AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



157 



THE GENUS DREPANIS. 



This genus, from which the characteristic family of Passeres only known from the Sandwich 

 Islands received its Dame Brepanida, was created by Temminck in 1820 (Man. d'Orn. i. 



p. Ixxxvi). . 



It is characterized by its long, curved, non-serrated bill, in which the upper mandible is a 

 few millimetres longer than the lower. It has a striking black and yellow coloration, and the 

 somewhat loose-webbed elongated under tail-coverts cover about three-quarters of the tail. 

 The nostrils are large, but almost entirely covered by an operculum. The first primary is 

 quite rudimcntarv, hidden by its covert and is white like the latter. The wing reaches to 

 about 25 mm. from the end of the tail. The third and fourth primaries form the tip of the 

 wing. The tips of these primaries are rather obtuse, not much pointed. The secondaries are 

 about 28 mm. shorter than the longest primaries and rather square at the tips. Some of the 

 axillaries are silky, long, and fluffy. The tail is slightly rounded, the distance between the 

 shortest lateral and longest central rectriccs being about 5 to 7 mm. The metatarsus is 

 covered in front with about 5 or 6 scutes, which are somewhat fused : in the Plate they are 

 shown too distinctly. The sides of the metatarsus are covered each with a long unbroken 

 scute. 



Only one species is known. Inhabits Hawaii (the locality Kauai is probably erroneous). 



