804 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
attractive creatures they are on such a curious island as Laysan. The species is peculiar to the islet, 
but is closely related to the apapane ( Himatione sanguined), found throughout the main Hawaiian group. 
From this form the Laysan bird differs in its shorter bill and lighter colors, being a scarlet vermilion, 
brightest on crown, with abdomen sepia, under tail-coverts very pale brown, primaries and tail dark 
sepia, almost black, edged with huffy, and secondaries brown edged with huffy and vermilion. On 
the other hand the apapane is a dark crimson, and the primaries and tail are black, the belly white. 
This brilliant little bird is found all over the island, but is most abundant in the interior among 
the tall grass and low bushes, bordering the open stretches near the lagoon, where all the land birds 
seem fond of congregating. Its favorite nesting-place is this same area, and the proximity of broad 
patches, acres in fact, of a prostrate succulent portulaca with yellow and a sesuvium with pink 
flowers has many attractions for the honey-eaters. Here they may be found throughout the day 
walking around after small insects or drinking honey from the blossoms. The brush-like tongue of the 
himatione renders the gathering of honey an easy task. It is not uncommon to see one go from flower 
to flower and insert its bill between the petals of a nearly blown bud with a certain rapidity and 
precision which suggests a hummingbird, except of course the fact that the himatione is on its feet. 
I have observed them catching tiny, green, and hence protectively colored, caterpillars from 
Chenopodium sandwicheum, a plant very abundant in the interior of the island. They are also fond of 
a small brownish-gray moth or “miller,” which abounds on the island to the point of distraction. 
While we were at lunch, on several different occasions, a himatione flew in and extracted moths from 
a crack between boards. It then grasped the miller with one foot, after the manner of a bird of prey, 
clinging with the other to the rough board wall, and ate the soft parts. After a few moments the 
still fluttering victim was released, and the destructive search for moths resumed. It became evident 
that the millers, relieved of important parts of their anatomy, did not thrive after such treatment. 
The nests proved more difficult to find than those of Acrocephalus. In fact we discovered only 
one, placed in the middle of a grass tuft about 2 feet from the ground. This contained but a single 
egg, though a nest which Mr. Schlemmer gave to us contained four. The structure is loosely made of 
fine grass and rootlets, and the bowl, 2| inches across by If deep, is lined with fine rootlets and brown 
down from young albatrosses ( Diomedea immutabilis) . There are no white feathers in the lining, thus 
making the structure at once distinguishable from the nest of the miller-bird. The ovate egg is pure 
lusterless white, blotched and spotted at the large end with grayish vinaceous, and with fewer light 
and dark spots of Prout’s brown. A typical egg measures 18 by 13.75 millimeters. (Fig. 51. ) 
The sexes are alike. Seven specimens without regard to sex are somewhat lighter than six others, i|| 
or at least have more yellow in the brilliant scarlet vermilion. It is not improbable that the first set i 
are birds of the previous year, while the deeper colored ones are in the fully adult plumage. The bill, 
wings, and tail of. the females are a trifle shorter than those of the male specimens. The plate in 
Rothschild’s “Avifauna of Laysan” represents this species far too pale and gives an erroneous idea of 
the color of the bird. 
Telespiza cantans. Laysan Finch. 
Telespyza cantans Wilson, Ibis, 1890, p. 341, pi. ix. 
The Laysan “finch” is quite fearless and unsuspicious. It is also saucy to a marked degree, and 
ignores the presence of man when he is peaceably disposed. One can not walk anywhere without 
encountering them singly or in little flocks, diligently searching for food among the bushes, or out in 
the open. When disturbed they eye the intruder with interest or half in doubt and utter their low, 
mellow, linnet-like call. They do not fly far, but prefer to alight soon, and run along the ground, or 
elude pursuit by suddenly crouching under a grass tussock. 
They are not particular as to food, but are fond of the soft parts of grass stems, tender shoots of 
bushes, seeds, and especially of eggs. I saw a pair fly to the egg of a Sterna lunata immediately after 
the bird had been disturbed by my approach. One of them opened the egg with a few strokes of its 
beak and began to feed at once, although I was hastily adjusting a camera only a few feet away. Nor 
did the removing of some rocks which obscured the view bother them greatly, for they only hopped 
out of reach and watched the process with equanimity, resuming their repast as soon as I had finished. 
But presently a rail appeared and angrily drove them off, appropriating the egg for himself. The 
“ finches” were common in the vicinity of the house, and hopped about the piazza in a very familiar 
way. While I was preparing specimens one came several times and lit on a table within a few feet 
and explored my belongings. 
