little islands, the largest not more
than two square miles in area, and
several of them barely rising above
the waves at high tide. Yet on those
islands are many hundreds of thou
sands of birds and among them are
at least six species not found any
where else in the world. In 1911, one
of those species were represented by
six birds-all that were left as the
sole means of p%erpetuating the species,
and thy concentrated on a single lit
tie island where one man might kill
them all in one minutes shooting.
That species-the Laysan teal-has
fortunately increased until there are
by estimate, thirty-fve individuals.
For the United States Department of
Agriculture, for a few years, has con-
trolled the islands as a bird reserva-
tion-the Hawaiian Islands Reserva-
ton, it is called. But protecting the
birds there is a p%recarious business.
The possibility has existed always that
one or more of the rare species might
be wiped out in a day.
AIbatross Destroyers Arrested
By way of illustration, this: One
day in 1909 the crew of the cutter
Thetis found an old shed absolutely
piled full of albatross wings. A
search revealed the fact that 20 plume
hunters had landed on Laysan Island
and had killed at least 300, 900 birds.
The men were captured, taken to Ho-
nolulu, and formally arrested. Since
that time there is not known to have
been any repetition of such depreda-
tons, but it is always imminent.
Just now many fishermen-largely
nationals of countries other than the
United States-are extending their
operations from Honolulu out to the
region of the bird reservation. Land
ings on the islands are constantly
imminent, and such landings would be
a menace to one of the most remark
able bird-breeding places in the world.
The Bureau of Biological Survey, hav-
ing direct charge of the reservation.
is calling attention TO the fact that
disturbing the birds on Laysan or any
of the smaller islands is forbidden,
and announcing that the reservation
will be protected by whatever means
are necessary, for the benefit of all
the peoples of the world.
Laysan, the largest of the group, is
one of the most westerly of the Ha-
waiian Islands. 1t has an area of
about two square miles and within it,
conforming generally to the coast line,
is a large lagoon. This island is one
of the most populous bird-breeding
places on the globe, literally hundreds
thousands of birds resorting there
lay their eggs every year.
Specialists Of the Biological Sur
vey call attention to the fact that the
ostensible occupation of fishermen
does not mean that men may not be
very destructive to birds The great
aux, they recall, was exterminated by
fishermen. The rarest of all the
that exist only in the Laysan
group is a duck-like-bird, excellent for
food, and therefore most likely to be
by fishermen.
Birds On Island
The species that nest there and
nowhere else are the Laysan teal, the
little Laysan rail, the Laysan honey
eater, the Laysan finch, the miller bird
small Warbler,) the Hawaiian tern,
the Laysan albatross. Other
that nest principally on Lay
and adjacent islands and would be
n danger of determination if molested
here are the red-tailed tropic bird, the
'lack-footed albatross, the gray-back-
ID tern, and the sooty tern.
The number of individuals of the
Exclusive species in 1911 were esti-
to be (: Six of the Laysan teal,
100 of the miller bird, 800 of
he honey-eater, 1000 of the rail, 2,7OO
# the finch, and 10000 of the alba
ross. Indications are that, while the
cal has increased, the other species
probably decreased.
TIL islands composing the reserva-
are Laysan Island, Ocean or Cure
Pearl and Hermes Reef IVsian