PALMKR'S DIABY, 



(Di.) 5 



to what it is here, that is, forest with a clearing here and there. Gradually the trees get shorter, 

 until all Koas are left behind and Mamane forms the principal portion of the hush, rising 

 from 10 to 30 feet in height. The Mamane (the same tree I used to shoot the Loocioides 

 baillem, Oust., on at Pulehua) was here all in flower, therefore it was a good place for many 

 honey-sucking birds. Vestiaria coccinea, Loxops, and Himatione were on the Mamane in 

 great numbers, but I saw nothing new to me, although I travelled through a great deal of 

 country and looked about all the time. The thinness of the air was felt very much ; I did not 

 notice it when limiting about, except that I could not breathe quite freely and my legs seemed 

 very heavy, but as soon as I stopped to rest a peculiar sensation came over me, though from 

 what I had heard I had been afraid it would be much worse. We climbed almost as far as 

 the short trees go, above which there is no higher vegetation. 



" Besides the birds already mentioned, I saw some Loxloides bailleui, Oust., and 

 Oreomjjza mana (Wils.). At a height of, I believe, at least 8000 feet Ave came across a Crow 

 (Corvus Jiawaiiemis) perched on a tree, and we did not notice it until it began to cry. This 

 leads me to think that it lives all over the country. 



" Among the Koas I s?ot some Loxops coccinea and Rhodacanthis palmeri, Rothsch, 

 which seems to keep much to the Koas. This one is the first I saw in this part of the 

 country. When goinc down we had a rough time. We lost our way and had to ride across 

 a big lava-field, and when we came into the track again it became pitch dark and none of 

 us escaped without bruised and half-skinned legs, while one of Mr. Johnston's men fell and 

 injured his arm very badly. It was indeed the worst riding I ever experienced." 



By the end of November Palmer left this part of the island and rode over to Ilonakohau, 

 Mr. Clark's residence, some 15 miles north of Kaawaloa, on the slopes of Mount Hualalei. 



A great hindrance to camping out in these parts is the scarcity of water, and before 

 Palmer began to collect he had to procure permission to shoot from some of the landowners, 

 which delayed him several days. 



On December 2nd the camp was pitched on the slopes of Mount Hualalei. " As there 

 are no cattle about, the undergrowth is very thick. The forest is chiefly composed of Ohia, 

 which are just in flower. Apapane are very numerous, feeding from the flowers of the 

 Ohia, but no other birds were seen to-day." 



" During the next few days we went up the mountain. Some distance above the camp 

 we found a broad belt of Koa-trees, with a few Ohias only. An Ou w r as heard and some 

 other birds seen. 



" I did not see any sign of Geese, although they arc said to be not uncommon, and 

 although the Ohelo-berries on which they feed arc plentiful." 



On December 28th the tent was pitched on the Koliala Mountains. The first days there 

 heavy fogs and rain prevailed, adding much to the difficult y of collecting. The country was 

 very swampy and but few birds were seen, so that Palmer was greatly disappointed. On 

 December 31st he left this last camp, where he did not collect a single bird, and spent 

 the 1st of January, 1892, under Mr. P. Sjiencer's hospitable roof. 



On the 5th of January Palmer travelled over to Waimca, where he had got permission 

 to occupy an old mountain-house. On the 10th he writes: " Last night the weather was 

 unusually cold and a heavy thunderstorm passed over Mauna Kea and Hualalei. In the 

 morning I saw both mountains for a great part covered with snow. This is nothing 



