1887.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 101 



nobilis and two smaller ones with shorter tail-feathers, there being little 

 doubt that these represent the males and females of this species. 



Xor is there the remotest probability that 21. braccata is the young of 

 M. nobilis, for not only are there differences in structure and in the text- 

 ure of the feathers, but the color difierences are such as to preclude 

 this possibility. The two birds from Kauai show no trace of imma- 

 turity. 



The three species of 3Ioho may be very easily distinguished by the 

 following "key:" 



a' Tail-featliers uniform blackish, without any trace of white 21. braecaia. 



a" Tail-feathers blackish, four or more tipped with white, 



&' Ouly two outer taii-feathers ou each side tipped with white M. nohilis. 



h- All the tail-feathers, except the middle pair, tipped with white M. apicalis. 



In order to emphasize the differences between 21. braccata and 31. no- 

 bilis, I shall tabulate them as follows : 



I 



M. noMIis. 



(1) Bill more curved. 



(2) Feathers on top of head more round- 

 ed and st>fter. 



(3) First primary about one-third the 

 length of the wing. 



(4) Lower back and rump, inch^ding 

 upper tail-coverts, black. 



(5) Feathers of chin, throat, and fore- 

 neck uniform glossy black. 



(6) Abdomeu blackish. 



(7) Under tail-coverts bright yellow. 



(8) Feathers of tibiie uniform black. 



(9). Small upper wing-covertsall glossy 

 black. 



(10) Quills blackish without light inner 

 margins. 



(11) Axillary tufts very long andbright 

 yellow. 



(12) Middle pair of tail-feathers greatly 

 lengthened beyond the rest ; two outer 

 pairs broadly tipped with white. 



(13) Size larger. 



M. braccata. 



Bill straighter. 



Feathers on top of head more lanceolate 

 and rigid. 



First primary considerably more than 

 one-third the wing. 



Lower back and rump, including upper 

 tail-coverts, tawny gray inclining to raw 

 nmber. 



Feathers of chin, throat, and fore neck 

 black, with a transverse subapical bar 

 of white. 



Abdomen russet. 



Under tail-coverts russet, slightly palei 

 than the abdomen. 



Feathers of lower part of tibiie light 

 chrocie yellow. 



Small upper wing-coverts glossy black, 

 except those covering the bastard-wing, 

 the primary coverts, and the bend of the 

 wing, which are pure white. 



Quills internally edged with whitish 

 for the basal half. 



Axillary tufts less developed, and of a 

 pale, buify gray. 



Middle pair of tail-feathers much less 

 elongated beyond the rest; all the rec- 

 trices uniform blackish without white 

 tips. 



Size smaller. 



The coloration of tibioe, tail, and bend of wing, alone shows con 

 clusively that 2L braccata is a good species. 



If to the characters given in the above comparison we add that M. 

 braccata has the upper parts of the head glossy black, the back dark 



