HAWAIIAN BIRDS. 37 



It would be difficult to imagine a bird differing more in dis- 

 position from the common American crow that the Hawaiian 

 alala. The bird, instead of being wary and shy, seems to have 

 not the slightest fear of man, and when it espies an intruder in 

 the woods is more likely than not to fly to meet him and greet his 

 presence with a few loud caws. He will even follow the strang- 

 er's steps through the woods, taking short flights from tree to 

 tree, the better to observe him and gain an idea of his character 

 and purpose. 



The alala is as impudent as he is curious and noisy, and will 

 invade the chicken yard daily to share with the fowls their food, 

 when it i^equires something more than moral suasion to induce 

 him to leave. 



The nest of the alala is much like the ordinary structure of 

 the crow elsewhere, and is made of coarse sticks with a lining of 

 finer material. It is placed in an ohia or similaf tree, not neces- 

 sarily high up, and the eggs are laid in the early summer months. 

 I am not aware that the eggs have been described. 



Description. — Adult. Dusky brown throughout, head and tail blacker. 

 Feathers of chin and upper thrbat bristly, with shining black shafts.' 

 Primaries, especially towards tip, lighter brown. Bill bluish black; legs 

 and feet black. Total length about 19 inches; female smaller. 



DREPANIDID^. DREPANINE FAMILY. 



Hemignathus obscurus (Gmelin). Hawaii Akialoa, 



Theakialoa is one of the most remarkable and interesting avian 

 forms which has been developed upon the islands. The present 

 species . is limited to the island of Hawaii, but Oahu, Kauai and 

 Lanai are, or formerly were, each represented by a species of 

 akialoa. Why this bird has not made a home on the islands of 

 Maui and Molokai it would be hard to say. 



Upon Hawaii generally the akialoa must be considered as rare. 

 The deep forests of Olaa would seem to be peculiarly fitted to its 

 habits, but it was only after long search that the writer found the 

 bird there at all and then only upon a few occasions. Whatever 

 may have been the case formerly it is now rare there. It is more 



