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22 MacCatjghey, The Hawaiian Elepaio. [j" n 



THE HAWAIIAN ELEPAIO. 



BY VAUGHAN MACCAUGHEY. 



There is no other region in the world with an avifauna more 

 remarkable or interesting than that of the Hawaiian Archipelago. 

 In extraordinary endemism, specialization, and precinctivity, 

 the Hawaiian bird life is without parallel. Due to the operations 

 of various malign influences, the native forests and birds have 

 greatly diminished within historic times. Many known species 

 of plants, trees, and birds have become wholly extinct, and many 

 others are on the verge of extinction. A time is speedily approach- 

 ing in which the extinct avian species will exceed in number those 

 still surviving. 



The one indigenous forest bird that appears to successfully 

 withstand the devastating influences of "civilization" is the 

 Hawaiian Flycatcher or Elepaio. 1 This form is now the most 

 abundant representative of the native woodland avifauna. In 

 many regions it appears to be practically the sole survivor. A 

 peculiar interest is therefore attached to this beautiful and familiar 

 denizen of the mountain forests. 



Although the literature relating to Hawaiian bird life is volumi- 

 nous, most of it is inaccessible to the average ornithological worker. 

 Moreover, there is nowhere in the literature a comprehensive and 

 modern account of this most abundant of the Hawaiian birds. 

 During a residence of ten years in the islands, the author has had 

 occasion to visit all representative parts of the native forests, and 

 has spent many months in actual field work. He has been particu- 

 larly interested in field studies and in the ecologic view-point, 

 rather than in taxonomy. The present paper embodies the results 

 of his own field studies, the examination of museum material, and 

 a summary of the literature. In so far as is known to the author, 

 this is the only monographic account of the Hawaiian Elepaio. 



1 Vowels pronounced as in Latin. 



