AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



117 



19. OREOMYZ A MONTANA [Wilson). 



ALAUITIIO. 



Himatione montana, Wils. P. Z. S. 1889, p. 446; id. Ibis, 1890, p. 186; Wils. & Evans, Aves Hawauenses, 

 pt. iii. text & pi. (1892) (Lauailiale, Lanai). 



Adult male. Forehead, line above the eyes, and cheeks bright lemon-yellow, approaching 

 gamboge-yellow ; rest of upper parts light yellowish green, more greenish yellow on the 

 rump and upper tail-coverts. Quills and rectrices bordered with the colour of the 

 back on the outer webs ; quills lined with whitish inside. Below from the throat 

 downwards bright lemon-yellow, in some specimens shading off into whitish yellow or 

 buffy whitish on the lower abdomen. Thighs brownish buff. 



Adult female. Similar to the adult male, but more greenish and duller above, less bright 

 yellow below, and distinctly tinged with yellowish olive along the sides of the body. 



Young. Greyish olive above, becoming more greenish as the bird advances in age. Below 

 greyish white, subsequently becoming more yellowish ; wing-coverts with large buffy- 

 whitish tips. 



The tip of the wing is formed by the fourth, fifth, and sixth primaries, which are almost 

 equal in length. The third and seventh are slightly shorter, and the second is much 

 shorter than the sixth and seventh ; first rudimentary. 



Total length about 5 inches, wing 2-35 to 2*4, tail 2, culmen 055 to 0-59, tarsus 0*8 to 0*82. 

 Females have the wing generally a trifle shorter than adult males. 



Ilab. Island of Lanai. 



Palmer describes the soft parts of several specimens as follows :— " Iris dark brown. Upper 

 mandible brown, shading to almost black at tip; lower mandible brownish grey at tip, lighter 

 and with a tinge of yellow at base. Tarsi grey with a brown tinge; toes light greyish; 

 soles flesh-colour." Again : — " Iris hazel. Upper mandible dark brown ; lower mandible 

 brown, pale yellowish at base. Tarsi and toes greyish biwn ; soles flesh-colour, with a 

 yellow tinge." 



"The toes and feet of the ' Alauhiio' vary somewhat in colour and are much darker in 



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