Titcomb’s list of fishes, 1940.

TO THOSE WHO KNOW THE NAMES OF FISHES AND THEIR DESCRIPTIONS

(Written by M. TITCOMB)

Here below is a list of names of some fishes of Hawaii nei that are found in the book of names in the Kamehameha Museum [Hale Hoikeike o Kamehameha].

akaka, akeke, akiki, akilolo, aku; variety, —aku kina’u, akule; also called aku-a (?), akupa, alaihi, alaihi kalaloa or kakaloa or kahaloa, alaihi lakea, alaihi mahu, alaihi maoli, alalana, alalauwa, alamo’o, alea, aleihi, aloalo, alo’ilo’i, alukaluka, ama’ama, pua ama’ama; pua ama; pua kahaha, ama’ama, anae, amo’omo’o, amuka; puakahala, ananalu, a-niho-loa, aoaonui, apahu, api, apoha, apu’upu’u, a’u, a’u kaku; kupala, a’u kuau-lepa, a’u lepe (iheihe; auki), a’u papaohe, aua’a auae, aualaliha, aua’u; ahaaha, auau ki, auki, auku, awa; awa-aua; awa-awa, awalo, awala; awela; awela, aweoweo.

e, e’a, eheula, ehu, enenue, hahalalu, halalua, ha hilu (?), hahili, haie’a, hailipo, halahala, halaloa, hahalua, hanaui; mokumokuhanui, haoma, hapuu, hapuupuu, hauliuli puhi, heahaaha, hihimanu; lupe, hilu, hilu eleele, hilu lauwili, hilu melemele, hilu pano, hilu pilikoa, hilu ula, hilu uli, hinalea, hinalea akilolo, hinalea eleele, hinalea iiwi, hinalea lauwili, hinalea lipoa, hinalea lolo, hinalea luahine, hinalea nukuiwi, hinalea nukuiwi-ula, hinalea nukuiwi-uli, hinalea nukuloa eleele, hinalea nukunuku loa, hinalea mananalo; ananalo, hinana, hi’ukole, hi’u-ula, hoana, hololua, hou huhune.

[This was the beginning of a series of lists of fish names appearing in the Hoku o Hawaii, and running until it seems like August 28, 1940.]

(Hoku o Hawaii, 6/5/1940, p. 2)

I NA POE I PAA KA INOA O NA I'A LIKE OLE AME KO LAKOU ANO

Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXV, Number 6, Aoao 3. Iune 5, 1940.

Fishes, Margaret Titcomb, and the Bishop Museum, 1940.

A LETTER

May 25, 1940.

Mr. J. B. Dixon, Circulation Manager,
Ka Hoku O Hawaii,
P. O. Box 1004
Hilo, Hawaii, T. H.

My Dear Mr. Dixon,

I am pleased to hear that you are willing to entertain with aloha my clarification of the publishing of a list of fish names and your running it complimentary on your part. Enclosed is my check for the total of $2.¹

I believe that it would be a fine thing to publish it in portions each week. You and Mr. Anakalea have the ability to edit this kind of thing, and to throw out the bait upon the water.

I am looking at the list of fish names that we have, they are found in various collections, and they are not edited completely. Therefore, I will send the remainder of the list of fish names.

Happy thoughts and good wishes on your Commemorative Anniversary Edition and with hopes that this will be printed before the 11th of June, it will perhaps be something beneficial.

Yours truly,

Margaret Titcomb
Librarian.

[This is no doubt a precursor to the publication Margaret Titcomb did with Mary Kawena Pukui, “Native Use of Fish in Hawaii,” first published in 1952 as Memoir 29 of the Polynesian Society, Wellington, New Zealand. It is currently available in book form from University of Hawaii Press.]

¹It is interesting to note that the cost (prepaid) for a year’s subscription of the Hoku o Hawaii was only $2.00. This is the same cost as a year’s subscription for the Hoku o ka Pakipika and the Nupepa Kuokoa in 1861!

(Hoku o Hawaii, 6/5/1940, p. 2)

HE LEKA

Ka Hoku o Hawaii, Volume XXXV, Number 6, Aoao 3. Iune 5, 1940.