400 Mr. S. B, Wilson on three undescrihed Species 



LV. — On three undescrihed Species of the Genus Hemi- 

 gnathus, Lichtenstein. By ScOTT B, Wilson, F.Z.S. 



As I believe that my investigation of the species of the above- 

 named genus, specimens of which are so rare in collections, 

 may have some interest for the ornithologists who, both 

 in Europe and America, are studying the subject, I beg 

 leave to lay the results before the public. 



In the island of Hawaii I found two species — a large and a 

 small one. The former is unquestionably the " Hook-billed 

 Green Creeper" of Latham (Synops. i. p. 703), on which 

 Gmelin founded his Certhia obscura, as by favour of Mr. T. 

 J. Moore and the other authorities of the Liverpool Museum 

 I have been able to examine the type specimen, which, form- 

 ing lot 4750 at the sale of the Leverian Museum, wdience 

 Latham described it, was bought by the then Lord Stanley, 

 and at his death in 1851, when Earl of Derby, it passed into 

 the Liverpool Museum. This specimen was accurately 

 figured by Vieillot (Ois. Dores, pi. liii.), and the species will 

 stand as U. ohscurus (Gmelin). 



The second and smaller species from the island of Hawaii 

 agrees so accurately with the figure and description of Hete- 

 rorhynchus olivaceus, Lafresnaye (Mag. Zool. 1839, pi, x. ; 

 Eev. Zool. 1840, p. 321), that though I have not seen the 

 type specimen, no doubt can exist on the subject. By those 

 •who do not acknowledge the genus Heterorhynchus^ on behalf of 

 which something is to be said, this species will be recognized 

 as Hemignatlius olivaceus (Lafresnaye). 



On the island of Kauai I met with two other species — 

 again a large and a small one. One of these has been already 

 mentioned by Dr. Stejneger (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1887, 

 p. 93), who, though noticing some difference in it, referred it 

 to Ilemignathus obscurus (Gmelin) . The dimensions given 

 by Dr. Stejneger show that it is the larger of the two which 

 he had before him ; and it is indeed at once distinguishable 

 from the true obscurus by its larger size (wing '^Q to 83 

 millim., tarsus 26 to 25), its longer bill (chord 64 to 60*5 

 millim.), very distinct black lores, and generally brighter 

 coloration. This species I propose to name, in honour of Dr. 

 fetejneger, to whom the first known examples were sent, H. 

 Stejnecjeri. The second and smaller species from Kauai has 

 in colour and size a general resemblance to H. olivaceus from 

 Hawaii ; but its lower mandible, instead of being straight as 

 in that species, follows the curve of the upper. This 1 pro- 



