PALMER'S DIAKY. 



(Di.) 17 



Palmer was told by two natives that " Mamo " was plentiful on Molokai a few years 

 hack, hut they were extremely rare now, though still existing on the island. Palmer was 

 informed hy Mr. H. W. Meyer that it is Palmeria clolci which bears this name on Molokai, 

 and not ]>repanis pacifica, which is called "Mamo" on Hawaii. [I, however, believe 

 Mr. Meyer was wrong and that the bird called Mamo on Molokai is the Drepanorhamphus 

 funereus (Newt.).] 



The Mauna Loa, a mountain on the west side of the island (not to be confused with the 

 great Mauna Loa on Hawaii) has no forest, consisting of red volcanic soil with big boulders, 

 and with patches of grass here and there. 



Along the shores Rimantopns hnudseni and Nycticorax are not rare, and the commonest 

 shore-bird is Charadrim fulvus, Gm. 



Several days were lost for collecting through rain and thunderstorms, and especially on 

 the 7th of February an enormous quantity of rain fell. It was said that for the last eight 

 vears such a quantity of rain had not fallen on one day. 



On February 15th and the following days collections were made near Pelekunu and 

 Makakupaia, and a number of specimens of Palmeria dolei (Wils.) were procured, which 

 were not seen before. 



On February 25th, Palmer left Molokai and reached Honolulu on the island of Oahu 

 after a rough passage. 



Oahu or Woahoo is the principal island of the Hawaiian Possessions as regards trade 

 and maritime affairs, inasmuch as it contains the principal town and residence, Honolulu, 

 and the port chiefly frequented by the shipping of the North Pacific. It is divided from 

 Molokai, the nearest island to it, by the Kaiwi Channel, 22 miles in width. It is 40 miles 

 long by 21 miles in its greatest breadth. It is, like the rest of the islands, of volcanic 

 formation. Civilization is more advanced and rice-plantations more numerous on this island 

 than on the others, not to the benefit of its native birds, for we know of several species 

 that have become extinct on Oahu. There are nevertheless still extensive forests on the 

 mountains. 



Very few native birds, except Chasiempis, are seen near Honolulu, but many of the 

 introduced foreigners. 



On March 9th, Palmer left Honolulu for a collecting-tour to the district of Koolauloa. 

 He describes his trip as follows : — 



« From Honolulu to Pali the road ascends until Pali is reached, from where it descends 

 again. Once below, the country is pretty level. A few miles further Heeia, a sugar- 

 plantation, is reached, situated by the shores of a large bay. Pice-plantations are very 

 numerous in the lower parts. From the hill-range of Pali narrow ridges run up in straight 

 lines to the high mountains. After another 10 miles through level country, Laie is in sight, 

 the landing-place for the Kahuka sugar-plantation. All the level parts hereabout are 

 planted with sugar and rice, the lower hills afford good pasture for cattle, while the higher 

 mountains seem to be covered with forest. At 5 p.m. Kahuku Ranch, 38J miles from 

 Honolulu, was reached, but the manager was away at Wailua and the place was locked up. 

 Having had only a couple of hard biscuits and a bottle of beer all day, my assistant and I 

 were somewhat hungry. Fortunately we found food and lodging at a plantation close by. 

 Next day the manager came, and very kindly gave me a room in the plantation to stay in. 



