AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



61 



1. PH^ORNIS OBSCURA (Om.). 



OMAO on OMATJ. 



Dusky Flycatcher, Lath. Gen. Syn. ii. p. 344 (1783) (Sandwich Islands) ; id. Hist. B. vi. p. 211 (1823). 

 Muscicapa obscura, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 945 (1788) ; Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 479 (1790) ; Steph. Shaw's Gen. 



Zool. x. p. 405 (1817) ; Vieill. Nouv. Diet. xxi. p. 405 (1818) j id. Enc. Metli. p. 809. 

 Tyrannula obscura, Peale, U.S. Expl. Exp., B. p. 310 (1848). 



Chasiempis obscura, Hartl. Arch. f. Naturg. 1852, p. 133; Finsch & Hartl. Orn. Centralpolynes. p. xxxvi 

 (Hawaii). 



Tanioptera obscura, Cass. U.S. Expl. Exp. p. 155, pi. ix. fig. 3 (1858) ; Dole, Proc. Bost. Soc. N. II. 1869, 

 p. 300; id. Hawaiian Almanac, 1879, p. 48. 



Phaornis obscura, Scl. Ibis, 1859, p. 327 (the genus Phaornis established) ; id. Ibis, 1871, p. 360; id. P. Z. S. 

 1878, p. 317 (J and ? from Hilo received; colours of eyes and feet); Pelz. Ibis, 1874, p. 462 (on a 

 specimen at Vienna); Sharpe, Cat. J3. iv. p. 5 (1879); Wilson, Ibis, 1899, p. 195 (habits); id. Aves 

 Ilawaiicnscs, pt. i. (Dec. 1890) (fig. ad. bird) (Excellent notes on habits and history. lit the notes on the 

 latter the author expresses his belief: that since Pealc's Expedition no collector had obtained specimens, 

 while he had before him the notes and descriptions by Sclater and Sharpe on the specimens collected on 

 Hawaii by the collector of the ' Challenger ') ; Gadow, Aves Ilawaiicnscs, j)t. ii. p. 2, and pi. i. figs. 1-5 

 (anatomical details and notes on systematical position) ; Perkins, Ibis, 1893, p. 110 (habits). 



EopsaUria {Chasiempis) obscura, Gray, Cat. B. Trop. Is. p. 22 (1859) (Hawaii); id. Hand-1. i. p. 390 (1809). 

 (I am of opinion that the "Sandwich Thrush" of Latham, Gen. Syn. iii. p. 39, and Hist. B. v. 

 p. 117, 1822; Turdus sandvicensis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 873, and Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 338; Col- 

 lyriocincla sandwichensis, Gray, Hand-1. i. p. 385, 1869, is a Plueornis, and most likely Phaornis 

 obscura.) 



Adult male. Above dusky olive-brown, more greyish on the head and especially the forehead. 

 Quills dark brown, outer webs strongly washed with the colour of the back, basal part 

 of inner webs pale huff. Tail-feathers brown, strongly washed with the colour of the 

 hack on the outer webs and on both webs of the central pair. Lower surface ashy grey, 

 rusty olive-brown on the flanks, and shading into white on the vent. Under wing-coverts 

 light rusty brown, under tail-coverts buff. Bill black ; legs and feet greyish horn-brown ; 

 iris dark brown; soles pale yellow. The total length was measured by Palmer from 

 7 to 8 inches, in a series of skins it is about 7 inches or little more up to 7"!, while 

 Wilson gives only 6 75 and Sharpe 7 '2 inches. The wing of the male measures in eight 

 adult and unmoulting males 4 to 4'15 inches, in nine good females 3-85 to 3'95, average 

 3"9. Tail in the males 2'85 to 2'9, in the females 2*8 to 2-85. Tarsus 13 to 135, 

 culmen 0*7 to 0"65, breadth of bill just above nostrils 0*3, middle toe without claw 

 0-75 to 0-77 inch. 



K 2 



