HAWAIIAN BIRDS. 89 



■plumpness. The young birds, unlike the old, seem to be invar- 

 iably poor when they reach the islands. 



Mr. Henry Patten of Hakalau has witnessed the actual arrival 

 of some of these flocks upon Hawaii. When first they make the 

 land they are evidently spent and weary by their long flight but 

 soon measurably recover and begin to feed. 



All the kolea do not arrive in the islands in great flocks at a 

 ^iven date, but the migration continues for a long time, more or 

 less intermittently, from about the middle of August until at least 

 J^ovember i, at which late date flocks have been observed from 

 shipboard nearing the islands. There would thus seem to be no 

 concerted action in the fall migration. Flocks, large or small, 

 just as it happens, take flight for the islands as the whim seizes 

 them or, as is more hkely, when they are in the proper condition 

 for the trip. 



There is every reason for believing that many of the migrants 

 ■are lost in the long passage, especially in the late Fall, when so 

 large a proportion of them are younglings, not yet seasoned to 

 ^uch prolonged flights. Small flocks of them are frequently en- 

 countered by vessels nearing the islands, and they usually act as 

 though confused and uncertain as to their proper course, flying 

 wildly about the vessel and Uttering their calls as though quite 

 "bewildered. 



The food of the kolea, while in the islands, is almost wholly 

 •obtained from" the pastures and cane lands, especially from newly 

 ploughed land, and consists chieflj', if not wholly, of worms and 

 insects. The crops of some of those examined by me have been 

 filled with insect remains, uijfortimately in too fragmentary con- 

 dition to enable their identity to be determined. It is highly prob- 

 able that the kolea destroys a greater or less number of the beetle 

 of the cane borer and, in any event, the number of insects it des- 

 troys is so great that the bird should be carefully protected by the 

 plantation owners. No effort should be spared to encourage its 

 presence in the cane fields with the hope that finally the bird may 



*Observations made Sept. 9, 1901, corroborate the above. A number 

 of kolea were shot at that date and all were adult but the moult into winter 

 dress at this date was well towards completion. 



