A^ofrs on the Birds of Kauai . 137 



season. The food seems to be largely inse(fts. The eye in the 

 young bird is a dark hazel, the feet gra}', and the bill dusky gray- 

 ish. The above specimen was taken while feeding about the trunks 

 and limbs of an oliia tree much the same as a flicker would do. 

 They use their long bills to feel under bits of bark and in cracks 

 and holes. One was seen to reach under a bit of bark and pull out 

 a big larva which it devoured greedily. Three others were seen 

 near the same place. They are very war}' and hard to approach, 

 generally keeping to the higher altitudes, none being .seen below 

 ,^500 feet. A fine male was taken on April 30 from a flowering 

 ohia tree well on towards the summit of Waialeale. 



Psittacirostra psittacea (Gmel.). Ou. 



A single beautiful male specimen was taken on April 30 at 

 upwards of 4000 feet elevation. Mr. Gay .states that the species is 

 far more plentiful in the valleys, where it feeds ou the guava often 

 coming down lower than 300 feet elevation after them; and it was 

 his impression that in favorable localities they would come dowm 

 almost to the sea level if food was more plentiful there. 



Phseornis myadestina Stejn. Kamau. 



On April 18, while sitting in ambush under some trees, two of 

 these birds came and alighted quite near us. They were very 

 quiet, but seeing us their curiosity was aroused, and coming nearer 

 they dropped their wings so that they almost touched the branch 

 they were sitting on, keeping them all the wdiile in a quiver. After 

 satisfying themselves that we were not liable to molest them they 

 flew very near to each other when one seemed to be taking food 

 from the other's bill, or at least to rub his bill through the mouth 

 of the other. These birds were quite similar in color and were 

 billing probably preparatory to mating. The song of this species 

 is remarkably sweet. While the birds are shy, their size together 

 with their song, which is given at all times of day — and on one 

 occasion was heard in the dead of the night — make them not a 

 difficult bird to secure. No young were colle(5led, which taken 

 in connection with the mating performance just detailed would 

 indicate May as their probable nesting time. This species was 

 fairly common, while Phcrornis palnicri was not met with during 

 our staj'. 



