144 



AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



them with broad dark crimson outer edges. All the remiges lined with pale ashy inside. 

 Rectrices black. Under wing-coverts ashy. All the feathers of the body arc dark grey 

 at their bases, with more or less developed whitish shaft-lines; those of the head and 

 hind-neck, throat, and upper breast have also whitish subterminal spots, which are 

 easily seen showiDg through on the hind-neck. Iris dark brown; bill and feet black. 



Adult female. The differences in colour stated by Scott B. Wilson in ' Aves Hawaiienses ' do 

 not exist. On the contrary, in most of my females the secondaries are not at all edged 

 as Wilson says (?'. e. with the colour of the back), but with orange; this, however, is not a 

 sexual character, as some females have not got it, while it is, on the other hand, visible in 

 some males also. The females are entirely similar to the males in colour, but generally 

 smaller. 



Measurements of 10 adult males :— Total length about 5 inches, wing 2*8 to 2 95 (average 2*9), 

 tail 2 to 2'2 (never 2*90 as given by Scott B. Wilson), tarsus 9 to 0'96, culmen 0'65 

 to 0-75. 



Measurements of 10 adult females : — Total length about 475 to 4*8 inches, wing 2'65 to 2*85, 

 average 2*7 (2 9 in one specimen, which probably is wrongly scxed), tail 1*8 to 1*95, 

 tarsus 0-78 to 0-9, culmen 0'55 to 07. 



The quite young bird has no crimson colour in its plumage at all. It is brown above, the 

 bases of the feathers being ashy grey. Wing and tail black ; primaries edged narrowly 

 with white outside; secondaries broadly edged with buffy brown. Wing-lining inside 

 ashy. Beneath brownish buff, shading into whitish buff on the abdomen ; throat washed 

 with orange. When advancing in age the head becomes first almost blackish, intermixed 

 with orange ; crimson feathers appear here and there, apparently first on the back and 

 abdomen, as a rule. Young birds have the maxilla brown, with the utmost tip yellowish ; 

 the mandible brown, with the base yellowish ; feet brown. 



This species is distributed over the whole Hawaiian archipelago. Palmer procured good 

 series on Hawaii, Kauai, and Oahu. He records it as being most numerous on Molokai and 

 on Maui. The bird, an adult male, from Maui is as pale on the top of the head as the 

 Laysan species, Himatione fraithi, Rothsch., but otherwise agrees with those from the other 

 islands, and is biggest of all, the wing measuring at least 3 inches (slightly damaged), the 

 tail 23. This specimen is in very worn plumage, and probably not specifically distinct. 

 Scott B. Wilson obtained H. sanguinea also on Lanai. 



The native name of Himatione sanguinea is on all the islands " Apapane," but in the 

 Hilo district on Hawaii it is often called " Akakane." It is a common bird in the hills and 

 reaches up to a considerable elevation. It has often been observed by Wilson, Perkins, and 

 Palmer sucking honey from flowers, especially on the Ohia, Mamane, and Lehua plants. 

 Its food, however, consists both of nectar and insects. Scott Wilson gives the following 

 particulars as to its habits : — " The note of the Apapane is a feeble though clear ' tweet ' 

 twice repeated, but it also has a pretty simple song, generally heard soon after sunrise or 

 towards sunset. In its flight the white under tail-coverts are very conspicuous and serve to 

 easily determine it on the wing." 



