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

IoHoW2ng rail- or spring; though one of +
the young was well advanced in assum-
ing the plumage of the adult.
The second nest Mus. No. 4694) was !
also taken from an ohia tree. 1t was |
collected at Mapulehu June 9. and is |
in every way similar TO No. 1851, ex
cept that it was placed in an upright |
crotch.
A third nest, in an unfinished eondi |
ton, was taken on Kilohana in the wet
forest on April 80 The old bird was
seen carrying the moss of which the
exterior is composed. The site was an
upright fork of small HAWAII tree !
about eight feet from the ground.
Psittirostra psittacea (Gmel.).
| 1t is my intention in a separate paper
to discuss at some length the Museum s
/ choice series of almost a hundred skins
| of the On that have been collected on
| the large islands Of the group 1t is
! felt that certain questions that have
! been raised concerning this interesting
genus can then be cleared up. For the
present it is sufficient to say that six
teen skins of both sexes, adult and I'M
mature, were secured on Molokai during
April May and June.
! The On was met with at all the sta
tions visited in the forest area in a
ratio of about one to twenty, as COM
pared with the Amakihi. Hence it is
not. relatively speaking, the abundant
species its size and song would seem
to make it, especially when compared
with the much smaller and more OBJ
securely colored Chlorodrepanis.
The Halawa forest makes jan ideal
home for this ieie-loving bird, since
that region, as has elsewhere been men,
toned, is a perfect tangle of this vine.
Along the streams patches of wild ba-
mana are also common, while Olona
(Touchardia), another food plant of the
species. is met with everywhere in suit
able places. As ieie has apparently had
much to do in the evolution of its peeu-
liar beak, the Gu commonly frequents
the forests where it is most abundant.
1t is, nevertheless, always to be found
in the more dense ohia forests, even
though the amount of ieie is small, or
wanting entirely. In the heavily wood
ed loclities, it feeds through the tops
) of the trees, seldom coming near the
ground At such times there are usually
several birds in the locality scattered
about in scout formation. They seem
rarely to alight together in the SINE
tree, vet they always keep within easy
2 call of each other. The inquiringiy
S whistled call note "Psweet' is fire.
+ ouently given, and answered by birds
: thus developed, especially during cloudy
!, weather. If the call is initiated the
4 bird will readily respond number OF
: times in succession, often cautiously
0 approae hing the observer to satisfy its
Y curiosity The young birds are much
4 easier decoyed in this way than are the
e more experienced adults. 1t is not TN
0 common to have the green inconspleu
!. ously colored birds answer one from
$ a tree near at hand, several minutes
d before its whereabouts can be deter
: mined. A number of times during
Y drenehing rains, / have heard the cal
e note plaintively given, and after pro
e traeted search have found the blrt
l. standing motionless in a very detected
II attitude. huddled close against tre'
t trunk. or slowed away in a thict
: bunch of leaves for shelter.
o Of its musical powers much has beer
written, as it has been quite commonl,
s given first place among the singins
it Drepanididae The song-which, by tn
n way, lis rarely given in it's entirety
d especially sweet and pleasing, resem
e bling in many respects that OF tn
IL canary Perhaps the favorite place TO
{. delivering its song is from the topmos
IS branch of some dead ohia tree, standin!
Z in an opening in the dense surrounding
v forest. From such a station 1t vii
d often sing internationally for an hour o
d more. 1t is liable at any time to dis
n, appear in the woods, only to return
It presently to take up its song again.
se The adult male is, by reason of it
II golden yellow head, a conspicuous bird
20 but with the head has been supplied
large amount of caution which result
( in it being much rarer in collection
than would otherwise be the case. TIL
female and the immature of both sexe
ct are inconspicuously eolored, and TO
u that reason are often passed by tn
rs collector unobserved, AS is so ofte
s the case, owing to the curiosity an
n want of fear in the young, more lmms
u ture than adult birds are always co
lected.
a The fight of the. Gu is rapid, heav
s. and direct. During their more extende
lg flights. as from one ridge to anothe
e they are more often than otherwise l
ne small fioeks. Birds of both sexes answe
Id a decoy whistle frequently, comm
Id within easy range of one, eying til
Intruder narrowly all the while.
is sudden motion, or an unusual noise WI
ne invariably put the bird to flight, whe
is they will dart off without further adj
ne not infrequently flying half mile
ed more in direct line. Like the APP
gh pane, | have observed the Gu maxim
Ill long sustained flights from the pals
e the large valleys, that carried the
wv readily from one valley to another.
ct, such times they rarely, if ever, soar
to circle about, but set off directly for tt
alr fresher fields with show of knowleds
en- and determination that makes the
Die while on the wing, easily distinguish
at from their neighbors, AS far as the
~ can be seen.
&C. The series of skins give the followil
"a maximum, minimum and average mea
TO uremenfs:
nd Four Adult Males-Minimum: Leng
ms 100; wing $50; tail go; tarsus 81; t
gh 90: culmen 60. Average: Length 10
wing $40; tail 2.24; tarsus 90; toe 9
id = .