PALMER' 8 DIAET. 



(Di.) 7 



and dying trees. The introduced Carpodacua was common right to the top of the hill and 

 singing beautifully." 



Here follows an uninteresting part in Palmer's diary, full of personal matters, troubles 

 with horses, complaints of a severe cold he caught, of uncertainty about where to go, of rainy 

 weather, and of getting nothing rare. 



On the 10th of February someone telephoned from Kohala to the next place where 

 Palmer was staying, savin- lie had got the Ulaaihawane {C'trldops anna (Dole)), but Palmer 

 did not see the man before the 18th and found he had really got a specimen of this bird, 

 which was believed to be extinct. He bought it and put it in spirits. It was shot near the 

 head-waters of Awini on Mt. Kohala. 



On the 20th of February Palmer arrived at the place where the rare bird was shot. 

 He noticed only eight of the Loulu palms ; and four of them together where the Ciridops 

 was shot. After some time spent in search of the Ulaaihawane Palmer travelled along the 

 mountains, pitching the tent on another place nearly every night and intending to stay 

 on the most suitable place he might come to. There was, however, so much rain at 

 the height of 4000 feet and upwards that lie soon came down again, because almost living 

 in the water at such heights and at low temperatures was more than he could stand. 



By the beginning of March camp was made on Mauna Kea at the sheep-station of 

 Mr. Hanneberg, 



On March 12th Palmer saAV a bird about the size of Hemignathus obscurus but unknown 

 to him, which he could not shoot. It was probably ViHdonia stujiltirostris, Rothsch. 



On one of the first days of April Palmer got severely kicked by his horse, an accident 

 which prevented him from collecting for a long time. This happened at Hilo, where he had 

 come round the island. Fortunately Palmer had here met with an old birdcatcher and his 

 brother, who went up for him into the forest with Wolstenholme, Palmer's assistant. While 

 Palmer was still not able to take long walks, on the 18th of April his assistant saw the 

 Drepanis pacifica, and the old birdcatcher, Ahulan, caught it alive with a snare. All 

 particulars about this glorious capture are given under the species. Soon after, on 

 April 23rd, Palmer himself made a very interesting discovery, for he shot the first specimen 

 of the then unknown bird which I described as Viridonia sagittirostris. 



Palmer went up to the place where the Mamo had been caught, and many other places 

 where Mamos had lived in former -days, and employed a number of Kanakas to hunt for the 

 Mamo, but in spite of his efforts no more were caught or even seen or heard by all these men. 



May 12th.—" I left Mr. Hitchcock's house this morning at G.30 with my horses and pack, 

 and rode up as far as his mountain-cottage on the edge of the woods, which is called 

 Bougainville. Here I left the horses, the natives I had engaged to go up with me and we 

 ourselves taking the loads on our heads and shoulders. We ascended along an old trail that 

 leads to Laumia, Mauna Kea. As nobody has travelled along this trail for a considerable 

 time, it is completely grown over ; so we w^ere obliged to cut our way up till we reached the 

 lava-nW. This made the journey slow and tiresome, as we all carried heavy loads, namely 

 provisions for a week for ourselves and the dogs, besides all necessary camp outfit. I saw 

 nothing remarkable of birds on the way up. The forest is mostly Koa with a few Ohia. 

 To-night we are camped by the side of the great lava-flow of 1880, some seven miles from 

 Hilo. In the evening some Bats were flying about, but I could not shoot them. 



