122 Mr. R. C. L. Perkins on 



at no great distance from their starting-point. Both were 

 splendid males. 



The genus Oreomyza, like Hhnatione, has a species on 

 each of the six larger islands of the group, which alone, at 

 the present day, have any forest upon them. All the species 

 are green or yellow, except the bright flame-coloured bird on 

 Molokai, and consequently have a great superficial resem- 

 blance to the species of Hhnatione. 



They are pre-eminently insect-eaters, hunting for these on 

 the trunks and branches of the trees. Their cry is a mono- 

 tonous 'chip, chip,' which they utter very vociferously when 

 their haunts are intruded upon. It is a little different — 

 rather less sharp — in the species found on Hawaii and Kauai 

 (0. mana and 0. bairdi). 



The two OreomyzcB peculiar to Maui and Lanai (0. newtoni 

 and O.montana) have a distinct song, short, rather vigorous, but 

 very rarely heard. Apparently they sing only when intensely 

 excited, as, for instance, when one male has been successful 

 in driving off another intruding upon his domain'^. On 

 such occasions I have seen the victor rise spirally upwards 

 to a height of from twenty to fifty feet, pouring forth its 

 little song while on the wing, then suddenly darting down 

 again to the concealment of the brush. Very rarely indeed 

 I detected the same species feeding on the nectar of the lehua 

 flowers, and shot them with the beak dripping therewith. 

 O. mana of Hawaii generally frequented the tall koa trees, 

 also coming down into the underbrush of bastard sandal ; 

 O. bairdi, of Kauai, was mostly seen in the lehuas; the 

 other species largely frequented the low brush, being 

 frequently seen amongst the fern-fronds and even on the 

 ground. They feed much on caterpillars and small moths, 

 which they find on the trunks and branches, climbing along 

 the undersides of the latter and up the largest of the former 

 with equal ease. Large moths, when caught, they hold 

 down with their claws, tearing off the wings before eating 

 them. To Owls they have the greatest aversion, and when 



* This refers more especially to Oreomyza montana. 0. yjeictoni I heard 

 sing more frequently. 



