86 HAWAIIAN BIRDS. 



species, its habitat being "Hawaii, rare on the rest of the group, 

 and the type being a "mounted specimen in Mills' collection, Hilo, 

 Hawaii. So far as I am aware the marsh hawk has never been 

 found on the island of Hawaii and assuredly is not found there as 

 a regular inhabitant. Moreover Dole's description, giving the 

 length of his bird as 14 inches at once shows that the bird cannot 

 have been a marsh hawk, if indeed the native name io given was 

 not sufficient to show this, in further confirmation of the fact 

 that Dole's bird cannot have been a marsh hawk, Mr. Brigham 

 writes me that all the hawks from the Mills' collection in the 

 Bishop Museum are io. As is well known all of the Mills' collec- 

 tion was acquired by the Bishop Museum, and there is little doubt 

 that the particular specimen which served as Dole's type of Accip- 

 iter hawaii is among them though apparently unmarked. 



It would seem certain that Mr. Dole as above cited had in mind 

 two distinct species of hawks, and but two, neither of which was 

 the marsh hawk. The two formal descriptions given apply to but 

 one species, viz : Bufeo solitarius, of which two phases of plum- 

 age are described, while the notes refer in part to that species and 

 in part to the osprey. 



There is little doubt that the osprey found in the islands is the 

 American form, though specimens are necessary to finally settle 

 the question. 



Description. — Adult male. Above grayish brown ; tail tipped with white, 

 and with about six dusky bars; head, neck and under parts white; chest 

 occasionally blotched with brown. 



Female similar, but breast more heavily marked with brown. Length 

 from about 21 to 25 inches. 



API-IRIZID^ SURF-BIRD FAMILY. 



Strepsilas interpres (Linn.). Akekeke; Turnstone. 



The akekeke occurs in great numbers throughout the archipel- 

 ago, and in some localities is fully as numerous as the kolea. The 

 two frequently associate, and by most sportsmen both are shot 

 and eaten under the name of plover. It may be added that there 

 is little difference to choose between the flesh of the two, and botK 

 are tidbits when in good order. 



