AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



87 



9. HEMIGN ATHUS ELLISIANUS, Gray. 



Hemignathus obscurus, Licht. Abli. Akad. Wissensch. Berlin, 1838, p. 440, pi. v. fig. 1 (nec Gmel.) (1839) 



(coll. by Dcppc on Oahu). 

 Drepanis (Hemignathus) ellisiana, Gray, Cat. B. Trop. Is. Pac. Oc. p. 9 (1859) (Oahu). 



Hemignathus licht ensteini, Wils. Ann. & Mag. N. H. scr. C, vol. iv. p. 401 (1889) (Oahu, specimen from the 

 Berlin Museum) ; id. Ibis, 1890, p. 190. 



Palmer did not find this species on Oahu, where it was discovered by Deppe ; and having 

 no specimen of it before me at present, I insert here a translation of Lichtenstein's original 

 description. It runs as follows : — 



"Latham describes in the genus Certhia a species from the Sandwich Islands, which 

 struck him particularly in so far that the lower mandible was a quarter of an inch shorter 

 than the upper. This species was included in the system under the name of Certhia obscura ; 

 but it is so distinct from all the different subgenera into which this group has rightly been 

 divided, that one is forced to make a new genus for it, for which I propose the above 

 name (Hemignathus). 



" The most characteristic feature of this genus is certainly the unusual length and bow- 

 shaped curve of the bill and the unequal lengtli of the mandible. But, moreover, we, find in 

 the great development of the bind limbs (the thickness of the tarsi, and the length of the toes 

 and claws) differences from the allied groups which cannot be overlooked. The nearest ally 

 of this new genus is Drepanis (Melithreptus) vestiaria, But the beak (irrespective of the 

 length) is much less thick and robust at the base ; the nostrils also are much narrower and 

 hardly feathered at the base, while in Drepanis ( Vestiaria) they are feathered for their whole 

 length. 



" The above mentioned, already described species has very inconspicuous plumage ; the 

 whole upper surface and wing-feathers on the outside are of a dull olive-green, the inner 

 webs of the flight-feathers dull brown. The under surface is lighter but still dull ; throat 

 and the centre of the abdomen, as well as the under tail-coverts, pale buff. A bright 

 yellow superciliary stripe is very conspicuous, especially as directly underneath it, from the 

 beak to the eye, there is a dark brown streak. The bow-shaped curved bill, which terminates 

 in a very fine almost hair-like point, is exactly half as long as the body, and the under 

 mandible is three lines shorter than the upper. The whole length from the point of the bill 

 to the end of the tail 7 inches. Bill If inches, tail If, tarsus 11 lines, middle toe and claw 

 9 lines. 



" The outer toe is half a line, the inner toe one line shorter than the middle toe. 



" Herr Deppe procured several specimens, all coloured alike, from the interior of Oahu." 



