174 Mr. Scott Wilson on some 



here replaced by crimson of the most brilliant hue, or in some 

 varieties by orange, and in others by creamy buff. The 

 crimson- flowered variety is, however, by far the most general, 

 and the colour of its blossoms is only rivalled in brilliancy 

 by the bright plumage of two species of birds I shall pre- 

 sently more particularly mention, both of which are ever to 

 be seen sporting among its branches and probing its highly- 

 coloured flowers for the nectar, as well as for the insects, 

 which they contain. The ohia attains its greatest size in the 

 lowest forest zone, from 1100 to 2500 feet, but it is to be 

 found as high as 6000 or even 8000 feet. It well deserves 

 its specific name, as one would at first hardly recognize the 

 stately forest giant as belonging to the same species as the 

 low-growing stunted shrub found in the mountain-region, 

 were it not that these bushes, dwarfed as they are, are often 

 a blaze of crimson flowers, being more floriferous than the 

 forest-trees. The stunted ohia bushes found in the mountain- 

 region have often a particularly dingy appearance, which 

 still further disguises their identity. This peculiar appearance 

 is due to a fungus (Fumago vagans, Pers.), a species which 

 Mr. George Murray, of the British Museum of Natural 

 History in Cromwell Road, has kindly identified for me, 

 informing me that it is widely distributed throughout Europe 

 and North America. 



Next in importance, both in size and quantity, comes the 

 koa [Acacia koa) ; and this, if the candle-nut (Aleurites 

 triloba) is excepted, is the only other forest-tree worthy of 

 the name. The koa, unlike the ohia, is never found in the 

 lower forest-zone, nor does it occur as a shrub in the upland 

 region. I think this fine acacia seldom grows below 3500 

 nor much above 5000 feet. In the comparatively dry soil 

 at an elevation of about 4000 to 5000 feet it flourishes best, 

 and in this region attains a great size. It is not so lofty as 

 the ohia, and has a much more spreading habit than that 

 tree ; its bole is nearly equal in circumference to that of the 

 ohia, and it was from gigantic specimens of this tree that 

 the natives used formerly to hollow out their large war- 

 canoes. The wood is very hard and extremely durable ; it 



