BAWAIIAN BIRDS. 51 



wing-coverts whitish, washed with olive yellow. Length about S inches. 



Female very different from the male. Forfehead, superciliary stripe and 

 .under parts yellowish white; sides of breast and flanks washed with 

 olive-grey. Above olive, the greater wing-coverts with large greenish- 

 white tips. (Rothsch.). 



Oreomyza mofttana (Wilson). Alauhiio. 



According to Rothschild, Palmer found this species on tlie 

 southwest side of Lanai from about 1,500 feet to the highest 

 peaks. It is not perhaps so very rare, though difficult to procure 

 on account of the dense brush. 



Description. — Adult male. Forehead, line above the eyes, and cheeks 

 bright lemon-yellow; rest of upper parts light yellowish green, more 

 greenish yellow on the rump and upper tail-coverts; margins of quills and 

 recticles like the back. Beneath bright lemon-yellow; thighs brownish 

 buff. Length about S inches. Female more greenish and duller. 



Drepanis pacifica (Gmelin). Mamo. 



There is every reason to believe that this famous bird is ex- 

 tinct, or so nearly so as to leave little hope that it will ever again 

 be seen by human eyes. Nevertheless the writer saw at least a 

 pair, possibly a whole family, in the woods of Kaumana, July, 

 1898. A year later I was assured by a native who had just come 

 down from the deep forest, not far from the above locality, that 

 a few days, previously he had heard the note of a mamo near by 

 but did not see it. His efforts to secure the bird, if he found any 

 as he promised, were not successful. This fact brings the living 

 history of the bird down to the year 1899. 



The explanation of the extinction of this fine bird is doubtless 

 to be found in the persecution it suffered at the hands of the 

 natives, both in ancient and in modern times. Its feathers were 

 more highly prized than those of any other bird, and were dedi- 

 cated solely to the service of the higher chiefs. It may be doubted 

 if the mamo was ever very abundant, nor is it likely that many 

 of the feather mantles, even in ancient times, were made solely 

 of the yellow feathers of the mamo. The bird was probably never 

 iiumerous enough to permit of this extravagance. Still there is 

 indubitable proof that a few such cloaks existed, and it is entirely 



