Sonic Birds of Molokai. 81 



Ohia, the bananas and the lobelias were regularly visited. The 

 deep gloomy woods, the bright forested ridges, the secluded valleys 

 were explored from end to end of its habitat, all without seeing so 

 much as a single sign of the bird to encourage one to further effort. 

 Nevertheless, since the present species, as well as its cousins 

 on Kauai and Hawaii are known to be gregarious and nomadic at 

 certain seasons, it may be that such habits account for its occa- 

 sional appearance, and more frequent complete disappearance in 

 certain sections. However that may be, of the fact that the Oo is 

 a rare — indeed an exceedingly rare bird, there seems little ques- 

 tion. As to its being already extinct, I am not yet convinced, but 

 that it is very near the verge of extermination, cannot longer be 

 doubted by any one. 



Phaeornis rutha, new species. 



Type Specimens. Male: B. P. Bishop Museum No. 4631 ; Kilo- 

 hana Mountain, Molokai; April 30, 1907; W. A. Bryan. Female: 

 B. B. Bishop Museum No. 4632; Puualu Mountain, Molokai; April 

 22, 1907; W. A. Bryan. Immature Male: B. P. Bishop Museum 

 No. 462S; Halawa, Molokai; May 25, 1907; W. A. Bryan. 



Habitat. Forest area of the island of Molokai only. 



Specific Characters. Similar to lanaiensis but with the throat 

 and breast much grayer ; abdomen and under tail coverts whiter; 

 back darker olive-brown ; size uniformly a trifle larger ; bill aver- 

 aging longer and slightly broader. 



Diagnostic Characters. Uniform in color; above brown or 

 hair-brown with an olive wash ; with no conspicuous markings on 

 the outer tail feathers ; size larger, length (in the flesh) 8.25-8.40, 

 wing 3.67-3.80, tail 3.10-3.25 ; darker above in adult and imma- 

 ture, and without any rusty gray cast on the crown and mantle. 

 Grayer on the throat and breast. 



Description of Type. Adult Male : Above inconspicuous dull 

 brown with dusky olive tinge; head darker colored than the mantle. 

 The grayish wash of lanaiensis over the head and rump wanting 

 even in moulting birds. Outer webs of the inner primaries and 

 most of the secondaries with a blackish patch at their bases, which 

 is bordered before with a rusty brown patch ; centre tail feathers 

 like the back ; outer pair paler on their outer webs on the basal 



Oc. P.. B. P. B. M., Vol. IV, Xo. 2.-6. |_ l 7 i J 



