2 28 Henshaw, The Elefaio of Hmvaii. Ljuly 



fall is comparatively small, is more irregular and varies most 

 widely locally. This shore belt is now, and for many years has 

 been, practically barren of native birds owing to its deforestation, 

 the birds being chiefly confined to the middle and heavily forested 

 region, from 1500 to 4000 feet altitude, where the rainfall and 

 other conditions are more miiform than below. 



Moreover, as above stated, several of the species move about in 

 search of food, and although such movements are by no means the 

 equivalent of migration as the term is usually understood, the effect 

 is similar in diminishing, or altogether preventing, the results of 

 continued residence the year round under similar conditions of 

 environment. The islands, too, for the most part are so small, 

 and the local conditions vary so widely, that a bird must be local 

 indeed to permit of geographical variation. 



In comparing series of several island species from regions of 

 comparatively small rainfall with others having a maximum 

 amount the difference in depth of coloration, if any, appears to be 

 very slight. Specimens of Chlorodrepaiiis virens from the leeward 

 side of the island seem to average somewhat paler than those from 

 the windward side. The same may prove to be true of PJueornis 

 obsairus, though at present the writer has a sufficient series of this 

 species only from the windward side. In neither case, however, 

 do the differences seem to be sufficient for the recognition of 

 geographical races. It is otherwise in the case of the Elepaio. 



Of this bird there are two distinct forms the habitats of which 

 seem to conform in the main to regions of greater and lesser rain- 

 fall. On the windward side of the island, from just south of the 

 Volcano of Kilauea to the neighborhood of Ookala, a distance of 

 some eighty miles or more (embracing many thousand acres of 

 deep forest) is found the form described by Dr. Stejneger as C. 

 ridgivayi, the earlier described sandwicheusis apparently inhabiting 

 the remainder of the island. 



Descriptions of the two forms are given below, but it may be 

 briefly stated that ridgivayi is characterized by a rich, dark brown 

 above, almost a chestnut, with chestnut face markings ; while 

 sandivichensis is of a much lighter brown above, with more white 

 on the tail, and the chestnut face markings are mostly replaced by 

 pure white. 



