First Impressions of Hawaiian Birds 



157 



of the Oreomyza mana. The songs of certain other species, as the Amiicihi 

 {Himatione virens) , are short and feeble. Though pleasant to the ear, 

 they cannot take high rank in the scale of bird music. There are other 

 species whose songs are both sweet and melodious, like the Ou. Then 

 there are others again, like the liwi and the Akakani, which sing the year 

 through, and at certain seasons are the most persistent singers I have ever 

 heard. The latter, especially, is notable for singing when it is through 



From Wilson's ' Avcs Haw:iiunsi> ' 



IIWI I lleiniiiiiaihus /•roceiui) 



feeding, and it has assembled in small colonics in the tree -tops for its 

 midday siesta. At such times most species are silent. Hut the Akakani 

 sings itself to sleep with a soft, delightful lullaby to which the gentle rustle 

 of the tree-tops forms a fitting acconipaniiuc-iit . Tin- liui has a \ariety 

 of notes, most of which arc >\\ eet and pleasing. Hut where binis give so 

 freely of their songs as do the liwi ami the Akakani, surely we ma\' delight 

 in their S|)ontane()iisness and not be o\er-critical as to llu- i]ualit\ . 



in conclusion, a word ma\ be addfd .is to the future of the Hawaiian 



