6 (DL) 



AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, FTC. 



unusual on Mauna Loa at this time of the year, but on Hualalei I am told none has been 

 seen since 1858." 



Travelling was very had on leaving this place, and not only the horses fell once, 

 but Palmer himself got a wound on the leg. The natives were rather suspicious 

 about rainier, as they could not quite see why anyone should take so much trouble and 

 expense to procure some useless birds. They distil a kind of gin from the root of some 

 plant, which they sell clandestinely, as the government does not allow its sale, and they 

 seemed to believe that Palmer was a spy sent by the government. The weather was mostly 

 wet and cool. 



"The famous Mamo (Drepanis pacifica) is said to have been seen above the place whero 

 I stay now the last time ; and if this be true I don't see why it might not still exist here, for 

 the forest here is very old and consists of beautiful ohia-trees. No sign of wild cattle is to 

 be seen, and consequently the undergrowth is very dense, although pigs are common enough. 

 The forest on the higher parts you may say is entirely maiden forest. A good deal of the 

 soil here seems to be much more solid and not so much broken up. The Ou (Psittirostra 

 psittacea) is very numerous, also Chlorodrepanis virens, which one hears singing nearly all 

 the day. Other birds seemed not to be plentiful. I saw a few Iiwi [Veatiaria coccinea), 

 some 'Apapane' and Chasiempis, and also a couple of Flucornis. We were obliged to cut 

 a trail to go up to the height I desired. 



" January lith. — It was raining in the morning, but in the afternoon the rain came down 

 in torrents, accompanied by a strong gale of wind from S.YT., known here under the name 

 of ' kona.' If this weather lasts we will run short of provisions, for the road, which was bad 

 enough when coming up in fine weather, must now be terrible after all this rain. I am 

 already living quite like a Kanaka, sleeping on a mat made of the ' Lauhala' or Screwpine; 

 of which the w^hole house is also built, and having nothing but 1 j)oi ' to eat, which will soon 

 be finished. 



" January Ihth. — The weather was better. Just above the house is the finest forest, for 

 higher up it seems to die off, a great number of dead trees being conspicuous, and it gets 

 much lighter. The undergrowth is almost impenetrable, and strongly intermixed with bananas. 

 Birds I saw only very few to-day. 



« Prom what I saw I am sure that the Mamo, if really yet in existence, is not found in 

 the highest parts of the hills. 



" January 19th, — Our want of food compelled me to go down for provisions, but the trip 

 was terrible. It was not before sunset that I reached the good people in Kohala, who are 

 always very kind and willing to help and assist as much as they can. They were much 

 astonished to see me, and said they should not attempt to travel among the mountains in 

 such weather. 



" Heavy rains continued for some days, and it was not before the 25th that it got fine 

 once more, when at once I got into tent again on the Kohala Mountain. This is the only 

 place where, according to what I am told by several people, the Ulaaihawane {Ciridops anna) 

 is still living. 



" The forest there is not very thick and little or no undergrowth. There are distinct belts 

 of trees distinguishable. First one much like the Koa, then comes the Mamane, with here 

 and there an Ohia, and various others follow, the uppermost parts mostly consisting of dead 



