

HIMATIONE STEJNEGEBI. 



AMAKIHI. 



Himatione chloris, Stejneger, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1887, p. 96 (nee Cabanis). 

 Himatione stejnegeri, S. B. Wilson, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1889, p. 446. 



This species, first obtained by Mr. V. Knudsen in Kauai, I met witb shortly afterwards 

 in the forests of the district of Kaholuamano — the mountain-ridge adjacent to that 

 of Halemanu, where the original examples were procured. Dr. Stejneger, to whom 

 they were sent, noticed them under the head of Himatione chloris in his account of 

 Mr. Knudsen's collection, but it will be observed that he did not feel certain as to 

 the identity of the form from Kauai with that from Oahu, whence came Professor 

 Cabanis's types of H. chloris, and where I obtained others agreeing with them. I 

 named it in the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society,' as above, after my friend 

 Dr. Stejneger, to whom, for his advice on several points, I am greatly indebted. 

 It seems to be rather scarce, or at any rate was so at the time of my visit, and I shot 

 but few specimens ; but I was able to observe that it showed a decided preference for 

 the short underwood, and searched for its insect-food on the trunks and limbs of the 

 small ohias and other low trees, to which its strong claws enabled it to cling with ease. 

 It is at once distinguishable by its short stout build from any other member of the 

 genus, while the curve of its powerful bill more nearly approaches that of V. coccinea 

 than that of any other Sandwich Island species. 



Description. — Adult male. Upper surface, head, nape, mantle, and rump olive-green 

 with a greyish tinge, shading into yellowish green on the tail-coverts ; forehead 

 slightly brighter than the crown ; lores brownish black ; primaries, secondaries, and 

 coverts smoky black, with the edges of outer webs bright olive-green ; throat and breast 

 lemon-yellow, with a golden-green hue, blending into a whitish tint on the abdomen and 

 under tail-coverts ; tail short, colouring same as wing ; bill strong and deep at the 

 base and decurved. 



Dimensions. — Adult male. Total length 4'45 inches, wing 2'60, culmen -55, tarsus -70, 

 tail 1-60. 



Female. Similar to the male. 



Ohs. — Closely resembling II chloris, but having the bill much higher at the base, 

 more decurved, and with the maxilla perceptibly exceeding the mandible in length. 



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