HAWAIIAN BIRDS. 115 



be no doubt that he, also, had in mind the present species. Thus 

 athereus has no present claim whatever to be considered a bird 

 of the islands. 



The koae, as the natives call this and the next species, is com- 

 mon along the Windward side of Hawaii, frequenting, however, 

 only those portions of the coast where the presence of cliffs offers 

 cavities in which the birds may roost and nest. 



On sunny days the bos'n is frequently to be seen as, singly or in 

 pairs, they slowly winnow their way along the cliffs, apparently 

 inspecting them with a view to the selection of future homes. At 

 such times the birds often fly over points of land that project into 

 the sea, and occasionally are seen even over the cane-fields chasing 

 each other in play. 



Lepturus appears to be the only species that now lives upon the 

 windward side of Hawaii, although it is reasonable to suppose 

 that the following bird occurs here, at least occasionally. 



For some reason or other this bird of late years is much less 

 numerous along the island of Hawaii than it used to be, and the 

 same is true of Oahu and, I believe, of all the other islands of the 

 group. The mongoose has been blarned for this decrease in the 

 numbers of the koae, but it must be only in very exceptional in- 

 stances when this animal can reach their practically inaccessible 

 nests in the steep faces of the cliffs. 



The long tail feathers of this and the following species were 

 formerly highly valued for decorative purposes as, also, were the 

 body feathers. 



It is a common habit of this bird to visit the neighborhood of 

 its nest once or more during the daytime, either alone or in com- 

 pany with its mate. These visits by the birds seem to be for no 

 other purpose than to assure themselves that their home is all 

 right, and has not been molested during their absence. The birds 

 fly about the locality, now a mile out to sea then back again, for 

 an hour, more or less, occasionally setting the wings and darting 

 up to the very mouth of the cavity which shelters their young or 

 egg. I have thought that their object at such times might be to call 

 the young bird to the mouth of the burrow for the purpose of 

 feeding it. I have never been able, however, to catch sight of the 



