

HIMATIONE PAEVA. 



ALAWI or ANAUANII. 



Himatione parva, Stejneger, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1837, p. 94. 



This species was first obtained in Kauai, to which island it is peculiar, while a good 

 description of it was given by Dr. Stejneger as above cited. It is met with in small 

 flocks, usually in company with Oreomyza bairdi, and at times also with Chrysomitridops 

 cceruleirostris, from which it is hardly distinguishable at a short distance ; it has a low 

 chirp, but no song that I heard. The range seems to extend throughout the forest- 

 region, as it was found by Mr. Francis Gay towards the summit of Waialeale (4000 feet), 

 the highest point on the island of Kauai. It feeds principally on insects 1 , as does 

 Himatione virens, but no doubt also occasionally on honey. 



Dr. Stejneger, in his remarks on this bird, says : — 



" In general proportions the present species, which is the smallest of the slender- 

 billed Hawaiian Dicceidce, agrees very well with Himatione sanguinea, except in its 

 proportionately somewhat shorter bill, and cannot be separated from it generically, 

 although in shape and size of bill somewhat intermediate between the latter species 

 and Loxops. It is of about the same size as L. coccinea, consequently much smaller 

 than II. sanguined, and easily separable from both by its coloration, except perhaps 

 from the female Loxops coccinea, which, according to v. Pelzeln (Journ. f. Orn. 1872, 

 p. 29), is green above and yellow below. The bare nasal fossae and longer bill of 

 H. parvd will prevent its being confounded with Loxops, however. In regard to 

 colour it approaches more closely Himatione chloris, but H. parva is brighter yellow 

 both above and below, and has the under tail-coverts yellow, strongly contrasting with 

 the white of the abdomen, while in H. chloris they are whitish washed with dull buff. 

 They are very easily told apart by the quite different dimensions and proportions, 

 H. chloris being much larger, with a much longer and more curved bill and a propor- 

 tionately much shorter tail than II. parva. 



" From //. virens (Gm.) (which I take to be the same as Sharpe's and Sclater's bird 

 of the same name and also the same as Bloxam's H.fiava, Mr. Sharpe having the type 

 of the latter in the British Museum) our H. parva may be distinguished principally 

 by its smaller size, and especially by its much shorter bill. 



1 Dr. Stejneger, on the authority of Mr. Knudsen, gives its native name as Kamao, which is incorrect; but 

 that gentleman is doubtless right in stating that it " feeds on bugs, but also on the juices of flowers." 



