52 Bryan, A Species of DrepanididcE. [j^„ 



The second visit of the Albatross was on August 5. It remained 

 in the vicinity four days without being able to land. "Although 

 a landing might possibly have been made with considerable risk 

 when we first arrived, the problem of leaving the island proved 

 scarcely reassuring, so that we had to be content with again observ- 

 ing the birds from a distance." 



The islands of Nihoa and Necker are of interest to ethnologists 

 as well as to ornithologists since they were visited by natives in 

 former times in search of feathers. From the plumage of certain 

 species they made some of the remarkable feather-work objects 

 for which the ancient Hawaiians were famous. As the journey 

 thither had to be made in their curious outrigger canoes, it is doubt- 

 ful if it was frequently undertaken as to visit Nihoa from Niihau, 

 which is the nearest inhabited island, entailed a journey of 120 

 miles over the open ocean; while Necker Island is at least 150 

 miles farther on in a northwesterly direction. 



Nihoa is the highest island in the Leeward chain and is about a 

 mile in length by 2000 feet in breadth which gives it an area of 

 about 250 acres. As has been indicated it is most probably the 

 eroded remains of a deeply subsided crater the outer slopes of which 

 have been worn away by the sea, leaving only a portion of the vol- 

 canic bowl. The material of which it is composed is similar to that 

 of the high islands of the group and there is evidence that it is 

 even more ancient than Kauai. 



Perhaps this hoary remnant of the past may at one time have 

 been a stately island, like those of the inhabited group with which 

 we are familiar. Perhaps the island has been cut off and isolated 

 by subsidence and but this single hardy bird was able to withstand 

 the hardships and vicissitudes through which this lonely bit of 

 land has passed since the island was severed from a pan-Hawaiian 

 land. At any rate, it is of interest to find here a species of Drcpani- 

 didoe differing specifically at least, from its next of kin now living 

 on Laysan which is at least 500 miles distant from Nihoa. It is 

 a satisfaction to know that this rare and remote species is guarded 

 by its rugged and isolated environment no less than by the pro- 

 tection afforded by having the island included in Hawaii's great bird 

 sanctuary. 



