AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



93 



Palmer believes that these birds inhabit pretty well all the upland forests on Hawaii. He 

 found them common in the district of Kona, on the south-west side of the island, at altitudes 

 of about 2000 to G000 feet. He saw none in Kohala district (north side) or Kohala mountain. 

 They were comparatively numerous in Ilamakua district, north-east, between 2000 and 

 5000 feet. Numbers were seen in Ililo district above Hilo, at heights of 1400 to 3000 feet, 

 and a few in the upper parts of Puna district on the east side. 



They inhabit dense forest, where they were generally not at all rare, although other 

 birds were more numerous. 



Their principal food consists of insects, which they capture in the bark and decaying 

 stems and branches. In collecting their food they were seen to put their bills into the 

 crevices of the bark up to the base. 



They were also (above Hilo near Wailuku) seen sucking nectar from the flowers of the 

 Haha, of which they seemed to be extremely fond. 



o 2 



