HAWAIIAN BIRDS. 71 



titudes. As late as 1898 more than one thousand individuals of 

 this species were shot by the lei hunters in the heavily wooded 

 district north of the Wailuku river, where their presence had 

 probably been overlooked. Having been undisturbed for some 

 years the birds were increasing rapidly, and doubtless in tinie 

 might have reoccupied their lost territory in other districts. But 

 the rapacity of the lei-hunters leaves little hope for the future of 

 this beautiful and interesting bird, and the district alluded to is 

 now almost depopulated. 



The extermination of the 0-0 is the more to be regretted inas- 

 much as the bird is a very active and persistent insect destroyer, 

 on which account it can the less be spared from the Hawaiian 

 woods. In the stomachs of most of those I have dissected I have 

 found the remains of beetles, flies and coleopterous larvae. In 

 addition to insects, which I feel sure are its principal food, the 0-0 

 is fond of bananas. It also feeds much at times upon the nectar 

 of flowers. Wilson says that in captivity it has been kept on the 

 juice of the sugar cane, but I do not believe that the bird's exist- 

 ence could be long prolonged on such thin fare* 



In connection with its food, I may add that the stomach of the 

 0^0 is astonishingly small for the size of the bird, and is but little, 

 if any, larger than that of the iivi which is a much smaller bird. 



The 0-0 usually frequents the tops of the tallest trees where it 

 glides over the branches with marvellous celerity, now and then 

 stopping to utter its far reaching call and to jet its long tail. This 

 latter action serves to reveal its bright yellow under tail-coverts 

 to its no doubt admiring mate, and it is probable, though I have 

 not been able to verify the supposition, that its wings are fre- 

 quently opened to display the similar adornment under them. The 

 latter, of course, are always visible when the bird is flying. 



Upon one or two occasions only, by the use of great caution, I 



♦Since the above was written the writer has had further opportunities 

 for observing the 0-0, and is inclined to believe that when obtainable the 

 nectar of flowers, especially of the ohia, forms a very important part of 

 the food of the bird, though it always supplements its liquid fare by the 

 more substantial one of insects. The latter probably are absolutely essen- 

 tial to the bird's existence. 



