8 (Di.) 



AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



"We expect to reach tbe region where the Loulu palms grow to-morrow, and my old 

 birdcatcher will be there already, I hope." 



" May 13th. — At 7 a.m. we were packed again and started on the way towards the 

 higher regions. After a very hard journey we reached the place at 3 P.M. All the way 

 was along either an old or the new lava-flow. The weather was very hot, not a drop of 

 water could he had ; we therefore felt our heavy loads rather much. After a short rest 

 our first thought was water. The stream of lava had shut up all running streams on this 

 side ; we could not find a hole for water. So we commenced to dig holes with our knives, 

 and this proved to he our salvation, for from the three holes we had dug we managed 

 to get enough water for drinking and cooking purposes. We then pitched our tent 

 and enjoyed a hearty supper of wild goat, one of which I had shot a few hundred yards 

 from the place where we camped, while my assistant had killed another and one of the 

 Kanakas had caught a kid. 



"The Loulu seems pretty common ahout here, for I could see no less than eighteen round 

 the camp. I therefore think I must find the Ulaaihawane (Clridops anna) here, if it is 

 true that it feeds chiefly on the Loulu. I am very sorry to say that the old birdcatcher fell 

 down one of the gulches and injured his leg so much that his son had to help him back. The 

 son came up and told me. 



"The forest round here is very dense and the undergrowth frightfully thick, but on some 

 parts higher up wild cattle have opened it up somewhat. 



" May 11///. — We followed up the flow of lava for a couple of miles. Both Loulu and the 

 tree on which the Mamo chiefly feeds were numerous all the way, but I did not see any birds 

 except the common species. On entering the forest, after leaving the lava-flow, we had to 

 cut again. Birds were less numerous among the trees than on the outskirts of the forest. 

 The bush consisted chiefly of Ohias with a sprinkling of Konas and other smaller trees. 

 We returned after a good march and reached the camp at 4 p.m. 



" My assistant shot an Io {Buteo solitarius). In the stomach I found remains of 

 eggshells, and the bird itself (an old female) had partly developed eggs. So there is no 

 doubt a number of birds are breeding now.'' 



On May 19th Palmer broke the camp up after having no success whatever, and 

 marched down to Bougainville, where he slept. On May 20th he reached ITilo, where he 

 rested a few days. Then Palmer went up to the hills again in search for the Moho-rail, 

 but did not succeed in finding any. 



On May 25th Palmer visited the lake of fire, which has so often been described. He says 

 that ail the descriptions he had seen do not give an idea of the magnificent aspect. The fire- 

 lake is usually called Madam Pele, and it throws out a pretty thread-like material, called 

 Madam Pele's hair. There is commonly said to be a bird which builds its nest from this 

 hair-like lava, but what kind of a bird it is seems to be unknown. Mr. Hitchcock showed 

 Palmer what he said were the remnants of such a nest, and that it belonged to an Iiwi 

 ( Vestiaria coccinea). 



Palmer stayed on Hawaii until the end of June. Besides several times visiting the 

 fiery lake and the crater, and collecting very interesting specimens of minerals, he shot a 

 few fine specimens of Nesochcn sandwichensis and some small birds, but nothing new. 



At the beginning of June the island of Maui was reached by steamer. 



