AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN, ETC. 



249 



59. HIMANTOPUS KNUDSENI, stej, 



AEO. 



Himantopus nigricollis (non Vieillot !), Pelzeln, Verb, zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xxiii. p. 159 (1873) (Honolulu) ; 



Finsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 79 (Maui). 

 Himantopus candidus (non Bonnaterre !), Dole, Hawaiian Aim. 1879, p. 52 ; Finsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 79. 

 Himantopus knudseni (" kandseni" (errore) in pi.), Stejneger, U.S. Nat. Mus. x. p. 81, pi. vi. fig. 2 (1887) 



(Kauai), xi. p. 91 (1888) (Niihau), xii. p. 381 (1889) ; Seebohm, Geogr. Distr. Charadr. p. 280 (1888) ; 



Wilson & Evans, Aves Hawaiienses, pt. iv. (1893) (plate) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 323 



(189G). 



This Hawaiian species of Stilt differs both from II. mexlcanus and H. melanurus (=brasili- 

 ensis, Brehm) in its much longer beak, the generally much more restricted amount of 

 white on the forehead, but the most trenchant difference is the coloration of the rectrices, 

 which are broadly tipped with greenish, with the exception of the central pair. The 

 longer upper tail-coverts are much mixed with black, a character also not found in the 

 American forms. 



The young partially in down is white below, the small feathers of the head, neck, and upper 

 part of back and wings blackish brown with golden-orange edges ; the down on lower 

 back and rump is huffish grey, mixed with black, and with a distinct mesial black line. 



The adult bird has the "inner ring of the iris brown, outer ring light red. Legs pink; 

 claws black ; bill dark brown, black at base.'' 



The nestling has the "iris dark hazel; bill bluish brown at base, black at the tip. Tarsi 

 and feet greyish white." 



The " Aeo " is apparently distributed over all the islands, where it breeds in suitable places. 



Palmer sent me skins from Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, and Molokai, but we have as yet no 

 evidence of its occurrence in Hawaii, although Dole says that it is " common in ponds and 

 swamps all over the group." 



Pelzeln (I. c.) was the first who mentioned the occurrence of a Stilt on the Hawaiian 

 Islands. He referred it doubtfully to Himantopus nigricollis. Finsch (L c.) also believed it 

 to be the same as the American species, while Dole called it " II. candidus." 



