204 



AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



descending towards the end : it sounds melancholy. By imitating the cry Palmer succeeded 

 in luring them very closely towards himself. The natives on Hawaii called the bird 

 " Poupou " and " Ilopue," but did not seem to be well acquainted with it. 



Mr. Perkins says that it frequents the tallest and most leafy acacias, both when growing 

 on the roughest lava-flows and in the grassy openings in the forest. He found it entirely in 

 the upper forest, and most numerous at about 4000 feet. He says that the peculiar whistle 

 can be heard for a considerable distance, and that it can be easily called by the imitation of 

 its whistle. Besides its principal food, the Koa bean, Mr. Perkins found it to eat occasionally 

 lepidopterous larvae, like Loxioides. Mr. Perkins says also : — " The female I have heard 

 to utter a rather deep single note when alarmed. On one occasion when I had shot a male I 

 heard his mate repeatedly utter this note, and she continued to do so for some five minutes, 

 but seemingly possessed some vcntriloquial power — the sound seeming now in front, now 

 behind, now near, now far ; yet it was utterly impossible that the bird could have flown 

 without my being aware of it." 



The nidifioation is unknown. 



