2 (Di.) 



AVIFAUNA OF LA "X SAN, ETC. 



" Bill and forehead dark. Top and sides of head light. Neck dark. Breast scarcely as 

 light as head. Wings dark, but scarcely as dark as neck. Belly as light [as the top of the 

 head. The bill appeared to be rather short. Of course, this was all as seen from a distance 

 beyond the range of gun-shot. The same day I saw also two Ducks which appeared to be 

 smaller and darker than the common native duck." 



On the 22ad Palmer went far into the hills with a party for goat-hunting, which gave 

 him a splendid opportunity to become acquainted with another part of the island. 



Palmer stayed in his camp till March the 10th. He was very much troubled with rainy 

 weather, and it was very cold in the hills, often only 43° Pahr. and less. Palmer observed 

 that such birds which arc really inhabitants of higher elevations come down to the lower 

 parts when rainy, cool, and foggy weather continues for some time. 



At the beginning of March a number of very young birds were observed, while Vestiaria 

 coccinea and Simatione sanguined were just pairing off. 



On the 10th of March Palmer stayed at Waimea, where Mr. Gay showed him his local 

 collection of birds and some eggs of sea-birds, besides giving him again some hints and 

 information about the island and its birds. 



On March 11th Palmer went to Kekalia and Mana, where he remained eight days, 

 collecting shore- and water-birds in the vicinity. 



On March 20th Palmer arrived at a place named Halcmann, the property of Mr. Knudsen, 

 whose name is so well known to ornithologists through Dr. Stejneger's publications on the 

 birds of Kanai. Palmer speaks of the place as follows : — 



" It is quite different up here to any other part of the island I have seen yet. The bush 

 is not very thick, and close by it consists almost entirely of the Koa {Acacia Tcoa). Soon after 

 our arrival 1 tried to shoot wild cattle, having brought no meat up with us, but, although we 

 saw several, were not fortunate enough to kill any. 



"My guide seems to know the country well, which will save me much time. 



"The next day w r as so wet and foggy that my guide declared he could not go up to the 

 high mountains, so we tried to collect in the lower elevations, and were fortunate enough to 

 shoot a bird which I believe is a species of the Hawaiian ' Thrushes ' or ' Kamaos ' ; but 

 much smaller than the common Thrush of Kauai [Phmomis myiadestina, Stejn. — W. R.], and 

 also than the species from Haw r aii (Phceornis obscura, Gm.), which I saw at Messrs. Gay and 

 Robinson's. [Unfortunately this specimen of a very rare bird, which I have described under 

 the name of Phcuornis palmeri, was partly destroyed by rats. — W. B.] 



" Soon after this capture we shot a wild bull, Avhich provided us with meat for some time. 



" On March 23rd we made a trip to the hills above Kalalau. It rained a little when we 

 started, but we thought it would clear up. The higher we came, contrary to our hopes, the 

 thicker fell the rain, and therefore we had no success. The bush above Kalalau is not so 

 thick as below, but the dense fern-vegetation makes up for it, and it is extremely difficult to 

 find birds when shot down. 



" On the following day, in the morning, I missed the new Thrush, and you may imagine 

 my feelings! I at once suspected rats, so I crawled all under the cottage on my stomach, 

 and finally succeeded in finding it in a rat's hole, although much damaged, yet partly 

 preserved. They had indeed not touched one of the common birds ! I am glad nobody heard 

 the prayers uttered for the benefit of the rats." 



