AVIFAUNA OF LAYS AN, ETC. 



187 



39. PSEUDONESTOR XANTHOPHRYS, Rothsch. 



Pseudonestor xanthophrys, Rothsch. Bull. B. O. C. vol. i. pp. xxxv, xxxvi (March 28th, 1893) ; id. Ibis, 1893, 

 p. 138 (reprint) j Perkins, Ibis, 1895, p. 118; Wilson & Evans, Aves Ilawaiicnscs, pt. vi. text & plate 

 (1896). 



Adult male. Above olive-green. A broad superciliary stripe from the nostril to behind fcha 

 ear and a few feathers just above the base of the bill golden yellow; lores below the 

 yellow line dark brown ; feathers behind the eye deep brownish green ; throat and 

 breast yellow, strongly washed with olive on the sides of the body ; under tail-coverts 

 yellow, under wing-coverts yellowish white; wing-feathers and tail-feathers dark 

 brown, each feather bordered with olive-green on the outer web, and with whitish 

 toAvards the base on the inner webs. Iris dark hazel; maxilla dark grey, light at base ; 

 mandible dull white, with a slaty tinge ; tarsi and toes slate-colour, soles pale orange. 

 Total length about inches, wing 3 to 31, tail 19 to 21, culmen 1 to 11, upper bill 

 from base to tip in a straight line 0'8, under mandible from the mental apex to the 

 rip 0-55, thickness of upper mandible at nostrils only 2, lower mandible at base 0'5 

 thick !, tarsus 0*9, middle toe without claw 0*6. 



Female. Resembles the male, but has all the colours much duller, and is considerably smaller. 

 The back is somewhat tinged with greyish, the abdomen paler and slightly washed with 

 olive. Wing 2-6 to 27 inches, tail 16 to 17, culmen 0"68 to 078, upper bill from 

 base to tip 05 to 0*55 measured in a straight line, under mandible from the mental apex 

 to the tip 0-4 to 41, tarsus 076 to 0-8. 



Hab. Maui. 



Tins most interesting form Avas shot by Palmer on Maui, between July and October, 1892. 

 A small number of specimens only were procured, and the bird appeared to be rare. It Avas 

 mostly seen among the Koa- and Ohia-trees, on the trunks and limbs. It was not very shy, 

 but on account of the thick undergrowth it Avas sometimes difficult to get near enough to 

 shoot. Its call-note varies from a sound like " How-it" to a loud " Hoo-ah," and its 

 song is a clear Avarble of several notes. The stomachs contained caterpillars, larvae of beetles, 

 and other insects. Both Palmer and his assistant saw it several times " push up the moss off 

 a branch and pull out caterpillars or grubs Avith its upper mandible." 



Not long after Palmer's discovery of the Pseudonestor, Mr. Perkins collected some 

 specimens on Maui and observed it frequently. 



Perkins makes the following remarks : — 



"Of the Fringillidse (nearly all of which are peculiar to the island of Hawaii) I have 

 already given some account of the habits ; but there remains one — Vseudonestor xanthophrijs 

 — peculiar to the island of Maui, which is perhaps the most remarkable form of all. It is 



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