The Laysan honeycreeper (Himatione fraithii) is an extinct species of finch, first recorded in 1828, that was endemic to Laysan in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Its length was 13–15 cm (5–6 in) with a 64–69 mm long (2.5–2.7 in) wing. It was bright scarlet vermilion with a faint tint of golden orange on the head, breast and upper abdomen; the rest of its upper parts were orange scarlet. The lower abdomen was dusky gray fading into brownish white. The wings, tail, bill, and legs were dark brown. The bill was slender and downturned. It was nectarivorous and insectivorous, gathering nectar and insects from flowers. The breeding season was probably between January and June, and the clutch size was four or five eggs. In 1903, domestic rabbits were introduced to the island and destroyed its vegetation. In April 1923, only three Laysan honeycreepers were found, one of which was filmed. On April 23, a sandstorm hit the island, and the last birds perished due to lack of cover.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laysan_honeycreeper> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 1411: The Treaty of Selymbria was concluded between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman prince Musa Çelebi. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Selymbria> 1901: At the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, the flag of Australia flew for the first time. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Australia> 1987: While he was abroad, Burundian president Jean-Baptiste Bagaza was deposed in a military coup d'état by Pierre Buyoya. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Buyoya> 2017: North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test at Punggye-ri, causing a magnitude-6.3 earthquake. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_North_Korean_nuclear_test> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: trapan: 1. To catch or entrap (a person or animal) in a snare or trap; to ensnare, to trap. 2. (figurative) To trap or trick (someone), especially by using some stratagem, into doing something that benefits the perpetrator but harms the victim; to defraud, to ensnare, to entrap, to swindle. 3. An act of entrapping or tricking; an entrapment; also, a thing which entraps or tricks; a snare or trap; a stratagem or trick. 4. (probably originally thieves' cant, archaic or obsolete) A person (or occasionally an animal) that traps or tricks another into doing something that benefits them but harms the victim; a fraudster, a swindler, a trickster. [...] <https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trapan> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: We are rounding out our absorbing study of Democracy. Thus, turning slowly upon the momentous axis of our theme, are we coming more and more fully into the light of our sun: the refulgent and resplendent and life-giving sun of our art — an art of aspirant democracy! Let us then be on our way; for our sun is climbing ever higher. Let us be adoing; lest it set before we know the glory and the import of its light, and we sink again into the twilight and the gloom from which we have come. --Louis Sullivan <https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Louis_Sullivan> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe write to: [email protected] Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
