AVIFAUNA OF LAYS AN. 7 



4. TELESPIZA FLAVISSIMA, Rothsch. 



YELLOW L AY S AN FINCH. 



Telespyza flavissima, Rothsch. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1892, x. p. 110 (Laysan). 



Adult male. Head all round, neck, and underpays down to the lower abdomen bright yellow, 

 brightest on the head. Upper parts ashy brown, without striations ; interscapular region 

 and back strongly overspread with yellow ; rump uniform ashy brown ; upper tail- 

 coverts washed with yellow ; wing-coverts deep brown, broadly margined with bright 

 yellow; quills deep brown; the primaries externally narrowly and the secondaries 

 broadly margined with light apple-yellow ; lower abdomen and under tail-coverts dirty 

 white, more or less indistinctly washed with yellow; tail-feathers dark brown, the 

 lateral ones narrowly, the central ones more broadly margined with yellow. Bill blackish 

 horn-colour. Under wing-coverts pale yellow. Iris greyish brown ; legs and feet deep 

 brown. Total length about 6£ inches, culmen 07 to 0'79, height of bill at base 0'5 to 

 0-51, wing 3-3 to 3'4, tail 26, tarsus 1-05 (given 2-05 by mistake in the original 

 description, I. c). 



The female does not differ from the male. 



The Plate represents a male and a female. 



Hab. Palmer found this bird very common on Laysan Island, but nowhere else. He sent 

 me a fair series, but no specimens in immature plumage. 



This is the second species of the genus " Telespyza " established by Scott B. Wilson, 'Ibis,' 

 1890, p. 311, for his Telespyza cantans. The name, however, should be spelt Telespiza, as 

 it is derived from onita. 



It is very curious that two species, Telespiza cantans and T. flavissima, should occur on 

 one small island like Laysan. But although one is at first inclined to consider them to be 

 young and old, or male and female, they are two distinct species, as I have males and females 

 of both, shot at the same time, and no intermediate-coloured specimens. Besides, T. flavissima 

 has a stronger bill and is a little larger. 



