BIRDS OF HAWAII

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1676, 13 April 1904, Page 65

BIRDS OF HAWAII

Mr J. A. writing in '‘Blackwood’s Magazine” for February, says that the bird® of Hawaii include stocks from Australia. Several ’species known as O-o (an imitation of their calls) are living examples. The O-o belongs to the family cf honeysuekers. There are fenr different species of O-o-. The fin-eisd is called Moll©! iiobolfe, and at one time, being spread through the lower as well as 'clio middle belt of forest, it yielded the bright yellow feathers so much in demand for making the cloaks which were the insignia of rank of the Hawaiian chiefs. • Each bird yielded about 50 ymlow leathers from beneath the wings and tail. The great Kamehameha made it penal for the bird-catcher's to destroy it wheiug.tripping it of its feathers. Each great chief would have about forty of these professional birdcaitchers. The gun is now used; and whereas of old royalty only might use the O-o feathers, now wreath's —feather Lois —are worn by a,ny and all. and the lei-hun.ter has almost exterminate*"! the beautiful Molio nobilis, which was a mast active insect-destroyer, devouring beetles, flies, and coleopterous larvae. This moho feeds much also on the nectar of flowers and the 1 luscious banana. The calls of O-o sound loudly and continuously from the tops of the forest tree's, and especially when with their young; and the flirting of 'the bird’s long tail and the opening of the bird’s long tail and making season dispiary the' yellow. The scarlet feathers, which were used in the -royal any! high chiefs’ mantles and helmets, were obtained from the Ifcwi (Vestiaria ©occinea) —a song-bird with a’bright scarlek mantle and black wings—and also from the Fringilla coccinea. The liwi is actively little singer, and he loves to frequent beds of nasturtium in flower, also beds of canna. The nasturtium is cleverly punctured jusit above where the honey lies, otherwise even the bird’s long bill would not reach it. The feather mantle of a king or high chief was buried with him, yet the cioak of Kamehameha I. is said to- have taken nine generations to make. A'll the interesting bird's in Hawaii are now becoming rare. There is no tabu or ancient royal law to protectthem.