  We have carried out an investigation of the environments of low redshift HII
galaxies by cross-correlating their positions on the sky with those of faint
field galaxies in the Automatic Plate Measuring Machine catalogues. We address
the question of whether violent star formation in HII galaxies is induced by
low mass companions by statistically estimating the mean space density of
galaxies around them. We argue that even if low mass companions were mainly
intergalactic HI clouds, their optical counterparts should be detectable at
faint limits of the APM scans. A significantly positive signal is detected for
the HII galaxy-APM galaxy angular cross-correlation function, but the amplitude
is poorly determined. The projected cross-correlation function has higher
signal-to-noise, and suggests that the amplitude is slightly lower than for
normal field galaxies. This implies that these bursting dwarf galaxies inhabit
slightly lower density environments to those of normal faint field galaxies,
consistent with other studies of emission line galaxies. This suggests that in
these dwarf starburst galaxies, star formation is not triggered by unusually
strong tidal interactions, and must have a different origin.
