The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-07

many times, singing, feeding, and
fiuttering its wings alternatively. 1t is
true that the quivering is more Often
resorted to under the stress of excite
ment, but it is equally certain that it
is INDUCED in at other times quite
naturally and frequently.
As to the song of the Olomao little
can be added to the excellent accounts
already in print. No one is able to
see the singer of hear it's song without
being impressed by its thrush-like char
acter. The effort is more usually de-
Gvered from the topmost branches of
some favorite tree; although it is to be
found frequently singing joyously in
the underbrush When singing the head
is always thrown well back, the throat
full and free, and the wings and tail
are invariably relaxed and dropping.
The irregular, at times somewhat Jerky,
though always melodious song is given
not once or twice, but often dozens
of times Once heard its character will
, live in the memory for years, though
its component parts are wholly lnimlt-
able.
Not only does the Olomao sing early
and late, but in fine weather / have
heard it far into the night. One of the
pecularities of the song is its ventri1o-
quistic character A bird may be sing
! ing volubly in tree not twenty yards
! away, and so varied in volume and TIM
| bre are the notes as the song increases
| from its beginning OF a few low chirp-
! ing notes to the zenith of its power
and beauty, that even an experienced
i observer is at times at loss to locate
| the songster. In truth it seems that
! the whole tree might be full of song.
| The voice comes from the center, from
| the right, from the left, from the back
! and from the top of the tree successive
/ " or simultaneously, seemingly at the
| pleasure of the musician. So marked
is this power that a bird in plain sight
may sing a half dozen times before the
sombre-colored piper will be discovered
In addition to the song the Olomao has
/ a number of notes and calls. One which
is very pulling, especially to the ma
tives. is a cat-like cry which is given
in an inquiring intonation from some
hiding place in the underground.
The species was more abundant a
Halawa than at any of the other local
tiles visited. This was doubtless du'
to the seclusion afforded by the untrod
den forests of that section. few I'M
mature birds were taken, but the ma
iority of those seen were in the full
adult pIumage The length Of time re
auired for the young to acquire tn,
adult plumage is apparently more thai
one year.
On Nav I took from thirty feet n
in an ohia tree growing IN the dens
woods on the summit of Puualu, mes
which have no hesitancy in referrint
to this species. In the locality was
pair of resident Olomao, evidently tn
owners Of the nest Mus. No. 4710) her
described. Externally it is over 60
inches in diameter by $50 inches deeI
Small dead ohia twigs form the POUNDS
ton of the structure. Into this
! placed a generous lining of moss an
fine rootlets neatly woven together [
form a substantial thrush-like nest. In
hollow Of the nest is $50 inches acros
bv l 80 inches in depth. The nest ha
!, evidently been used and deserte'
though Enthusiastically Of recent eonstru'
tioa. 1t is singular that as yet nothin
= is known of the egg of any of th
sDeeies OF the genus. save the referenf
v by Henshaw tb1f0s o. the ita l v az.
\ Islands. p. 80 to the finding of a sIna
y fragment Of an egg shell in the stomae
of a Hawaiian hawk fButeo solitariu'
: which he sugg asts might be porto
Of an egg of Phaeornis obseura OF ID;
o wall.
n It seems worth while recording ths
q an old native who accompanied me
h nv Moanui trip said that he had hear
from his father that long time ae