PALMER'S DIAET. 



(Di.) 11 



insect down its throat. I also heard yesterday an Akialoa singing, in quite a different tone 

 from any previously heard (see Eeterorhynchm affinis). 



"August 12th. The weather has been delightful all day, quite a change from yesterday. 



}[v assistant and I worked different sides of the ridges and at first only shot two Akialoas, 

 but suddenly, after hearing a gunshot, I was summoned by my assistant with wild shouts. 

 He had an en1 Lrely new bird ! l I made this note at the time : — Assistant just shot a beautiful 

 specimen which may be an ' Oo.' Its mate is also in the vicinity, but has flown up the 

 mountain. It is undoubtedly the same bird I saw on Wednesday and thought it was a young 

 ( Ou.' Its note was a kind of hoarse ' O-o-o.' Shortly after the other one returned, and 

 following it down hill I was fortunate enough to shoot it. 



" I saw a bird fly into an Ohia-tree and begin to suck the flowers. It hopped about so 

 rapidly that I thought it was an ' Apapane ' (Ilhnatione sanguined). However, I soon saw 

 it was much larger and darker and showed signs of red on the head. On approaching it, 

 it flew out onto an outside branch, and its colours glittered beautifully in the sun. I 

 immediately shot it, when it turned out to be the young of the former bird. Then my 

 assistant shot another old one, which gave vent to a chuckling note quite unlike the first 

 sound we had heard. We then went further down the mountain, and during the day procured 

 in all eight specimens of this same bird. 



"August 15th. — Yesterday afternoon, for want of anything else to do, my assistant 

 and I took a gun and wandered along the edge of the forest, where I was fortunate enough 

 to shoot two more small Ou (Pseud on est or). They were both busily digging in the bark of 

 half- rotten Koa-trces. 



" To-day we pushed higher up the mountain, but were very unsuccessful owing to the 

 numerous ridges and deep ravines. 



"August 16th. — We were only out a short time, but got five more Maui Oo (Palmeria) 

 and one Okialoa, but as there is nothing new I shall leave here to-morrow. 



"August 30th. — Up to now we have been occupied in camping on new ground and trying 

 the upper forest-region, but owing to bad weather have done very little. To-night sees us in 

 camp no. 2, all day being occupied in reaching the place where we left off cutting the trail. 

 Wc had the greatest difficulty to find a place level enough to pitch the tent on. When this 

 was found, there came the task to clear it of the network of Te-vines. At last a hole large 

 enough for the tent was made, but we are perfectly hemmed in all round except an opening 

 large enough to reach the water, which is about 20 yards away. Above us is a canopy of Tes, 

 only admitting just enough light for us to know when day breaks. Bird-life is very scarce, 

 only a few liwi and Apapane to be seen. All next day was spent in cutting the trail, but 

 with two cane-knives going we only cut one mile the whole day. We then climbed a high 

 tree, and as the undergrowth appeared the same the whole way up the mountain and no birds 

 were to be seen or heard, we determined not to go any further. Where there are tall trees 

 three parts of them are dead. You may really say the forest only consists of undergrowth 

 and small trees about 20 feet high. 



" September 2nd. — Our return journey downwards was much worse than going up. 

 Torrents of rain fell, and what had been the trail was a roaring brook. We were up to our 

 knees in mud and water the whole way down. 



1 Palmeria dolei (Wils.). 



2* 



