128 On some Hawaiian Birds. 



Molokai species was ever used for the same purpose in spite 

 of its yellow featliers. 



Both these species live chiefly on the nectar of the lehua 

 blossoms and the various arborescent lobelias, at times also 

 on the fruit of the banana ; and my friend Mr. G. Monro 

 of Kauai assured me that he had shot Acrulocercus nobilis 

 while devouring the fleshy inflorescence of the Freycinetia. 



Both have the same loud, harsh cry^ easily heard at a great 

 distance ; after the breeding-season, however, and during 

 the moulting period the voice is much less distinct. Except 

 under stress of weather, at least on the leeward side of the 

 island, A. bishopi is only found near the backbone of the 

 mountains, having quite disappeared from several large tracts 

 which formerly were well-known haunts of this species. 

 Though shy at the sight of man, this " Oo " will still^pproach 

 out of curiosity, moving restlessly from branch to branch, 

 at one moment appearing in full view, to as suddenly dis- 

 appear again beneath the cover of the leaves. 



The Kauai species is of very different habits, being mainly 

 insectivorous, though at times sucking honey from flowers. 

 Like the others, it is partial to the Lobeliacese, and I several 

 times shot it with its head smeared with sticky pollen-masses 

 derived from those flowers. 



It has a clear, sweet song, with which in early morning, 

 and again shortly before dark, the forest is fairly filled. At 

 the same time the resemblance to the cries of the other 

 species is readily detected, though mellowed down and 

 woven into song. The cry of the female, especially when 

 alarmed, is a mere reiterated squeak, so diff"erent from that of 

 the male that for a long time I was at a loss to know what 

 bird could produce it. 



The form of the bird has become greatly modified by its 

 habits ; its tail is comparatively short, with narrow, pointed, 

 and extremely strong feathers. This aids it largely in 

 climbing on the straight trunks of the ohia trees, which it 

 does with ease, pressing the tail firmly against the surface. 

 There, under the loose, large flakes of bark, it finds spiders, 

 cockroaches, crickets, and other insects, which form the 



