80 Director's Annual Report. 
It is remarkable that the nesting habits of this bird, which has 
in times past been common on all the islands of the group and has 
been so generally collected and studied, should as yet remain en- 
tirely unknown. 
Moho bishopi (Roths.). 
After two months in the forest of the island, I have no hesi- 
tancy in pronouncing the Bishop Ooa very rare bird. During that 
time not a specimen was secured, nor was I able to hear so much 
as a sound that could be even attributed to it. This is the more 
remarkable since we know that its characteristic call can be heard 
in the forests, especially in the more favorable districts—as at the 
heads of the great valleys mentioned—for a half mile or more. 
My disappointment at not securing this species was most keen. 
However, as the Museum received but three imperfect specimens 
as its third share of the colle¢tion made by Mr. Perkins, I feel 
sure the species was at that time (September and August, 1893) by 
no means common. Since the above date it has certainly very ap- 
preciably decreased in numbers, as Mr. Munro and I are ready to 
testify. She requirements of the Museum’s exhibition and study 
series, no less than my desire to see and study the bird alive, nerved 
me to put forth every effort to discover its whereabouts. No pains 
were spared in making a thorough examination of every locality 
suited to its habits, as well as every place where it had been merely 
reported as having been seen in recent times. Asa result, the 
wildest and most difficult parts of the island forests were visited, 
not once, but repeatedly. On several occasions a night or more 
was spent, sleeping in the open, in the centre of promising locali- 
ties not to be reached otherwise, in the hope of hearing, if possi- 
ble, the call of the Oo either in the late afternoon or early morning. 
Feeding grounds where the bird was reported to have been seen 
‘in small flocks’? a few months before, were revisited, usually 
accompanied by the persons reporting the observation, with the 
uniformly discouraging result. Virgin forest, unfrequented by 
man or beast, was traversed to no avail. Many hours were spent 
in silently watching and listening in places, where according to 
the oldest natives and even those of the present generation, birds 
were formerly to be met with, almost always on even the most 
casual day’s ramble in the woods. Its feeding grounds among the 
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