Part 15 (1/2)

_Great Hook-billed Creeper_ Latham, Gen. Synops. I p. 703 (1782).

_Certhia pacifica_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I p. 470 (1788--ex Latham).

Both Mr. Scott Wilson and myself have at length discussed this beautiful bird in our books on the Hawaiian Avifauna. Of the actual status of this bird in former times we know nothing. Latham described it first (Gmelin named this species after Latham's description) from a pair in the Leverian collection, which is now preserved in the Vienna Museum. About half a century ago several specimens were collected by the late W. Mills near Hilo, on the island of Hawaii, the only island where it existed. Nothing certain was heard of the ”Mamo” until, in 1892, my collector Henry Palmer obtained a fine male, which was caught before his eyes by a native birdcatcher. In July, 1898, Mr. H. W. Henshaw saw ”at least a pair, possibly a whole family,” in the woods of Kaumana, and in 1899 a native heard the, to him, well-known call near the same place. This brings the existence of the Mamo down to the year 1898 or 1899. In view of the futile efforts of Messrs. Henry Palmer, {32} Perkins, Henshaw and others to observe this rare bird again, we may well suppose that this species is either extinct, or will very soon vanish if any are left.

In former times the Mamo was probably more or less common. Its golden yellow feathers were of great value, and, though the majority of the famous war-cloaks are composed of the feathers of _Moho n.o.bilis_, a few such cloaks are known to consist of Mamo feathers. It is supposed that it took generations to complete such a cape.

I only know of specimens of this bird in Vienna, Leyden, Paris, Honolulu, Cambridge and Tring.

The two examples in the Vienna Museum were obtained by Fichtel at the sale of the Leverian collection. One is perfect, the other has the upper portion of the bill wanting.

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HEMIGNATHUS OBSCURUS ELLISIa.n.u.s GRAY.

(PLATE 4, FIG. 1.)

_Hemignathus obscurus_ Lichtenstein (non Gmelin!), Abh. Akad. Wiss.

Berlin, 1838, p. 440 pl. 5 fig. 1 (Oahu).

_Drepanis_ (_Hemignathus_) _ellisiana_ Gray, Cat. B. Trop. Is. Pac. Oc.

p. 9 (1859--based on Lichtenstein's _H. obscurus_ from Oahu).

_Hemignathus lichtensteini_ Scott Wilson, Ann. & Mag. N. H. ser. 6, vol. IV, p. 401 (1889--Oahu, based on the Berlin specimen).

_Hemignathus ellisia.n.u.s_ Rothschild, Avif. of Laysan, etc., p. 87 (1893) p. 310 (1900).

We know only of one single specimen, the type of the names _ellisia.n.u.s_ and _lichtensteini_, figured and described by Lichtenstein, in 1838, under the name of _Hemignathus obscurus_. It is true that Lichtenstein says, that Herr Deppe procured several specimens, but there is only one in the Berlin Museum, and we have no knowledge where the others may be, if they are still in existence.

There can hardly be any doubt that _H. obscurus ellisia.n.u.s_ is extinct on Oahu, where it was discovered by Deppe. All recent collectors, from Wilson and Palmer to this day, have failed to find a trace of it. Although collecting in the dense forests and rugged mountains of Oahu is most difficult, we may suppose that at least one of these collectors would have come across it, if it still existed.

The following is the description made by Dr. Hartert of the type in Berlin:--

”Above greenish olive-brown, more greenish on the back and rump, and somewhat more greyish on the head and hind-neck; the dark bases of the feathers on the head showing through, lores deep brown. A distinct yellow superciliary stripe. Chin, throat, and middle of abdomen dull brownish white (apparently somewhat faded). Upper breast olive-greenish, sides of breast and flanks dull olive-greenish, more olive-brown on the flanks.

Wings and tail deep brown, bordered with yellowish green. Under-wing coverts dull white. Bill brown, somewhat horn-brown, but not blackish, as in the other forms of _Hemignathus_.

It is not probable that the bill and feet are faded, as in specimens of _Heterorhynchus lucidus_ collected and stuffed at the same time and kept side by side with _H. o. ellisia.n.u.s_, the bill and feet are still blackish and not brown.

Wing 83.5, tail 53, culmen 56, bill from gape to tip in a straight line 47.5, lower mandible from mental apex to tip 40 mm.”

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HETERORHYNCHUS LUCIDUS (LICHT.)