Some Birds of Molokat. 51 
would occasionally be answered by some unwary bird, thus dis- 
closing its whereabouts, but as a rule they failed to respond. 
Earlier in the season, during the actual mating, the call is more 
generally given and answered by the birds throughout the day, but 
by the time of our visit the birds were mated and sitting together 
in the burrows. On several occasions two birds were pulled from 
the same burrow. Later on, I was informed, when the single 
glossy white egg is laid, it is a common occurrence to find one or 
the other parent birds sleeping outside the burrow, while its mate 
sits on the nest within. 
July is given as the time when the egg is laid. The young in 
the downy stage, are always taken in late September and October. 
October ro is the day usually selected by the natives as the most 
favorable time for collecting the downy young. ‘These are com- 
monly pulled from the holes by means of a stick which is split 
at oneend. ‘The split end is twisted into the down of the bird 
and in this manner it is easily pulled forth. But the adults must 
be captured and dragged out by the hand. As has been said, 
the young birds are especially prized as food. In former times 
they were reserved for the chiefs alone, being tabu to the com- 
mou people. 
Asa result of the day’s expedition, twenty-one Uau were taken, 
eighteen of which were made into skins. Compared with former 
years, this was a very unsatisfactory bag. In June, 1906, the same 
men, with the same dogs, and with much less effort, secured sixty- 
three birds. ‘The cause in the decrease in numbers was not far to 
seek. Along the trail, as we ascended Olokui, we found the re- 
mains of three birds that had been killed and eaten by mongoose. 
It was a common thing when following the dogs, to have them 
lead us to deserted burrows, the occupants of which had been de- 
voured but a few feet from their homes. In one hole we found a 
female mongoose with a flourishing family of five little ones, that 
had taken possession of an Uau burrow after its occupant had been 
killed. From the foregoing data, when taken in connection with 
the wide distribution of the mongoose in the group, it seems cer- 
tain that the Uau is doomed to rapid extermination. 
Turning to the series of eight males and twelve females, all 
in the full adult plumage, I am impressed by the remarkable 
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