AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



225 



49. MOHO BISHOPI (Rot/tsch.). 



Acrulocercus bishopi, Rothsch. Bull. 15. O. C. vol. i. no. viii. p. xli (1893) (reprinted Ibis, 1893, p. 442) ; 

 Wilson & Evans, Aves Hawaiienses, pt. v. text & plate (1891) (description of male only). 



Adult male. Head and occiput deep black with a very slight metallic gloss, the shafts of the 

 feathers a little paler. Neck, back, breast, and abdomen smoky black, with narrow- 

 white shaft-lines to the feathers. Hump and upper tail-coverts black. Wings and 

 wing-coverts black. Tail black, with very narrow white fringes to the tip. Ear-coverts 

 with an elongated tuft of golden-yellow feathers, these feathers black at lowest base. 

 Axillary tufts bright yellow, shorter than in Moho nobilis. Under tail-coverts bright 

 yellow.* " Iris dark brown. Bill and feet black. Soles dark flesh-colour with a yellow 

 tinge/' Total length about 11 to llf inches, wing 4'5 to 4.7, tail 63 to 6'G, lateral 

 tail-feathers 3*5 inches shorter, tarsus 1 to 1*5, culmen 1*4 to 1*45. 



Adult female. Similar to the male in colour, but smaller. Wing 4 to 415 inches, tail 5 to 

 54, culmen 1*2, tarsus 135. 



llab. Molokai. 



The middle pair of tail-feathers are greatly elongated and pointed as in M. nobilis, but only 

 turned upwards at the tips, not twisted round as in M. nobilis. 



This fine new species, which I named after the Hon. C. 11. Bishop of Honolulu, was 

 discovered by Palmer on the island of Molokai, and was afterwards also obtained there by 

 Mr. Perkins. 



Palmer found this bird in small numbers on Molokai during the months December and 

 January. At this time of the year they were seen keeping very low, but Palmer was told 

 they would be high up in the Ohias when these were in blossom. Palmer writes :— " This 

 bird is rather shy when approached by men, but sometimes it is rather inquisitive, if one 

 keeps quiet, and it generally answers and comes up to the spot when its cry is imitated. 

 The greatest difficulty in procuring specimens is the dense undergrowth. It has a call-note 

 not unlike that of the Hawaiian O-o (M. nobilis), but neither so loud or muffied in tone, 

 somewhat like '6-6,' the accent being on both syllables. This call-note is not so full 

 and loud if uttered by the female. Quite a variety of other notes were observed : a kind 

 of a chuckling note, heard but once, and a high clear flute-like whistle as if the bird 

 was trying to sing. Another note is somewhat like a cat's cry, I should say like ' whao.' 



