AVIFAUNA OF LAY SAN, ETC. 



101 



the forest around, hut could find nothing I had not seen before except one bird, which, 

 however, the natives said was an On— so I did not shoot it, as I wished to keep all the 

 ammunition till we reached the place where the Mamo dwells and the UJaaiwahane flics 

 undisturbed. [I don't understand this note, for I suppose they did not see an < Ulaaiwahane,' 

 which is Ciridops anna. — W. R.] We passed several of the plants which the Mamo feeds 

 on. They are called Ilalia by the natives. They were not in flower. The natives demon- 

 strated the use of their snares, which are simple and clever. The bush still consists of big and 

 lofty Ohias with a sprinkling of equally large Koa. We killed a pig to-day. Iiwi, Apapane, 

 Akakane, Ou, Elepaio, Amakihi, etc., were pretty numerous here. 



kt April 14///,. — Left camp at 7.30 a.m. The morning was line, and we got to the end of 

 the trail and camped here at 12 o'clock. The natives take things leisurely, and it is a good 

 job they are not hired by the day. The Ou seems very plentiful here, but I do not shoot any 

 here. I also heard an O-o and went after him, but failed to get a shot. Two natives have 

 gone on cutting the pass, and they expect to reach the palm-region to-morrow, when I hope 

 I shall have something to report. The dog killed another pig. 



"April 15///.— Struck camp at 7 a.m. and marched along the trail, where we soon came 

 across two Lolu-palms. I watched them close on an hour, but saw no signs of Ulaaiwahane. 

 At 3 p.m. we struck the big gulch again and followed it till 5 p.m. There is here a beautiful 

 waterfall, but I don't appreciate it much as I am very hungry. Not seeing a good camping 

 place, we camped here in a very narrow and uncomfortable place. 



" April 10///. — Broke the camp up at G A.M. and pushed on till 1 p.m. The old bird-catcher 

 Ahulan was leading to cut the trail, whilst Holi and myself came next, followed by the others, 

 who were a long way behind. We had not gone more than three miles, when I heard a call 

 from the other side of the gulch, and thought it was a native calling, but immediately after- 

 wards a bird flow across, and I saw in a moment it was the bird Ave were after. I was going 

 to follow it up to shoot it, but Ahulan begged me not to shoot as it would scare the other 

 away, which I had heard calling a little way off. Ahulan fixed the snares and bird-lime on 

 a haha, which growed out on a tree-fern, and which has flowers somewhat like those of a 

 fuchsia. Ahulan fulfilled his promise and caught the Mamo ! lie is a beauty, and takes 

 sugar and water eagerly and roosts on a stick in the tent. I iioav feel as proud as if someone 

 had sent me two bottles of whisky up." 



In spite of two or three days' more work, no second specimen was caught or even 

 noticed, and at last the natives declared that Palmer's "assistant" was mistaken about 

 having seen two, and that there was no other specimen about there. When their food was 

 finished and they had no hope of getting any more " Mamos," the whole party descended to 

 where Palmer stayed. On April 21st Palmer killed and skinned the Mamo. 



Noav, whether the men saw two or only the one which Avas caught, it is evident that in 

 April 1892 the species Avas not quite extinct, and it is a most hazardous assumption that the 

 men in Palmer's employ got the only specimen then living in those wide and almost pathless 

 Avoods. Moreover, Mr. II. W. Henshaw, the distinguished American ornithologist, who now 

 resides in Hawaii, Avrites to me (dated October 9th, 1899) as follows: — 



" Drepanis pacifica is still a living species, though unquestionably very rare. No doubt 

 it is on the verge of speedy extinction. About a year ago last July I found what, no 

 doubt, was a family of Mamos in the Avoods above Kaumana. I am sure that I saw at least 



