536 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



few can afford to wear them. The mantles made of these feathers were until lately 

 considered the principal treasures of the crown ; now they are not to be seen ; the 

 labor of collecting the feathers and attaching them to a network base, a labor of 

 years, being too great. European clothing has entirely superseded the former robes 

 of state. 



" The ' Oo ' is found in most of the woody districts of the island of Hawaii ; it 

 frequents the thick foliage of the loftiest trees ; in voice and manners it has some 

 resemblance to the oriole of North America (Icterus baltimore). The natives cap- 



I*' 



FIG. 266. Nectarinia metallica, sun-bird. 



ture it by means of bird-lime, and, after plucking the yellow feathers from beneath 

 the wings, restore it to liberty until again wanted to assist in paying the royal 

 tax." A fine robe made of these feathers is in the National Museum in Washington. 

 The sun-birds, NECTARINIIDJS, on the other hand, are more African and Indian, 

 though ranging eastward to Northern Australia. They are generally small birds of 

 very uniform shape, and, once seen, they are not easily mistaken for any other bird, 

 except for a humming-bird, with which the popular mind usually confounds them. 



