Full text of "Birds"
ALBERT R. MANN
LIBRARY
AT
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
ornell University Library
694.G2S67
irds.
“nui
Cornell University
The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924000035349
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
pp. 231-372, JANUARY 28, 1904.
PAPERS FROM THE HOPKINS-STANFORD GALA-
PAGOS EXPEDITION, 1898-1899.
XVI.
BIRDS.
BY
Rosert Evans Snopcrass AND EpmMuND HELLER.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
PUBLISHED BY THE ACADEMY
1904
ALBERT R. MANN
LIBRARY
New York STATE COLLEGES
OF
AGRICULTURE AND HoME ECONOMICS
AT
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
PROCEEDINGS
OF THE
WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
VoL. V, PP. 231-372. JANUARY 25, 1904.
PAPERS FROM THE HOPKINS-STANFORD GALA-
PAGOS EXPEDITION, 1898-1899.
XVI.
BIRDS.
By Rosert Evans SNopGrRaAss AND EpMUND HELLER.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
TnthOGNCtION; 2,2. <0 yd Gok Sle eh me SOE a ce OE Re ae 234
Family Sphenicida 5. 66 6 6 ee ee we 235
a. Sphentscusmendiculus . .. 6 1 ee ee ee et et te 235
Family Stercorariide bth. ee ge Be A ee i FR 236
2. Stercorartus pomarinus .. 1. 1 6 wee ee ee ee : 236
Family Laride) wine 6 5.6 ww RS ee Be ne 237
3. Larus fuliginosus . . 1. 6 ee tw we ee ee es oa « 237
Bs LGPUSSPANRURED C6 Gea 0 OER BH I ER S&S 237
Bi CvEA GPUS JUNCATUS. 5-0) i Ga? Wo ve Bo EL RS ED 4-237
6. Sterna fuliginosa..... A. ke REE Geele woes 239
4. Anous stolidus galapagensis «6 6 we ee 239
Family Diomedeide. 2. 6 0 we ee eee ee ee le 240
8. Diomedea trrorata. . 6. 6 6 ese eee rena e . 240
Family Procellariide . 2.6 6 1 0 eee ee ee ee es 241
9. Puffinus obscurus subalaris . 6 1 ewe ee ee ee 2. 241
10. <Zistrelata phe@opygia . 6 1. ee te ee ee ee $42
11. Procellaria tethys © 6 6 2 ce ee ee ee ee ae F 242
12. Oceanodroma cryptoleucura . . 6. 1 es ee eee ee . 243
13. Oceanttes gracilis ..... ne, als se rise oe Se 243
Family Phaéthontide = .......-. a . . 243
14. Phaéthon ethereus. . . ew ew ee eee 244
Family Sulide . .... eteaecke, og Gr AS ge eg IS se Me hog 244
15. Sula vartegata ...+..-s be ee ® «ee 2 . 244
16. Sula piscatrixwebster?. . .. ; fey a 246
17. Sula nebouxt . 6 vw ee ee ee o bve a B48
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904. 231
232
Family Phalacrocoracide .........
18. Phalacrocorax harris? .
Family Pelecanide
19. Pelecanus californicus .
Family Fregatide .. 1. ......
20. Fregata aguila
Family Anatide .
21. Anas versicolor ......44.
22. Pactlonetta bahamensis galapagensis
Family Pheenicopteride .........
23. Phanicopterus ruber. .
Family Ardeide
24.
25.
Ardea herodias.. 1. . «
FHlevodias egretta .... .. .
26. Butorides plumbeus
27. Myctanassa violacea
Family Rallide .
28.
Porzana spilonota. .
SNODGRASS AND HELLER
29. Porzana sharpet : Sees
30. Gallinula galeata...... ..
Family Phalaropodide .....
31. Phalaropus lobatus .......
Family Recurvirostride ... 2. ......
32. Himantopus mextcanus. .
Family Scolopacide:.:...5 «4 #* ¢ ow RG FR ee ws
33. Dringa bairdi. «ew ek | Oe ww
34. Tringa minutilla .....
35. Calidris arenaria ... 1.1 eee wee
36. Helodromas solitarius .. 2... 66s
37. Pleteractttts: tncGnus: 6 a ee SE RH HH ER
38. Actttis macularia .....
39. Mumentushudsonicus, 1. 6 6 ee ee ee ee ee ee
Family Charadriide ...... Ph NS ae Bian ME
40. Sguatarola squatarola, .. . 6. eee
41. Eegialitis semtpalmata., . 1. 1 ee ee
Family Aphrizide. ... 1.0 2. ee eee
42. Arenaria tnterpres . 1... oa)
Family Hematopodide . ........ 3
43. Hematopus galapagensis, . 6 6 oe ee ee es
Family Columbide: sess vaces BS OW BOA Se HW ae
44. The Nesopfelia gabchumvensts Series’,
44a. Nesopelia galapagoensis galapagoensts
446. Nesopelia galapagoensts exsul .
Family Falconide......
45. Buteo polapudbense. :
Family Strigide ‘
46. Strix fuwitettitns 2
Family Bubonide
47. Asto galapagoensis . . $e ale BOS
249
249
250
251
252
252
252
252
253
253
253
254
254
254
255
255
256
256
256
257
257
257
258
258
258
258
258
259
259
259
260
260
260
261
261
261
261
262
262
262
262
262
263
263
264
266
266
266
267
N BIRDS 233
Family -Gucnlide: gissg. cose elk ae te Whe @ a Sw ORs oh Sw 68
48. Coccyzus melanocoryphus. . cee ee we ee 268
Bamily Dyrannida 2 yy go & Sete Bh es AO Ge ees ge gs we . 268
49. Mytarchus magnirostris ..... See ee ee ee ee 269
50. The Pyrocephalus nanus Series. . 2... ee et ee ee 20
50a. Pyrocephalus nanus manus... wee eee ee we 270
50. Pyrocephalus nanus abingdont ...... 50... a QUT
51. Pyrocephalus dubius . . ow we es sao See gS e272
Family Icteride ... ...... oe racnegah ie @ des, Go 'ah eel 272
52. Dolichonyx oryztvorus ... 1. ee ee we ee see s 2972
Family Fringillide . 2... ......-2.04.2. Boe a SSO BR. ER 273
53- Geospiza pallida... we ee ee ee we oy a eee eT:
54. Geospiza heliobates . Cat On eee ae ee ee gee ae ere 279
55. The Geospiza prosthemelas Series... 2... ee ee gow ce 284
, 55a. Geospiza prosthemelas prosthemelas . = 6 ww ee 284
555. Geospiza prosthemelas salvini. . . . ew at ey 287
56. Geospiza paupera .. 2. 2. eee ee ne oe eee Be Se BSS
57. Geospiza habelid. ... we ew eee COS aS Bere 288
58. Geospiza incerta... ee ee eee ee ee i eae a 289
59. Geospiza affinis . tate ae tekl ie OL oe ee 289
60. The Geospiza psittacula Series. 1... 1 ee 290
60a. Geospiza psittacula psittacula, ....... oe 8 gh y 290)
60d. Geospiza psittacula townsend?. .......... 2+. 291
61. Geospiza crasstrostris . 2. 0 ee ie ee 201
62. The Geospiza fuliginosa Series... 1... 1 ee 294
62a. Geospiza fuliginosa parvula ..... «1... soe ee 294
626. Geospiza fuliginosa fuliginosa ..... by cale ales 315
62c. Geospiza fuliginosa minor. . 2. ow ee te ee es 316
62d. Geospiza fuliginosa acutivostris, »..+....- +e we 316
62e. Geospiza fuliginosa difictlis . 2... 1. eee aa « » B17
63. The Geospiza fortis Series. 2.1... 1 ee ee ee seat Se Bas
63a. Geospiza fortis fortis... 6. 6 es 319
636. Geospiza fortis fratercula. ....... aa) Es 4 320
63c. Geospiza fortis platyrhyncha .. 1... 1 1 tee 327
63d. Geospiza fortis dubia... vee ees B'SD gy wine alee & 328
63¢. Geospiza fortis simillima . 2. 6 ee we ee ee ee 329
63 f. Geospiza fortis baur?. . ... Pgh a) wl Melee aces 8 - 329
64. Geospiza darwint .. 1... es we eee : a2 ae dara a ae BO
65. Geospiza strenua ...... hase ht gg ce Gy 330
66. Geospiza magnirostris.......-. eS hr aha eset rns: SS Cod 332
67. Geospiza debilirostris . ©. ww ee ee ee es 333
68. Geospiza septentrionalis ww we ee eh ee ee 333
69. The Geospiza scandens Series. . 2. ee ee ee ee 336
69a. Geospiza scandens scandens»... ee wees see 336
695. Geospiza scandens fatigata .. 1... ee ee ee » » 338
69c. Geospiza scandens abingdont .... 1... sees - + + 340
69d. Geospiza scandens rothschildi ... 1... 1+ + as dime BqT
yo. The Geospiza controstris Series. «2. 6 ee eee gil te a8 342
yoa. Geospiza conirostris propingua . ..... «+ + 343
ob. Geospiza controstris conirostris . 1 1 + + 1 ew ee 344
234 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Family Hirundinide .. ......, ea ah OR Se Ce seu BAT
41. Progne modesta ..... a de> ONS) RS A 347
92. Hirundo erythrogaster... . ‘ ae . : 348
Family Mniotiltide .... 6.0.20 00020 0G ' » 348
73. The Certhidea olivacea Series .. .. .. ioe a BOO
93a. Certhidea olivacea olivacea ..... : : 350
730. Certhidea olivacea luteola. . » + 351
73¢. Certhidea olivacea ridgwayt . #48 x S62
93d. Certhidea oltvacea fusca .... " ely 352
"3e. Certhidea olivacea mentalis .. . 4 a Ge 353
"3f. Certhidea olivacea becki. . . . . e Sab 2 364
44. The Certhidea ctnerascens Series... . : 8 as 354
74a. Certhidea cinerascens cinerascens. . . . ar are oe - 354
746. Certhidea cinerascens bifasctata . ee Se ee nr 356
75. Dendroica petechia aureola ee e ee 356
Family Troglodytide . 2... 1 ee ee ee ee ee . 358
46. Nesomimus trifasciatus Pe Pee - 8 358
47. Nesomimus macdonald: . Se ag BS AY Ey ap BE ee 4g ah x 359
78. Mesomimusadamst . 1... . «sae Gr Sos <i 360
79. The Nesomimus personatus Series eS ee ae a Cag (BO?
49a. Nesomimus personatus baurt?. . 2... ew . ; Bat fe . 362
796. Nesomimus personatus personatus 58 363
79c. Nesomimus personatus bindloet aos en hse rape . . 365
79d. Nesomimus personatus hulli ...... : 365
80. The Wesomtmus melanotis Series... . . a eB Hs 367
80a. Nesomimus melanotis dierythrus .. . pen. # 367
806. Nesomimus melanotis barringtont . . pt as . . 368
80c. NMesomimus melanotis melanotis. . ...... Br 369
80d. Nesomimus melanotts parvulus. ..... Bm nite . « 370
INTRODUCTION.
THE succession of families and genera followed in this paper
is that of the American Ornithologists’ Union. Trinomials are
applied according to A. O. U. canons of nomenclature, 7. e.,
when forms overlap in their variations, regardless of the pos-
sibility or impossibility of their interbreeding, they are called
subspecies. A number is given to each species of a genus, and
this number is intended to stand, not for the form first named,
but for the sum of all the subspecies, where subspecies that
compose the species occur, not this number and a letter for
each of the other subspecies as in the A. O. U. Check List.
Each variety of a species is lettered. Thus: 63, Geospiza for-
tis consists of 63a, G. fortis fortis; 636, G. fortis fratercula,
etc.; not 63, Geospiza fortis; 63a, G. fortis fratercula, etc.
BIRDS 235
Subspecies are arranged in the order of their apparent relation-
ships, not according to priority of description.
All measurements, unless otherwise stated, are in millimeters.
Measurements of length are in all cases of the specimen before
being skinned.
Family SPHENICIDA.
Genus Spheniscus Brisson.
Spheniscus BRISson, Ornithologist, v1, p. 96, 1760,
ange. — Antarctic regions, southern parts of South America and
Africa, and the Galapagos Archipelago.
1. SPHENISCUS MENDICULUS Sundevall.
Spheniscus mendiculus SUNDEVALL, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., pp. 126, 129,
1871 (James Island, Galapagos). — Ripeway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xIx,
p. 660, 1896.— ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 199, 1899.
ange. — Galapagos Archipelago: Charles, Seymour, James, Dun-
can, Albemarle and Narboro.
This species is most common at Tagus and Iguana Covgs on Albe-
marle, about Narboro, and on the east side of the Seymour Islands.
It probably seldom if ever occurs at the more northern islands of the
group — Abingdon, Bindloe, Tower, Wenman and Culpepper. We
did not see it at any of these islands or at Chatham or Barrington.
Captain Noyes told us that he once saw one at Wenman Island. If
so this is the only record of the occurrence of the family north of the
equator, Wenman Island lying in 1°20! N.
The species is said to be closest to S. magellanicus of the southern
part of South America, ranging northward to southern Chile on the
west, to Rio Grande do Sul on the east, and inhabiting the Falkland
Islands and South Georgia. It differs from this species in being
smaller and in having a longer and more slender bill.
We have four specimens from Tagus Cove, all of them having a
_ pale brownish-gray inner margin to the dorsal edge of the wings.
The skin about the bill is pinkish-purple; the upper mandible black,
yellow at the base, and with a light spot on the side before the nostril ;
lower mandible black on the distal third, the rest pale yellowish.
The birds sit most of the time on the rocks near the shore, from
which, when disturbed, they simply drop off into the water. When
sitting in an upright attitude the body is for the most part held per-
pendicular, but it is bent forward somewhat at the middle of the
spine, giving the bird a sort of humpbacked appearance. The wings
236 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
are suspended at the sides, but held a little away from the body so
that from a distance one can see between the wings and the body.
When sitting in a horizontal attitude, as they do when evidently taking
their ease, generally on the top of some rock, the same hump is con-
spicuous at the middle of the back, the wings are held downward at
right angles to the body, clasping the sides of the rock as if to help
retain the position there. The wings are never held back against the
sides of the body in ordinary bird fashion. The bill is nearly always
directed upward at a small angle. During progression on land they
hop with both feet together, keeping the body erect, and present a
very awkward and clumsy appearance; but in the water they are ex-
ceedingly graceful. When quietly floating the bill is inclined a little
upward as when they sit on the rocks. They swimentirely by means
of the wings, the feet being held close together and extended straight
behind the body, acting apparently as a rudder. On the surface they
swim rather slowly, and an up-and-down bobbing motion is imparted
to the body. Beneath the surface they go in any direction with great
rapidity, having then more the appearance of a fish or seal than of a
bird. They also leap from beneath the water into the air and dive
back again just as does a seal or porpoise when breaching.
Occasionally they make a sort of grunt, and also utter deep elon-
gated sounds resembling 2é-d-é-dh, the stress gradually declining
toward the end. This latter note seems to be a call from one bird to
another, but when uttered no obvious reason appears why they should
thus call to one another. We did not find them nesting and did not
see any of them mated.
Family STERCORARIIDZ.
Genus Stercorarius Brisson.
Stercorarius BRISSON, Ornithologist, VI, pp. 149, 150, 1760.
Range. — Breeding in arctic and subarctic regions, migrating in
winter south into the tropics.
2, STERCORARIUS POMARINUS (Temminck).
Lestris pomarina TEMMINCK, Manuel d’Ornithologie, p. 514, 1815.
Stercoravius Pomarinus ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 192,
1899 (Galapagos).
Range. — Nearctic and palearctic, south in winter to Africa, Aus-
tralia and South America. Galapagos Archipelego (accidental).
One immature female reported by Rothschild and Hartert, taken by
the Harris expedition in December.
BIRDS 237
Family LARIDA.
Genus Larus Linnzus.
Larus Linna&us, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, p. 136, 1758.
Range.— Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
3. LARUS FULIGINOSUS Gould.
Larus fuliginosus GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 141, 1841 (Gala-
pagos). — R1peway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., x1x, 1896, p. 635. — ROTHS-
CHILD AND HarTeErt, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 189, 1899.
Range.— Galapagos Archipelago: Chatham, Hood, Charles,
Barrington, Indefatigable, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Abingdon,
Bindloe and Tower. Common about nearly all the islands except
Wenman and Culpepper where it appears to be absent. Wehave four
specimens taken at Tagus Cove, Albemarle, in January.
They are extremely noisy birds. When one is about to alight to
feed, whether alone or with others, it begins to utter harsh, elongated
sounds repeated in quick succession and long continued. Often, when
uttering the notes, the bird stands with the foreward part of the body
depressed. Often also, they utter a sound composed of a monotonous
series of closely repeated guttural notes resembling ah dh ah Gh éhahéh.
There is never any apparent reason why they should utter these sounds.
4. LARUS FRANKLINII Swainson and Richardson.
Larus franklinit SWAINSON AND RICHARDSON, Faun. Bor. Amer., II, p. 424,
pl. 71, 1831.
fange. — Interior of western North America, south in winter to
South America; Galapagos (accidental).
We have one specimen, an immature male, taken at Mangrove Point,
Narboro, in March. This is the only record of the species from the
Galapagos, though it is said to be plentiful in winter on the coast of
Ecuador and Peru.
Genus Creagrus Bonaparte.
Creagrus BONAPARTE, Naumannia, p. 211, 1854.
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago, coast of Peru, Malpelo Island.
5. CREAGRUS FURCATUS (Néboux).
Larus furcatus NEBOUX, Rev. Zool., p. 290, 1840; Voy. Venus, Atlas, pl. x,
1846 (‘‘ Monterey, California ’’ — probably a mistake).
Creagrus furcatus SALVIN, Trans. Zool. Soc., 1x, p. 506, 1876 (Galapagos).—
Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 638, 1896.
Xema urcata ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Novit. Zool, vI, p. 190, 1899.
238 SNODGRASS AMD HELLER
Range. —Galapagos Archipelago: Chatham, Hood, Seymour,
James, Albemarle, Narboro, Tower, Wenman and Culpepper. Coast
of Peru and Malpelo Island.
This species was first reported by the Venus from Monterey, Cali-
fornia. Presumably this is a mistake through confusion of labels, for
on the same cruise the Venus collected at the Galapagos and should
have gotten the gull there where it is abundant.
It is a common bird of the Galapagos, frequenting nearly all the
islands. We found it in December specially abundant at Wenman and
Culpepper. Large numbers of these birds were nesting on the cliffs
of the small islet lying near the main island of Wenman. Apparently
they nest only on the cliffs, for none was found on the upper surface of
the island where many boobies and frigate birds were nesting. It
is an extremely noisy species. As the birds sit on the cliffs they
utter shrill elongated notes having a sort of weary tone to them. They
often vary this sound by breaking up the first or the last part into a
series of closely connected chattering notes. At other times they open
the mouth widely and make a harsh guttural sound, consisting of one
note repeated several times in quick succession. This sound differs
from the reiterated one accompanying the continuous notes in
being much less guttural and in having a flatter tone and a pitch
about the same as the continuous shrill part. The birds utter some or
all of these sounds almost continually, and when many are together they
make a great deal of noise. They utter the same notes while
flying.
The bird lays a single egg on a ledge of the cliff, constructing no
nest. Two specimens of eggs have a light yellowish-brown ground
color, and are blotched with a few large purplish-brown paler spots,
and darker, smaller ones of dark brown. The markings are evenly
scattered about over the surface, and are much more numerous on one
than on the other. In shape they are ovate and measure 65x48 and
68x 45.
We were at Albemarle Island from January 1 till January 20 be-
fore we saw any individuals of this species. On the latter date we
took one at Tagus Cove; after this we saw several here every day, and
in February they became common.
We have four specimens from Culpepper, Wenman and Albemarle.
Genus Sterna Linnzus.
Sterna LINN US, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 137, 1758.
Range. — Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
BIRDS 239
6. STERNA FULIGINOSA Gmelin.
Sterna fulginosa GMELIN, Syst. Nat., 1, p. 605, 1788. — ROTHSCHILD AND
HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 191, 1899 (Culpepper and Wenman
Islands, Galapagos).
Range.— Tropical and subtropical shores everywhere. In the
eastern Pacific: Revillagigedo, Clipperton and Cocos Islands, west
coast of Mexico, west coast of South America, Galapagos Archi-
pelago.
Reported by Rothschild and Hartert as taken by the Harris expedi-
tion at Wenman and Culpepper. We observed it at these islands in
December, but did not secure any specimens. ,
Genus Anous Stephens.
Anous STEPHENS in Shaw's Gen. Zool., x1I1, p. 139, 1826.
Range. —Intertropical. Galapagos Islands.
4. ANOUS STOLIDUS GALAPAGENSIS (Sharpe).
Megalopterus stolidus GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 146, 1841
(Galapagos).
Anous galapagensis SHARPE, Phil. Trans., CLXVIII, p. 469, 1879 (Galapa-
gos). —R1ineGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xx, p. 642, 1896.
Anous stolidus galapagensis ROTHSCHILD AND HaARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p.
IgI, 1899.
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago: Charles, Hood, Chatham, Bar-
rington, Seymour, Duncan, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Abingdon,
Bindloe, Tower, Wenman and Culpepper.
This is a very abundant species throughout the archipelago. It is
very similar to A. stolidus ridgwayi Anthony of Cocos and Clipperton
Islands, but differs from this subspecies in being slightly darker and
in having a more dusky tone to the back and upper tail coverts, and
also in having the gray of the upper part of the head darker. One of
the Cocos specimens in our collection, however, has the tone of this
color indistinguishable from that of the Galapagos specimens. The
under parts also of A. s. galapagensis are darker, having a more
dusky shade.
Our collection contains three adult males and two adult females, all
taken in January.
At Tagus Cove, Albemarle, these birds were very abundant about
the high cliffs facing the ocean. They began to mate about January
21 and on the first of February we found eggs. Each bird lays a
single egg. The nests were placed in holes in the faces of the tufa
cliffs about the cove, and were often so low that they could be reached
240 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
from a boat. The nest was in all cases a scant affair, consisting of a
few twigs laid in the bottom of the cavity. The eggs are slightly
elongate-ovate. The color is creamy white, marked with a few small
light and dark blotches of brown, most numerous about the large end;
one egg having the rest of the surface almost plain. Two specimens
measure: 50 x 34 and 48 x 35. We found them nesting on James
Island in April.
Family DIOMEDEIDA.
Genus Diomedea Linnzus.
Diomedea LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 132, 1758.
Range. — Entire Pacific Ocean and southern seas in general. Gala-
pagos Archipelago.
8. DIOMEDEA IRRORATA Salvin.
Diomedea exulans WOLF, Ein Besuch auf den Galapagos Inseln, p. 13, 1879.
Two kinds of Albatrosses HABEL, Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1x, p. 458, 1876.
Diomedea exulans and D. nigrifes RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus,, XIx,
p. 646, 1896.
Diomedea irrorata SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc, Lond., p. 430, 1883 (Callao,
Peru); Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxv, p. 445, pl. 8, 1896. — ROTHSCHILD,
Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, vi, p. 51, 1898. — ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT,
Novit. Zool., vi, p. 192, 1899.
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago and coast of Peru. The home
of this species appears to be restricted to the eastern end of Hood
Island. Albatrosses have long been known to exist at the Galapagos
Islands, but the specimens brought back by the Harris expedition in
1898 were the first to be certainly identified. They were determined
by Rothschild and Hartert to be Déomedea irrorata, a species de-
scribed in 1883 by Salvin from a specimen taken at Callao, Peru,
evidently a wanderer from the Galapagos, for no others have been
taken on the mainland.
Albatrosses are frequently to be seen among the islands of the archi-
pelago, but they breed only at the eastern end of Hood Island. There
is here a large rookery which has long been known to whalers and
made to supply eggs for eating. At the time of our visit to Hood
Island in May the albatrosses were nesting. The nests were scattered
about on the ground in open places among the bushes, averaging
about twenty-five feet apart. A few of the birds were in pairs,
apparently not yet nesting; but most of them were sitting on one egg
each. When disturbed they attempted to frighten away the intruder
by loudly snapping the beak.
We have seven eggs taken in May. They are somewhat elongate-
BIRDS 241
ovate, not much narrowed at the smaller end. The ground color is
dull whitish; the surface is finely speckled with cinnamon color,
sometimes sparsely spotted about the larger end with small brown
blotches, but generally with a dark cap at the larger end of closely
speckled brown, extending for a varying distance toward the smaller
end of the egg, but always disappearing at one third of the distance,
often narrowly confined at the end. They measure 111 x 74; 112X 74,
108X723; 113X713; 112X743 10X 569; 113X772.
Family PROCELLARIIDA.
Genus Puffinus Brisson.
Pufinus BRIsson, Ornithologist, vi, p. 131, 1760.
Range. — Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
9. PUFFINUS OBSCURUS SUBALARIS (Ridgway).
Puffinus tenebrosus ? TOWNSEND, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XIII, p. 142, 1890
(Galapagos).
Puffinus tenebrosus TOWNSEND, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., xxvur, No. 3, p.
126, 1895 (Galapagos).
Puffinus subalaris RipGway (from Townsend’s M§.), Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.,
XIX, p. 650, 1896 (Galapagos).
Puffinus obscurus subalaris ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
1899, Pp. 194, 1895.
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago.
We quote the name of this form as a subspecies of Puffinus obscurus
from Rothschild and Hartert, having no material with which to make
comparisons.
The bird is common about the Galapagos Islands, but it does not
appear to breed at many places. At Wenman it was common in
December, and was found on the main island in a cave near the south
end of the east shore. Inthe cave the birds were rather timid and
sought the darker parts of it when approached. When disturbed
while sitting on the floor and on ledges of the walls, they made no re-
sistance but simply got out of the way of the intruder by retreating
farther back into the cave or beneath loose rocks. They could not be
driven out. One bird was found here sitting on an egg which she
could not be made:to leave, although she only passively resisted its
being taken by remaining motionless upon it. The egg was deposited
upon the bare ground near the wall of thecave. It is plain white,
somewhat elongate-ovate, and measures 52 X 35-
We have three adult male and three adult female specimens taken
in December and January.
242 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Genus Aistrelata Bonaparte.
strelata BONAPARTE, Consp. Av., II, p. 188, 1856.
fange.— Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
io. AZSTRELATA PH/ZOPYGIA Salvin.
4strelata pheopygia SAauviIn, Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond., Ix, p. 507, 1876
(Galapagos). — Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 648, 1896. —
ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 198, 1899.
Range. — Galapagos Islands.
We did not meet with this species about the archipelago until March
4. After this it became a very frequent bird, but nowhere did we find
it breeding.
We have four specimens from off Iguana Cove, Albemarle, two
taken in March and two in June. The bill is black, the tarsus and the
basal third of the toes livid whitish, the rest of the toes and the claws
black.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /£&strelata
pheopygia.
aq |= 8 &
Oe || mie | , o
fo} ; a Soe v vo w aH
Cat. No. Stan. : a) 00 a ou ac we lan 3
Univ, Mus. | “eeslity, | 2 # | 2 |e | a ee) sele8| 6 | 3
me Oo | 44) ee /5% |] 5 Z
vu s
s |Q |e a
4309 Albemarle | g | 415) 284] 155] 34 | 25 15 | 14 | 37 | 45
5097 s Q | 405| 295] 143] 34 | 24.5) 16] 15 | 38] 45
5091 es © | goo] 285) 150] 33 |24.5| 15 | 15 | 36) 43
4317 i ‘© | 408! 2951 1571 33 124.51 15 | 14 | 371 4t
Genus Procellaria Linnzus.
Procellaria LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 131, 1758.
Range.— Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
11. PROCELLARIA TETHYS Bonaparte.
Procellaria tethys BONAPARTE, J. f. Orn., p. 47, 1853 ; Compt. Rend., XxxvilI,
p. 662, 1854 (Galapagos). — TOWNSEND, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., XXvII,
No. 3, p. 126, 1895 (Galapagos). — RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.,
XIX, p. 656, 1896. — ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p.
199, 1899.
Range.— Galapagos Archipelago, Cocos Island and neighboring
waters. This bird is to be found throughout the archipelago, but is
specially abundant about Iguana Cove at the southern end of Albemarle
and at Mangrove Point, Narboro. Townsend reports it from four
BIRDS 243
hundred miles east of the Galapagos and we observed it north of the
Galapagos Islands in the latitude of Cocos Island.
We have ten specimens taken at Iguana Cove, Albemarle and Man-
grove Point, Narboro, in December and April.
Genus Oceanodroma Reichenbach.
Oceanodroma REICHENBACH, Syst. Av., p. 4, 1852.
Range. —Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
12. OCEANODROMA CRYPTOLEUCURA (Ridgway).
Cymochorea cryptoleucura RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Iv, p. 337, 1882
(Hawaiian Islands),
Oceanodroma cryptoleucura TOWNSEND, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., xxv, p.
125, 1895 (Wenman Island, Galapagos). — RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat.
Mus., XIX, p. 654, 1896. — ROTHSCHILD AND HarTeERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 198, 1899.
ange. — Hawaiian and Galapagos Islands in the Pacific, St.
Helena, Madeira and Cape Verde Islands in the Atlantic.
We have no specimens of this species. It has been taken at the
Galapagos Islands only by Townsend.
Genus Oceanites Keys. and Blas.
Oceanites KEYSERLING AND Buasius, Wirblth. Europ., 1, p. xciii, 1840.
Range. — Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
13. OCEANITES GRACILIS (Elliott).
Thalassadroma gracilis ELLIOTT, Ibis, p. 391, 1859 (west coast of South America).
Oceanttes gracilis RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 658, 1896 (Gala-
pagos). — ROTHSCHILD AND HAkTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 198,
1899.
Range. — Coast of Chile and the Galapagos Archipelago.
We have eleven specimens taken at Iguana Cove and Tagus Cove,
Albemarle, in December and January. The species occurs at nearly
all of the islands, but nowhere did we find it breeding.
Family PHAETHONTID.
Genus Phaethon Linnzus.
Phaéthon LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 134, 1758.
Range. —Intertropical seas. Galapagos Archipelago.
244 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
14. PHAETHON A2THEREUS Linneus.
Phaéthon ethereus LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, p. 134, 1758. — R1pGway,
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIX, p. 600, 1896. ROTHSCHILD AND HAR-
TERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 180, 1899.
Range. — Tropical seas in general.
We observed this species all the way from Guadalupe Island off
Lower California to the Galapagos Archipelago. At the latter locality
we found it most abundant at Wenman, Culpepper, Hood and Brattle,
but nowhere did we find it nesting. The Harris expedition report it
as nesting on the eastern end of Hood Island in October.
This is the only species of Phaéthon that has been observed at the
Galapagos Islands, although P. rudzcaudus is rather common in the
eastern Pacific north of the Galapagos.
Family SULID.
Genus Sula Brisson.
Sula Brisson, Ornithologist, vi, p. 495, 1760.
Range. — Temperate and tropical seas.
15. SULA VARIEGATA Tschudi.
Dysporus variegatus TSCHUDI, Fauna Peruana, Ornithologist, p. 313, 1845
(Peru).
Sula cyanops Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 595, 1896 (Galapagos
— quoted from Sundevall).
Sula vartegata ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 178, 1899.
Range. — Coasts of Chile and Peru. Galapagos Archipelago:
Culpepper, Wenman, Tower, James, Brattle, Charles and Hood.
This species is common on the most northern and most southern
islands of the Archipelago—Wenman, Culpepper, Tower and
Hood — but seldom visits the central islands. We never saw it at
Tagus Cove, Albemarle, where we spent several months, and at Eliz-
abeth Bay, Albemarle, we saw only a few in February flying over
Perry Isthmus which separates the northerr half of Albemarle Island
from the southern half.
The coloration in life of the naked parts of the adults is as follows:
Bill light orange-red, yellowish at the tip and along the commissure ;
skin about the eyes deep greenish-black, a light spot beneath the eye;
gular sac blackish.
On Culpepper this species was found on the tenth of December
just beginning to nest. A few birds were seen sitting on eggs, but
most of them were in pairs defending nesting sites. The nests con-
sisted merely of slight depressions scraped in the soil.
BIRDS 245
On Wenman this Sa was very abundant and the nesting season here,
from the thirteenth to the twenty first of December, was somewhat more
advanced than we found it on Culpepper Island. The birds were nest-
ing in considerable numbers on the small, flat topped island lying to
the north of the main island. There is no soil on this island and the
females deposited their eggs on the flat surface of the rocks. We did
not see any nesting on the ledges of the low cliffs forming the sides of
the island. No nest is constructed, and generally only one egg is laid
by each female. On Culpepper we saw some nests containing two.
They snap their beaks viciously at the foot or leg of the intruding
person, and a nesting bird cannot be forced to leave her egg. Even
those that are not nesting can scarcely be made to fly. The birds are
extremely noisy. When approached they utter loud, harsh, squawk-
ing sounds, which become louder and more rapid the more they are
disturbed. They utter also a sort of whistling sound made appar-
ently in the lower part of the throat while the mouth is held wide
open. This whistle is generally preceded by a blowing sound.
Birds with eggs make no sounds different from those made by others.
One bird when annoyed by poking it with a stick uttered only the
loud squawking, while another, disturbed in the same manner, uttered
only the whistling notes and could not be induced to make any other
sound. Generally, however, the same bird made both of the sounds,
changing at short intervals from one to the other. The squawking
sound is the one most commonly uttered.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Sula variegata.
m v
. Fa g
. No. F o bo a 3 wo g BH
rr pate Locality. 3 b é! & z: = a a <4
Mus. 4% B 5 Bes u 3
a) r=
3835 Culpepper.| ¢ 830 | 430 | 230 | Ior 43 53 83
3837 f 880 | 455 | 233 | tir | 41 55 | 80
3838 = 2 860 | 450 | 220 | 106 39 55 78
3839 = 855 | 452 | 220 | 10g | 41 54 | 83
3877 Wenman. é 805 | 450 | 230 | I00 42 56 78
3839 ns 9 | 845 | 448 | 230 | 103 | 43 | 53 | 77
4136 is 800 | 430 | 225 | Tor | 43 | 54 | 77_
A bird just out of the egg and not yet having its eyes open, was ob-
served lying squizming on the ground, uttering in slow succession
low chuckling notes. There was no apparent reason why it should be
making these sounds.
Two sets of two eggs each were taken on Culpepper. Incolor they
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
246 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
are like those of other species of Sua. They measure 65 x 46,
62 X 44, and 70 X 44,70 x 46.
We did not find this Sw/a@ nesting on Tower when this island was
visited in June. A few of the birds were seen about the northeast
part of the island.
We have four adult specimens of this bird from Culpepper Island,
two from Wenman, one from Tower, and one immature female from
Barrington.
The young of Sula variegata somewhat resemble in general color-
tion the adults of Suda érewsterzand it may be that the birds reported
by Kinberg and by Baur and Adams as the latter species were simply the
immature of S. varzegata, For some reason the young of this species is
very rarely seen about the islands. We have one specimen taken at
Barrington Island in May — the only immature individual of S. varte-
gata that we saw. There is no authentic record of the occurrence of
S. drewstert at the Galapagos Archipelago, although it is a common
bird at Cocos Island, which lies about four degrees north and to the
east of the Galapagos.
16. SULA PISCATRIX WEBSTERI (Rothschild).
Sula piscator RipGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 598, 1896 (Gala-
pagos).
Sula websteri ROTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, vir, p. 52, May, 1898
(Clarion Island, Galapagos Islands).
Sula piscatrix webster? ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 177,
1899.
Range. — Revillagigedo Archipelago. Cocos Island. Galapagos
Archipelago: Culpepper, Wenman, Tower and Hood.
We have four adult specimens in the white plumage, taken in De-
cember from Wenman and Culpepper, and three taken in November
and August from Clarion Island of the Revillagigedo Archipelago.
All of them have the tails mostly dark brownish as described by
Rothschild; the females do not differ from the males in color. We
have also six immature birds in the brownish plumage taken at Wen-
man and Culpepper in December and at Cocos Island in July, and one
grayish bird taken from Culpepper in December.
The species is easily distinguished at all ages from all other species
of Szla of the eastern Pacific by its bright red feet. In adults there is
a narrow band of red on the bare skin about the base of the upper
mandible and a large quadrate patch of the same color at the base of
each ramus of the lower mandible; the skin about the eye is blue, with
an elongate spot of pink in it below the eye; the gular membrane
BIRDS 247
and the skin back of the base of the lower mandible are purplish-
black.
We found this species nesting on Culpepper and Wenman in De-
cember, on Hood in May and on Tower in June; but it was seen
nowhere else in the archipelago. Hence it is coincident in its range
at the Galapagos with Sula vardegata.
At Wenman Island we found it abundant in December on the small
islet off the north side of the main island. Nests were numerous and
were always placed in the low bushes that cover most of the island.
The birds were never observed to alight anywhere else than in these
bushes when they came to the island. The most common sound they
uttered consisted of a short series of hoarse, guttural notes.
On Tower, also, they always nested in the bushes. Here the nests
were placed four or five feet above the ground and consisted of twigs
somewhat woven together into a circular form with a shallow depres-
sion above. Sometimes a few dry leaves were placed in the bottom of
the cavity. The incubating bird holds the single egg between her
feet. None of the nests at this time on Tower Island contained
young birds.
This habit of nesting in trees or bushes distinguishes this species
from all the other Swdas of the eastern Pacific, and the species occurs
on all the tropical islands of this region except Clipperton, where
vegetation is is wholly lacking.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Sula piscatrix
webstert.
E g
Cat. No. a 2 P) = a | 33 = a es
Stan. Univ. Locality. g 2 a & a 2A a 3
Mus. 4 B 3 as a 9
8 s
4282 Wenman. 720 | 371 | 212 85 36 35 58
4273 & et 750 | 385 | 247 | 85 31 39 | 63
3841 os 705 | 395 | 220 | 85 34 | 34 | 59
3840 . yi 775 | 393 | 223 | 92 37 35 64
5024 Clarion. é 760 | 407 235 88 34 36 61
3842 a 9 | 750 | 403 | 218 | 89 | 32 | 39 | 63
5009 et st 765 | 395 | 240 | 88 | 34 | 38 | 65
On Culpepper, Wenman and Tower, birds in the white plumage
were very scarce compared with the number of those in the immature
brownish plumage. The majority of nests containing eggs or young
birds we found occupied by one of these fully grown but brownish
birds. These individuals were certainly immature, but must have
248 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
been at least six months old. They were fed by the adults with dis-
gorged flying fish (Axocetus volitans) and young specimens of Hlem-
tramphus. These immature birds appear to remain on the nest for a
long time, perhaps nearly a year, being fed by the parents; and re-
ciprocate by incubating the eggs. The young when just hatched are
naked, but soon become covered with a white down.
17. SULA NEBOUXI Milne-Edwards.
Sula nebouxt MILNE-EDWARDS, Ann. Soc. Nat. Zool., x1II, p. 37, pl. 14,
1882 (Chile).—RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xx, p. 596, 1896
(Galapagos). ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., V1, p. 596, 1899.
Range. — Pacific coast of tropical America and the Galapagos
Islands.
This is the most common and most widely spread Szda of the archi-
pelago. We observed it about all of the islands except Culpepper,
although at Wenman it is rare. Its breeding habits are different from
those of both S. varzegata and S. piscatrix websterd in that it invari-
ably nests on cliffs. During the winter the cliffs about Tagus Cove,
Albemarle, afford a roosting place for a large number of these birds,
who sit on the ledges in an almost upright position, seldom assuming
the squatting goose-like attitude of the other two species. They are
very quiet birds; even when a large number are together on the face
of a cliff it is only occasionally that one is heard to make any sound.
Their notes and their voice are very similar to those of S. varzegata,
consisting of a harsh squawk and a whistling sound. They are expert
divers and often drop almost vertically head downward from great
heights into the water in order to capture a passing fish. Under the
water they turn and soon come to the surface. The Harris expedition
reports this species as breeding on Hood and Gardner (near Charles)
Islands during the latter part of October and on Abingdon Island in
August. We found it nesting on Albemarle and Narboro in March
and on Hood in May.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Sula nebouxt.
8 o
= pQ . fe}
Cat. No. ; 3 tn Fe 8 | 33 g m
Stan. Tae Locality. Q Ey ‘a E ba 2 4
Mus. 7 B H 3 | a3 & eI
Vv
A &
4220 Albemarle. & 835 425 247 106 37 50 70
4344 sf 9 | 878 | 442 ) 244 | 108 | 38 | 55 75
4032 Narboro. ae 870 | 440 255 IIr ay 53 78
BIRDS 249
Our collection contains two adult females and one adult male taken
about Albemarle and Narboro in January, February and March.
In life the bare parts of the bird are colored as follows: bill slate-
blue; bare skin of sides of head and about base of bill grayish-blue;
gular sac light blue; iris varying from cream color to straw-color;
tarsus and toes bright pea-green to blue-green, webs blue-green to
indigo; claws grayish-dusky.
Family PHALACROCORACIDZ.
Genus Phalacrocorax Brisson.
Phalacrocorax BRISSON, Ornithologist, VI, p. 511, 1760.
Range. — Cosmopolitan except Polynesia. Galapagos Archipelago.
18. PHALACROCORAX HARRISI Rothschild.
Phalacrocorax harrist ROTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, v1, p. 52, 1898.
— ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 179, 1899 (Galapagos).
Nannopterum harrist SHARPE, Gen. and Spec. Birds, p. 235, 1899.
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago: Narboro and Albemarle.
This species was first obtained by the Harris expedition. It is sur-
prising that so striking a bird should never have been reported before.
Our collection contains seven specimens from Narboro and Albe-
marle. They all agree with Rothschild’s description of the ¢yZe, but
show in addition a greenish iridescence on the upper parts. The
color below varies considerably. Some of the darkest males from
Narboro are seal brown below. A nesting female from Albemarle is
light tawny on the breast, a little darker on the abdomen. The gular
sac in life is livid-purplish, or brownish-purple; the iris emerald; the
upper mandible black with pale brown tip and tomia; the lower
mandible light brown with darker tomia; the feet and webs black,
claws slaty black. The pupil is elliptical with the longer diameter
horizontal.
Occurs abundantly in the surf and on the shore and rocks of Nar-
boro. A few also were found along the shores of Banks Bay and at
Black Bight, Albemarle. The birds are entirely unable to fly.
When on shore they sit in an upright position and often extend the
wings with their planes vertical, somewhat in the manner of vultures
while digesting their food. In the water they have a very graceful
appearance, carrying the neck bent in a very swanlike fashion. The
adults were never heard to make any sound.
The food consists largely of devilfish (Octopus), which the birds
obtain by diving. Some were observed swallowing devilfish more
250 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
than afoot in length. Fish also form a part of their food. The
young are fed by the parents with disgorged food until they have
attained nearly adult size. A large, immature bird may often be seen
pursuing an adult through the surf with loud cries and savage thrusts
of the beak, until the latter comes to terms, thrusts its beak into the
open mouth of the young and disgorges into it a mass of partially
digested food.
In January, at Black Bight, Albemarle, a small rookery was found,
consisting of four occupied nests. The nests were placed on a flat,
smooth sheet of lava at the edge of a smalllagoon. They were made
of brown alge heaped up into cone-shaped masses about a foot high,
hollowed out at the top to receive the eggs. A nest measured had the
following dimensions: External diameter, seventy-five centimeters ;
internal diameter, forty centimeters; depth of the cavity, ten centi-
meters. The birds here were all in pairs, the females sitting on the
nests, the males standing quietly nearby. The females stubbornly de-
fended their nests when disturbed, making savage thrusts with their
bills and hissing loudly. Two of the nests contained each three well in-
cubated eggs. One of the others contained two eggs and one young,
the other one egg and two young. The nestlings were black and
naked. The eggs are elongate-oval or narrowly elliptical in shape
and have a light bluish-green color. This color is usually, however,
hidden by a white chalky deposit. The eggs of the two sets measure as
follows: 71X 42.5, 67x 42.5, 67x 43, and 68x 41, 68x 45, 59X41.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Phalacrocorax
harrist.
: s g
‘ 3 be a 3 BR
Cat. No. i st 3
stan, Univ, Mus. Zocality: 3 2 3 & ES FI
=
i id) H g
a
4086 Narboro. 3 930 | 186 | 145 67 86 | 82
3912 fs eS 880 | 188 145 75 83 | 81
3895 ss ie goo | 185 | 155 63 81 | 80
3937 ie “* | gto | 184 | 165 | 62 73 | 77
3976 iS ss 190 | 165 | 60 75 | 76
4245 Albemarle. ce) 870 | 180 | 165 65 75 75
3891 i © | goo | 175 | 165 | 62 78 | 77
Family PELECANIDA.
Genus Pelecanus Linnzus.
Pelecanus LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 132, 1758.
Range.—Cosmopolitan, except Polynesia. Galapagos Archipelago.
BIRDS 251
19. PELECANUS CALIFORNICUS Ridgway.
Pelecanus fuscus SUNDEVALL, Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 125, 1871 (Galapagos).
Pelecanus fuscus (?) californicus RipGway, Water Birds N. A., 1, p. 143,
1884 ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 593, 1896 (Galapagos).
Pelecanus fuscus californicus ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
p. 176, 1899 (Galapagos).
Range. — Pacific Coast of America from Washington to Peru.
Galapagos Archipelago: Charles, Hood, Chatham, Barrington, Sey-
mour, Indefatigable, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Abingdon, Bindloe
and Tower.
Generally most abundant on the leeward side of islands, specially
numerous about Tagus Cove, Albemarle, and on the east shore of Nar-
boro, seeming to prefer places affording a considerable expanse of
smooth water. Old rookeries were found on Narboro, the nests being
situated in small bushes near the coast. Rothschild reports a nest of
three eggs taken among the mangroves of Indefatigable in September
by the Harris expedition.
MEASUREMETS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Felecanus
californicus.
: : a
4 c=! aq wo a
Cat. No. Stan. ‘ 4 Bo ba = Fy 3 a
iv. i Locality. v 5 — s a x =
Univ. Mus on 8 E rain 3 & a
a
4217 Albemarle. 2 I2g0 | 538 | 150 76 307 | I00
3834 i “| 1300 | 535 | 145 | 73 | 305 | 105
4262 He ee I290 | 540 | 136 71 305 | 104
3981 Narboro. 530 | 136 72 312 | 104
We have four adult females, all in the postnuptial plumage, and they
are indistinguishable from the California specimens. The gular pouch
of a female taken at Elizabeth Bay, Albemarle, in February, was col-
ored in life as follows: Ground color very pale brown; numerous
much darker lines of purplish-brown arising at the sides of the base of
the pouch and running forward parallel with the ramus of the mandible
on each side, meeting in the median line in pairs forming acute angles ;
posteriorly along the edges of the pouch the lines indistinct and the
purplish color rather diffuse; veins with a greenish-blue color; bill,
upper mandible horn-greenish, basally with indistinct yellowish streaks,
toward the tip this color median only, sides of mandible becoming
scarlet, claw lemon-yellow, with dusky shade at base; lower man-
dible greenish and yellowish at base, in front of this mottled with yel-
252 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
lowish, greenish and scarlet, still farther forward entirely scarlet, tip
same as claw of upper mandible. Bare skin at base of bill dark pur-
plish. Lower eyelid pink. In another specimen of the same date the
ground color of the pouch was pale yellowish-green, the lines dark
brown, almost no purplish color, a shade of the latter color along the
rami of the mandible and edges of the throat feathers; bill colored the
same as first specimen, but the lower eyelid purplish.
Family FREGATIDZA.
Genus Fregata Brisson.
Fregata BRISSON, Ornithologist, VI, p. 506, 1760.
Range.—lIntertropical seas.
20. FREGATA AQUILA (Linnzus).
Pelecanus aguilus LINNMUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 133, 1758.
Fregata aqguila RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xXIx, p. 590, 1896 (Gala-
pagos).—ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p. 175, 1899.
Fregata aqguila minor RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 591, 1896
(Galapagos).
Range. —Intertropical and subtropical seas. Galapagos Islands.
Common everywhere about the archipelago, observed at all the
islands. Found nesting on Culpepper and Wenman in December,
and on Tower in June.
Family ANATIDZ.
Genus Anas Linnzus.
Anas LINN&US, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 122, 1758.
Range. — Cosmopolitan.
21. ANAS VERSICOLOR Vieillot.
Anas versicolor VIEILLOT, Nouv. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat., v, p. 109, 1816.
Querguedula versicolor SALVIN, Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond., Ix, p. 499, 1876
(Galapagos). — RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 614, 1896. —
ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 183 ,1899.
ftange.— Southern part of South America and the Galapagos
Archipelago.
One specimen said to have been taken by Kinberg. None reported
from the Galapagos since.
Genus Pecilonetta Eyton.
Pecilonetta Eyton, Monogr. Anatide, p. 16, 1838.
ftange. — South America, West Indies, Bahamas, Galapagos.
BIRDS 253
22. POECILONETTA BAHAMENSIS GALAPAGENSIS
(Ridgway).
Pectlonetia bahamensis GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, Pp. 135, 1841
(Galapagos).
Pecilonetia galapagensis RrpGWay, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1, p- 115, 1890
(Galapagos) ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 612, 1896.
Pecilonetia bahamensis galapagoensis ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit.
Zool., v1, p. 183, 1899.
fange. — Galapagos Archipelago.
We simply follow Rothschild and Hartert in giving this form as a
subspecies of P. bahamensis, having no material of the latter species
with which to make comparisons.
This is a common species throughout the archipelago wherever
suitable places occur. It is especially abundant on Albemarle, James,
Charles and Chatham.
Family PHONICOPTERIDA.
Genus Phenicopterus Linnzus.
Phenicopterus LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 139, 1758.
Range.— Tropical and subtropical regions. Galapagos Archi-
pelago.
23. PHQENICOPTERUS RUBER Linnzus.
Phenicopterus ruber LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, p. 139, 1758. —SALVIN,
Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1x, p. 498, 1876 (Galapagos). — RiDGway,
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 608, 1896. —~ ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT,
Novit. Zool., v1, p. 182, 1899.
Phenicopterus glyphorhynchus GRAY, Ibis, p. 442, pl. 14, fig. 5, 1869 (Gala-
pagos).
Range. — Atlantic coast of Mexico and Central America, southern
Florida, Galapagos Archipelago: Charles, James, Indefatigable and
Albemarle.
We obtained this species on the shore of the southern half of Albe-
marle, a short distance west of Elizabeth Bay. Only seven indi-
viduals were seen. They were wading about quietly in the small
reedy marshes back of the mangrove swamps along the shore. They
were very tame and reluctantly swam to the opposite side of the smal]
ponds when approached. Only one was seen to fly and it alighted
again a few yards from where it started. Another was made to run
along on the surface of the water flapping its wings. The only sound
they uttered was a hoarse guttural note somewhat between a squawk
and a grunt, resembling a little the note of the great blue heron. Mr.
G. M. Green of San Francisco reports having found the flamingoes
254 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
breeding in the salt marshes about James Bay on James Island, and
he obtained eggs in August.
Family ARDEIDA.
Genus Ardea Linnzus.
Ardea LINN&EUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 141, 1758.
Range. —Cosmopolitan except New Zealand and Polynesia.
Galapagos Archipelago.
24. ARDEA HERODIAS Linneus.
Ardea herodias LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, p. 143, 1758. — Darwin, Zool.
Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 128, 1841 (Galapagos). — R1peway, Proc. U.
S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 601, 1896. — ROTHSCHILD AND HartTErT, Novit.
Zool., v1, p. 180, 1899.
Range. — Northern temperate and tropical America. Galapagos
Archipelago: Seymour, Indefatigable, Duncan, Albemarle and
Narboro.
We found this heron especially abundant in the mangrove swamps
of the east shore of Narboro. In January we obtained here a set of
three eggs. The nest consisted of a flat platform of large twigs,
placed in a mangrove tree about a foot and a half above high water.
Genus Herodias Boie.
flerodias BotE, Isis, p. 559, 1822.
Range. — Cosmopolitan.
25. HERODIAS EGRETTA (Gmelin).
Ardea egretta GMELIN, Syst. Nat., 1, p. 629, 1788.
? Hlerodias egretta RipGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 601, 1896
(? Galapagos).
flerodias egretta ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 181, 1899
(Albemarle Island, Galapagos).
Range. — Temperate and tropical America. Galapagos Archipel-
ago: Albemarle.
Only one specimen of the American egret has been obtained at the
Galapagos; it was taken by the Harris expedition and determined by
Rothschild and Hartert to be the same as South American birds.
Baur and Adams reported finding on Albemarle ‘‘a rookery of white
herons.” We saw one individual on a small island in the center of a
lake in the bottom of the large tufa crater just south of Tagus Cove,
Albemarle.
BIRDS 255
Genus Butorides Blyth.
Butorides BLYTH, Cat. Birds, Mus. Asiat. Soc., p. 201, 1849.
Range.— North and South America, Africa, southern Asia to
Australia.
26. BUTORIDES PLUMBEUS (Sundevall).
Butorides javanicus SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 323,
1870 (Galapagos).
Ardea plumbea SUNDEVALL, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., pp. 125-127, 1871 (Gal-
apagos).
Butorides plumbeus Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 602, 1896. —
ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 181, 1899.
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago: Chatham, Hood, Charles, Bar-
rington, Indefatigable, Seymour, Duncan, Jervis, James, Albemarle,
Narboro, Bindloe, Abingdon, Tower and Wenman.
Common almost everywhere in the archipelago, especially so in the
mangrove swamps of Albemarle and Narboro. They are very tame
and allow one to approach them closely before they fly. When they
take flight, whether frightened or not, they nearly always utter in slow
succession elongated squawks. When about to alight they shorten
the notes and utter them more rapidly. In February we secured a set
of three eggs at Elizabeth Bay, Albemarle. The nest consisted of a
loosely constructed platform of dead twigs, placed in a tree of a man-
grove swamp, about eight feet above the water. The eggs are plain
light green, measuring 41 X 33, 41 X 32.5, and 42 X 33. They are
widest at the middle and symmetrically narrowed at each end.
Genus Nyctanassa Stejneger.
Nyctanassa STEJNEGER, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x, p. 295, 1887.
Range. — Temperature North America and all of Middle and South
America. Galapagos Archipelago.
27. NYCTANASSA VIOLACEA (Linnazus).
Ardea violacea LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 143, 1758.
Nycticorax violaceus GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 11, Birds, p. 128, 1841
(Galapagos).
Nyctanassa violacea Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIX, p. 606, 1896.
— ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 182, 1899.
Range. — Tropical and southern north temperature parts of Amer-
ica. Galapagos Archipelago: Charles, Hood, Chatham, Indefati-
gable, Seymour, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Bindloe and Tower.
This heron is not nearly so common about the archipelago as the last.
We obtained one set of three eggs in May on Indefatigable. The nest
256 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
was on the ground in the brush about four hundred yards back from the
shore at the northeast corner of the island near Seymour Island. The
eggs are identical in color with those of the last species, Butorides
plumébeus, but they are larger and the longest transverse diameter is a
little nearer one end than the other, giving them a slightly ovate shape.
They measure 48 x 37, 45.5 x 36, and 49 x 36.
Family RALLIDA.
Genus Porzana Vieillot.
Porzana VIEILLOT, Analyse, p. 61, 1816.
Range. — Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
28. PORZANA SPILONOTA (Gould).
Zapornia spilonota GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 132, pl. 49, 1841
(Galapagos),
Porzana spilonota Savin, Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1x, p. 500, 1876 (James
and Indefatigable Islands).—RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p.
618, 1896.
Porzana galapagoensis SHARPE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxiII, p. 113, 1894
(Galapagos).—Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 619, 1896.
Creciscus spilonotus ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 184, 1899.
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago: James Island.
This species is known only from the original specimens taken by
Darwin on James. We take the above synonymy from Rothschild and
Hartert, who have examined the ¢yZes.
29. PORZANA SHARPEI (Rothschild and Hartert).
Creciscus sharpet ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 185, 1899,
(Indefatigable Island).
Porzana spilonota SCLATER AND SALVIN (not of Gould), Proc. Zool. Soc.
Lond., p. 456, 1868; p. 323, 1870 (Indefatigable Island).—SaLvin,
Trans. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 500, 1876 (James and Indefatigable Islands)
(in part).—Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 618, 1896 (in part).
Creciscus spilonotus SHARPE (not of Gould), Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., Xxtul, p.
137, 1894 (Indefatigable Island).
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago: Indefatigable and Narboro.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Porzana sharpet.
| ee 3 |8o| Be g
Cat. No. Staa. . | 4 E18] 4 4, |% a a
Univ. Mus. Locality. a a s & ae /sP@ls®l alg
ow oO aa | oe u go
| | A B | a
4017 Narboro. & 153} 64 |24.0/15.0} 6.0] 4.0 | 21 | 24
3994 2 | 150] 65 | 25.5/14.5| 5.5 | 4.5 | 23 | 25
BIRDS 257
We have two specimens of a Porzana, an adult male and an adult
female, taken in January in a mangrove swamp on the east shore of
Narboro, which differ in no way from the description of P. skarpez
by Rothschild and Hartert. These two specimens are the only rails
that we saw, although much time was spent looking for others.
Genus Galinula Brisson.
Galinula BRIsson, Ornithologist, VI, p. 2, 1760.
Range. — Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
30. GALINULA GALEATA (Lichtenstein).
Crex galeata LICHTENSTEIN, Verz, Doubl., p. 80, 1823.
Galinula galeata RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 621, 1896. —
ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 186, 1899.
Range. — Tropical and most of temperate America. Galapagos
Archipelago: Albemarle.
We obtained two specimens of this species in February near Eliza-
beth Bay, Albemarle. The galinules were rather plentiful in the
small reedy marshes and salt pools back of the mangrove swamps
bordering the north shore of southern Albemarle west of Elizabeth Bay.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Galinula galeata.
as a |= P
5 os |e. flay | a ‘ °
= i 3 Od | Cad v v a
Cat. No. Stan. hit Hj} | @ | so fgeslesel 38/38) 2 B
Univ. Mus. Locality. o a tal S |olsigds| aM | am] & sg
to) ic] H goa Se ep| se | Sa o KI
me 3 BR ad | oa] A =
i & 5) = S
og a
4233 Albemarle.| ¢ | 370] 183} 60] 45 | 13] 13 | Io] 54] 63
4239 = “| 360/ 170} 74| 48] 14| Ir] 9 | 58] 69
Family PHALAROPODIDA.
Genus Phalaropus Brisson.
Phalaropus BRISSON, Ornithologist, vI, p. 2) 1760.
Range. — Breeding in arctic and subarctic regions of both hemi-
spheres, migrating into the tropics.
31. PHALAROPUS LOBATUS (Linnzus).
Tringa lobata LINN&US, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, pp. 148, 824, 1758.
Range. — Northern parts of northern hemisphere; south in winter
to the tropics. Galapagos Archipelago.
We obtained two specimens of this species March 29 from a flock
on the water off the southeast point of Narboro. It has not hitherto
258 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
been reported from the Galapagos. We saw the birds several times
in that vicinity.
Family RECURVIROSTRIDZ.
Genus Himantopus Brisson.
Hiimantopus Brisson, Ornithologist, v1, p. 33, 1760.
fange. — Cosmopolitan (littoral). Galapagos Archipelago.
32. HIMANTOPUS MEXICANUS (Miiller).
Charadrius mexicanus MULLER, Syst. Nat. Suppl., p. 117, 1776.
ffimantopus mexicanus RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 633, 1896
(Galapagos). — ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 189,
1899.
Range.— South temperate and tropical America. Galapagos
Archipelago.
This bird is rather rare about the archipelago. They seem to pre-
fer lakes and ponds of quiet water rather than the ocean beaches and
rocks along the shore. We observed them about the lake in the
crater a short distance south of Tagus Cove, Albemarle, on the ponds
back of the beach at James Bay, James Island, about similar ponds
on the west side of the southern Seymour Island, and at a lake on the
upper part of Hood.
Family SCOLOPACIDA.
Genus Tringa Linnzus.
Tringa LINNA&US, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, p. 148, 1758.
Range. — Arctic and subarctic during the breeding season, cosmo-
politan during migrations. Galapagos Archipelago.
33. TRINGA BAIRDII (Coues).
Actodromas bairdiz Cours, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 194, 1861.
fleteropygia baird? ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., x1x, p. 188,
1899 (Galapagos).
Range. — Breeding in Alaska, migrating south to the interior of
North America and west coast.of South America. Galapagos Archi-
pelago.
Rothschild and Hartert report the only specimen of this species
known from the Galapagos Archipelago, as taken by the Harris expe-
dition on Barrington in October.
34. TRINGA MINUTILLA Vieillot.
Tringa minutilla VIEILLOT, Nouv. Dict., XXXIV, p. 452, 1819. -—SCLATER
AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, p. 323, 1870 (Galapagos). —
RipeGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xx, p. 631, 1896.—ROTHSCHILD AND
HaRrTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 188, 1899.
BIRDS 259
fRange.— Northern North America, migrating over the entire
American continent. Galapagos Islands.
This sandpiper is but infrequently met with on the Galapagos
Islands.
Genus Calidris Cuvier.
Calidris CuviER, Les. Anat. Comp., I, pl. 2, 1800.
Range. — Cosmopolitan during migrations, breeding only in north-
ern regions. Galapagos Archipelago.
35. CALIDRIS ARENARIA (Linnzus).
Tringa arenaria LINN&US, Syst. Nat., ed. XII, I, p. 251, 1766.
Calidris arenaria RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIX, p. 629, 1896 (Gala-
pagos).—ROTHSCHILD AND HArRTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 187, 1899.
Range.— Cosmopolitan during migration. Galapagos Archi-
pelago.
Found occasionally at the Galapagos, generally in winter. The
Harris expedition took one specimen, however, as early as July 29.
Genus Helodromas Kaup.
Helodromas Kaur, Skizz. Entw.-Gesch. Eur. Thierw., p. 144, 1829.
ange. — Cosmopolitan during migration, breeding in the northern
parts of the northern hemisphere. Galapagos Archipelago.
36. HELODROMAS SOLITARIUS (Wilson).
Tringa solitaria WiLson, Amer. Orn., VII, p. 53, pl. 58, fig. 3, 1813.
Flelodromas solitarius ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 188,
1899 (Galapagos).
Range.— Breeding in northern North America, in winter migrat-
ing south to southern South America. Galapagos Archipelago.
A chance visitor at the Galapagos during winter migrations. Roths-
child and Hartert report two specimens taken October 12 on Chatham
by the Harris expedition.
Genus Heteractitis Stejneger.
Heteractitis STEJNEGER, Auk, I, p. 236, 1884.
Range.— Shores and islands of the Pacific Ocean. Galapagos
Archipelago.
3. HETERACTITIS INCANUS (Gmelin).
Scolopax incanus GMELIN, Syst. Nat., 1, Pt. m1, p. 658, 1788.
Heteractitis incanus RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 632, 1896
(Galapagos). — ROTHSCHILD, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 188, 1899.
Range. — Pacific coast of America and eastern islands of Polyne-
sia. Galapagos Archipelago.
260 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
A frequent winter visitor at the Galapagos where it has been re-
ported from nearly all of the islands.
Genus Actitis Illiger.
Actitts ILLIGER, Prodr., p. 262, 1811.
Range. — Nesting in the northern part of both hemispheres, almost
cosmopolitan during migration.
38. ACTITIS MACULARIA (Linnzus).
Tringa macularia LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. xii, 1, p. 249, 1766.
Tringoides macularia SHARPE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxIv, p. 468, 1896.
Range. — North America, migrating in winter to northern and cen-
tral South America. Galapagos Archipelago.
This bird is a chance visitor at the Galapagos in winter. We have
one specimen taken at Tagus Cove, Albemarle, in January. Other
collectors have not reported it.
Genus Numenius Brisson.
Numenius BRISSON, Ornithologist, VI, p. 311, 1760.
Range. — Breeding in northern parts of northern hemisphere ; ag
mopolitan during migration. Galapagos Archipelago.
39. NUMENIUS HUDSONICUS Latham.
Numenius hudsonicus Latuam, Ind. Orn., p. 712, 1790. — R1pGway, Proc.
U.S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 633, 1896. — ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT,
Novit. Zool., v1, p. 189, 1899.
Numenius borealis Satvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 429, 1883.
fRange. — Arctic and subarctic regions of North America during
breeding season; during migration, central and South America. Gal-
apagos Archipelago.
Not numerous at the Galapagos, but frequently seen during winter.
We saw more individuals along the eastern shore of Narboro Island
than anywhere else.
The specimen in the British Museum, collected by Markham at the
Galapagos Islands, and recorded by Salvin as Mumenius borealis, is
said by Rothschild and Hartert to be WV. hudsonicus.
Family CHARADRITIDA.
Genus Squatarola Cuvier.
Sguatarola CuvIER, Rég. Anim., 1, p. 467, 1817.
Range. — Arctic during breeding season, cosmopolitan during
migrations. Galapagos Archipelago.
BIRDS 261
40. SQUATAROLA SQUATAROLA (Linnaus).
Tringa squatarola LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 149, 1758.
Sguatarola squatarola R1pGWay, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 626, 1896
(Galapagos).— ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 187, 1899
(Galapagos).
Range.—Same as that of the genus given above.
This species occurs at the Galapagos in both winter andsummer. It
was taken by Baur and Adams in August, by the Harris expedition in
November, and by us in February. It is not of common occurrence.
We have only one specimen; taken at Elizabeth Bay, Albemarle.
Genus Aigialitis Boie.
gialitis Boz, Isis, p. 558, 1822.
ange. —Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago,
41. 4EGIALITIS SEMIPALMATA (Bonaparte).
Charadrius semipalmatus BONAPARTE, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., v, p.
98, 1825.
Aegialitis semipalmata RipGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 628, 1896.
— ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 186, 1899.
Range. — Breeding in arctic and subarctic parts of North America,
migrating in winter south to northern South America. Galapagos
Archipelago.
This ‘bird has been taken at the Galapagos Islands during both
summer and winter. Rothschild and Hartert report it taken by the
Harris expedition from July 29 to December 3. We have two speci-
mens taken in January, one at Turtle Point near Tagus Cove, Albe-
marle, and the other on the east shore of Narboro. The birds were
very wild and hard to approach — qualities that distinguish all the
visitant birds of the archipelago from the resident birds.
Family APHRIZIDA.
Genus Arenaria Brisson.
Avenaria BRISsoNn, Ornithologist, v, p. 132, 1760.
Range. —Northern parts of northern hemisphere during the breed-
ing season; coasts of the entire world during migration.
42. ARENARIA INTERPRES (Linnzus).
Tringa interpres LINNEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, I, p. 148, 1758.
Arenaria interpres RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 625, 1896
(Galapagos). — ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 187,
1899.
Range. — Same as that of the genus given above. ‘
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
262 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Common on the shores of most of the islands, and appears to be
found at the archipelago throughout the year. The birds are very wild,
however, and evidently not resident there. Taken by Baur and Adams
in June and July, by the Harris expedition from September to Novem-
ber, and by us in January and March.
Family HA MATOPODIDA.
Genus Hematopus Linnezus.
Hlematopus LINN&vS, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, p. 152, 1758.
Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
43. H/AEMATOPUS GALAPAGENSIS Ridgway.
? Hematopus palliatus SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 323,
1870 (Galapagos).
Hematopus galapagensts RipGway, Auk, Il, p. 331, 1886 (Chatham Island,
Galapagos); Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 621, 1896. — ROTHSCHILD
AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 186, 1899.
Range. —Galapagos Archipelago: Chatham, Hood, Barrington,
Indefatigable, Seymour, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Bindloe and
Tower.
These birds are not specially abundant anywhere but one sees them
at nearly every place on the shores of the islands. We found them
specially frequent in the small pools just back of the shore on the west
side of the southern Seymour Island. They were always very tame.
Family COLUMBIDZ.
Genus Nesopelia Sundevall.
Nesopelia SUNDEVALL, Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tentam., p. 99, 1872.
Range.— Galapagos Archipelago.
Allied to Zexazda but differing from it in the possession of twelve
instead of fourteen rectrices.
44. THE NESOPELIA GALAPAGOENSIS SERIES.
44a. NESOPELIA GALAPAGOENSIS GALAPAGOENSIS
(Gould).
Zenaida galapagoensis GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 115, pl. 46,
1841 (Galapagos Archipelago).
Nesopelia galapagoensis RiDGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 614, 1896.
Nesopelia galapagoensis galapagoensis ROTHSCHILD AND HarRTERT, Novit.
Zool., V1, p. 183, 1899.
Range. —Charles, Hood, Chatham, Barrington, Indefatigable,
Duncan, Jervis, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Abingdon, Bindloe and
Tower.
BIRDS 263
This is a common bird on most of the islands of the archipelago,
rare only on Charles and Albemarle. This may be due to the number
of dogs and cats on these two islands, since the species nests on the
ground. The birds seem to be more or less migratory, for during
January and March we saw only one or two doves about Tagus Cove
on Albemarle, while in June they were not infrequent here and at this
time we often saw small flocks at Turtle Point just north of Tagus
Cove.
One nest was found in April on James Island. It consisted of a
few straws and leaves lining a cavity in the surface of a rough lava
bed. The nest contained one egg; the female was collected and an-
other egg was found in the oviduct nearly ready to be laid. The first
one is dull white, oval, and measures 27.5 X 22.5. On Barrington the
doves were found nesting during the latter part of May. The nests
were all on the ground between blocks of lava, and contained each
two eggs like the one from James.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF JVesopelia
galapagoensis galapagoensis.
; ae P
Pen ies toe 24 g}éd] ¢ | a
Tien eiag: Locality. gg) Bl) 2/2) elagle| ae
a |= 6 |e, 6) 3
s a
3945 Narboro. & | 238] 123) 67 | 16.3| 13.3] 24 | 21
3882 “ *€ | 240] 127] 66 | 16.3) 13.5]/23 | 22
4412 ee “1 245| 129] 76 |16 |14 | 23 | 22
4453 si “| 250/ 134] 71 |17 | 14 | 23.5 | 20.5
3889 te @ | 218] 120] 68 |15 ,14 | 21.5] 19
5023 Albemarle, Iguana Cove.| ‘* | 220] 119] 73 |16 |13 |20 |21
5252 a Tagus ‘ “© | 215 {| 113] 67 | 16.5 | 13.5 | 22.5 | 21
4466 James. ‘* | 220} 120] 68 |16 |12.5|23 | 20
5172 Duncan. “© ) 225} 118] 67 | 15.5 | 12.5 | 21.5 | 20.5
4989 Barrington. “ ) amr] 118] 67 |15 |I12 |2I | 20
4898 Hood. & | 247} 134] 78 |17.5|13.5]22 | 24
5306 Tower. “© | 244] 130] 78 | 17.7 | 14.3 | 23.7 | 22
444. NESOPELIA GALAPAGOENSIS EXSUL Rothschild
and Hartert.
Nesopelia galapagoensis exsul ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
p. 184, 1896 (Culpepper and Wenman Islands).
Range. — Culpepper and Wenman.
This form is considerably larger than WV. 2. galapagoensis, having
a larger body, longer wings, and a longer and heavier bill. The wing
in the males in our collection is not less than one hundred and thirty
264 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
nine millimeters in length, and the culmen in the males is in all cases
greater than eighteen millimeters. In the specimens of males from:
the other islands the wing does not exceed one hundred and thirty
four millimeters and the culmen is in all cases less than eighteen milli-
meters. No differences of color are appreciable between the two
subspecies. The difference between the males of the two forms is
such that they might almost be given the rank of species. The
females are more nearly alike, being in each case smaller than the
males.
The subspecies was very common on Culpepper and Wenman. We
have seven specimens taken in December.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesopelia
galapagoensts exsul.
8 3
, ox
Cat. No. ¥ 3 ) 2 g | # 3 &
is : tal OD q a g ey no vu
Stan. Univ. Locality. vu a _ ss = = bt ba
Mus. ve y B BH 3 bee) a as]
: 4 o we x g
s S
5312 Culpepper.| ¢ 260 139 79 19.5 15 26.5 | 23.5
5315 : 255 141 76 19 15 26.5 | 22
5316 oe te 144 82 19.5 16 26 23.7
5312 ee 2 230 | 125 66 16.7 | 14 23 21.3
5314 ue ns 236 126 68 17 14 22.5 | 21
5317 ee s 128 72 17.5 14 23.3 | 21.7
3859 Wenman. é 248 | I40 79 18.5 | 15 24.5 | 22
Family FALCONIDZA.
Genus Buteo Cuvier.
Buteo Cuvier, Les. Anat. Comp., 1, Tabl. 11, Ois., 1800.
Range. — Cosmopolitan, excepting most of the Australian region.
Galapagos Archipelago.
45. BUTEO GALAPAGOENSIS (Gould).
Polyborus galapagoensis GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 9, 1837 (Galapagos
Islands).
Craxirex galapagoensis GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 23, pl. 2,
ak, saa RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIX, p. 587, 1896. —
ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 174, 1899.
Range. — Hood, Chatham, Barrington, Indefatigable, Duncan,
Jervis, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Abingdon and Bindloe.
Closely allied to Buteo swainsoni of North America, from which
it differs in the larger bill and feet.
BIRDS 265
Coloration of the Naked Parts in Life. —Tris seal-brown in the
adult, ochreous-buff in the young; cere and base of mandible naples
yellow ; upper mandible bluish-brown at the base, blackish at the tip;
feet and legs maize-yellow, claws blackish.
We have two adult specimens from Albemarle in the dark phase,
and one immature specimen in the tawny phase. We observed the
species frequently on Narboro, but we did not collect any specimens
here. It was seen also on James, Duncan, Indefatigable, Barrington,
Hood, Chatham, Abingdon and Bindloe. It is fairly common
throughout its range but is most numerous along the coast, showing,
however, no preference for any special kind of country. It is equally
abundant on barren stretches of lava and on areas of dense vegetation.
It is extremely tame and will usually come within a few feet of a col-
lector and sometimes closer still if he has any food to offer. The birds
feed principally on the common lizard, Zropidurus, which abounds
on nearly all the islands near the shore. All the specimens examined
contained remains of these lizards. The rarity of this lizard on
Charles, where it is now nearly extinct, may explain the absence of
Buteo from this island. Similarly, the islands of Tower, Wenman
and Culpepper, where the buzzard is lacking are also without repre-
sentatives of Zrofidurus. Darwin says that the Buzeo feeds on the
young of the land tortoise, Zestudo, when just emerging from the
shell. If this is the case, itis probable that they likewise eat the young
of the green sea turtle,t Chelone, which breeds abundantly on the
sand beaches.
A nest containing two incubated eggs was found on Bindloe in
June. The nest was situated on a ledge of lava projecting from the
perpendicular side of a canyon; it was a very bulky affair made of
sticks and twigs and lined with leaves. Both of the parents were in
the dark phase of plumage, which is probably the adult color. Only
one of these eggs was preserved. It is immaculate greenish-white,
about the same color as the eggs of Circus hudsonius (Linn.), and
measures 58 X 44.
Another nest was found in January near Tagus Cove, Albemarle,
situated on a high pinnacle of lava near the middle of a very rough
lava stream. This nest was very large. The height being about three
feet and the basal width nearly as great. It had evidently been used
for many years. A pair of buzzards in dark plumage remained most
of the time in the neighborhood and were presumably the owners.
We never got any eggs from this nest, but the breeding season evidently
does not begin until June.
266 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Buteo galapa-
goensts.
g
a a wo
Cat. No. Stan. ; a| me) @) a] 2] e i.
Univ. Mus. Locality. D A = ss aj
: . Ww oO B Hu a I sce
oH oO & 3
3946 Albemarle, Point Christopher.| g | 535 | 405 | 223] 40 | 70 | 48
3965 7 oe is Q |575| 430] 252] 41 | 71 | 55
Family STRIGIDA.
Genus Strix Linnezus.
Strix LINN&US, Syst. Nat., ed. x, 1, p. 92, 1758.
Range. — Almost cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
46. STRIX PUNCTATISSIMA Gray.
Strix punctatissima GRAY, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 34, 1841 (James
Island).—RipGway, Proc. U. 5. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 583, 1896.—ROTHs-
CHILD AND HarTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 175, 1899.
Range. — James, Indefatigable, South Seymour, Abingdon and
Albemarle. (Records of this species from the mainland are doubtful.)
Two immature specimens are in the collection. They are only
slightly fulvous below, being chiefly grayish, spotted with dark
brownish. The wing in each is less than two hundred and thirty
millimeters. One of the specimens is from near Tagus Cove, Albe-
marle, where it was secured in a cavity on the side of a steep walled
canyon; the other was taken from a cavity between some rocks on
Seymour Island.
Several old nesting burrows were seen on canyon sides near Tagus
Cove, Albemarle, and in one an old unhatched egg was found. This
egg is whitish and in shape is slightly more spherical than the eggs of
Strix pratincola Bonap. It measures 41 x 31. The entrances to the
burrows were strewn with the skulls and other remains of rats (AZus),
the rodents apparently forming the greater part of the food of the owls.
Family BUBONIDA.
Genus Asio Brisson.
Asio BRISSON, Ornithologist, I, p. 28, 1760.
Range. — Absent in most of the Australian region, otherwise cos-
mopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago.
BIRDS 2647
47. ASIO GALAPAGOENSIS (Gould).
Brachyotus galapagoensis GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 10, 1837 (Gala-
pagos Islands).
Otus galapagoensis GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 32, pl. 3, 1841.
Asio galapagoensis Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 585, 1896. —
ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 175, 1899.
fange.— Chatham, Hood, Barrington, Indefatigable, Duncan,
James, Albemarle, Bindloe, Tower and Culpepper.
This species is a local form of the nearly cosmopolitan Aszo acctp-
ztr¢nus (Pall.). It differs from the latter species in having a some-
what larger bill and conspicuously larger feet; the middle toe meas-
uring about thirty two millimeters in length, while in A. acc¢pitrinus
it is about twenty seven millimeters. A. galapagoenstis differs also in
being generally darker and in having the brown streaks of the lower
parts wider and persistent upon the posterior part of the abdomen, on
the flanks, legs and under tail coverts.
This owl is more common on the Galapagos Archipelago than the
only other species found there, Strzx punctatissima. On some of
the islands it is fairly abundant, especially on Duncan and Barrington.
Throughout a part of its range this species must live entirely on birds
and insects, for on Tower, Culpepper and Hood there are apparently
no rodents. On Barrington and Duncan, where it is most numerous,
mice and rats are abundant.
A set of four incubated eggs was taken on Barrington Island May
29. The nest consisted merely of a slight depression scraped in the
scanty soil where it was found, to which no lining had been added.
The eggs are white and subspherical in shape, measuring 42.5 x 34.5;
42.5 X 343 43 X 34-53 41 X 34.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Aso galapagoensis.
2
Cat. No. Sta al é! sia! s| i é
at. oO. nm. * st
Univ. Mus. Locality. ai ale) ei=2) 8) 8
Hy id) Hu S
a
4976 Barrington. 2 | 340] 290] 146] 32 | 45 | 32
4716 Duncan. ‘1375 | 280/155! 32 | 43 | 31
Asio accipitrinus.
3181 Palo Alto, California. 2 280 | 150] 29 | 46 | 27
3157 Pullman, Washington. é 305 | 155| 27 | 46 | 26
Monomoy Island, Massachusetts.| ‘ 310/155] 30 | 46 | 27
268 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Family CUCULIDA.
Genus Coccyzus Vieillot.
Coccyzus VIEILLOT, Analyse, p. 28, 1816.
Range. — Temperate and tropical America. Galapagos Archi-
pelago.
48. COCCYZUS MELANOCORYPHUS Vieillot.
Coccyzus melanocoryphus ViEILLoT, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vl, p. 271,
1817. — Ripeway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XIX, p. 581, 1896 (Charles and
Chatham Islands). — ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p.
174, 1899.
Range. —Most of South America. Galapagos Archipelago:
Charles, Chatham and Albemarle.
We have one adult specimen taken in May on Chatham, where the
species was fairly common. On Albemarle we found it at the base
of the mountain back of Tagus Cove, where in March we secured
three young birds. Their notes are very similar to those of C. amerz-
canus. We have also one adult from Iguana Cove, Albemarle.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Coccyzus
melanocory phus.
a Pi
| 3 fd |S3/ 5/2
Cat. No. e bo fs a Bs a
stan. Univ. Locality. 3 bl) ei 3 B | ke 2 8
Mus. Spe) P|) Be leel & |
& a
4752 Chatham. & | 270} 115] 134] 26 I7 | 25.5 | 19.5
4328 Albemarle, Iguana Cove.} ‘‘ | 286] 112] 148]29.5] 19 | 26 [17
Family TYRANNIDZ.
Genus Myiarchus Cabanis.
Myiarchus Capanis, Arch, f. Naturg., p. 272, 1844.
Range. — All of America except arctic and antarctic regions. Gala-
pagos Archipelago.
Subgenus Eribates Ridgway.
Eribates RipGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xvi, p. 606, 1893. (Type, AZyzobius
magnirostris Gray .)
fange.— Galapagos Archipelago. Represented by one species.
‘¢ Tarsus as long as the bill from the rictus; lateral outlines of the bill
not contracted terminally. Otherwise similar to the subgenus Oxy-
chopterus” (Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xix, 1896, p. 568).
BIRDS 269
49. MYIARCHUS MAGNIROSTRIS (Gray).
Myiobius magnirostris Gray, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 48, 1841 (Chat-
ham Island).
Myiarchus magnirostris RiDGway, Proc. U. S, Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 569, 1896.
— ROTHSCHILD AND HartTeERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 171, 1899.
Range. — Chatham, Charles, Hood, Barrington, Indefatigable,
Duncan, Jervis, James, Albemarle, Narboro, Abingdon and Bindloe.
(Absent on only Wenman, Culpepper and Tower. )
Our specimens are from Narboro, Albemarle, James, Abingdon,
Bindloe, Hood and Chatham. No local variations have ever been
discovered in this species; it is one of the few peculiar land birds
which are the same on all the islands within its range.
We found the species rather common wherever it occurred, but it
was probably more abundant at Iguana Cove, Albemarle, than at any
other locality. The notes they generally uttered consisted of a liquid-
sounding whit-whit, sometimes varying to whit-weé, the note so com-
mon to all small flycatchers. The nidification and eggs are unknown.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF
Myiarchus magnirostris.
Weal Bs
Cat. No. St 412) 2! 2] & | se) sel Z
Univ. Mus” Locality. 4 z : & a a a s B
a 6 | oa] #a] 4
BIS
4418 Narboro. 3 | 167! 73 | 69 | 16.3) 7 II.5 | 21
4414 e Q 68 | 66 |15 |7 10.5 | 21
4079 Albemarle, Iguana Cove.| g | 150) 72 | 65 |16.5|6.5 |12 |21.5
4089 ss ae se ‘© 11571 71 | 66 {17 |6 II.7 | 21.5
4073, ee ee a @ | 154) 70 | 66 {15 |6.5 | 11.5|27
4054 «e se ae “| 155! 66 | 60 |15 |7 Il |22
4027 6 oe eg “e ) 152} 65 | 63 |16 |7 Il |21
4070 a6 ae ie ** | 157} 69 | 65 |15 |6.7 | 10.7|22.5
3924 as Tagus ‘ & | 150} 7o | 61 |16 |6.3 | 13.3) 2T
4251 : ee ae 2 | 165} 71 | 65 |15 |7 II |20
5276 Abingdon. So | 163] 72 | 67 |16.5)6.3 |12 [22.5
4720 Bindloe. “ 1 158} 69 | 65 |16 |7 12 |22
4812 Hood. “ | 764] 72 | 67 |16 |7 I2 |21
4493 James. “| y60] 73 | 69 |16 |6.7 | 11.5 }21.5
4533 “ Q | I59! 69 | 64 /15.5!7.5 | 11.3 121.5
Genus Pyrocephalus Gould.
Pyrocephalus GOuLp, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 44, 1841.
Range.— Tropical and subtropical America, except the West
Indies. Galapagos Islands.
270 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
50. THE PYROCEPHALUS NANUS SERIES.
50a. PYROCEPHALUS NANUS NANUS (Gould).
Pyrocephalus nanus Gou.Dd, Zool. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 45, pl. 7, 1841
(Galapagos Islands).—RipcGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 572,
1896 (James Island).—ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., vi,
Pp. 172, 1899.
Pyrocephalus intercedens RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvi, p. 366,
1894 (Indefatigable Island), and xIx, p. 575, 1896 (Indefatigable and
Albemarle Islands).
Pyrocephalus carolensis RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Xvi, p. 365,
1894 (Charles Island).
Range. — Charles, Indefatigable, Duncan, Jervis, James, Albe-
marle and Narboro.
We have seven adult males from Albemarle taken at Tagus Cove,
Elizabeth Bay and Iguana Cove in January, February and March,
three from the east and north sides of Narboro in January and April;
two from James in April; and one from Duncan in May. These
males present no perceptible differences, being all dark blackish-
brown on the back, dark vermilion on top of the head and bright,
lighter vermilion below. The collection contains also a small num-
ber of females from these same islands and from Charles, but they vary
so much in color that slight specific differences could not certainly be
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Pyrocephalus nanus
nanus.
q.|8
Cat. No. St d/a|/of dé leoglea]
Univ, Mus. Locality. 3 | 3 & | 2 |aa|se| 8
a | 2 a |se]ae| é
Z HM
B |S
5045 Albemarle, Tagus Cove.| $ | 137] 62 | 51 | 13.5] 6 9 |17
5153 ae ce 6c “ 135 64 6 18.7
3940 ee eS “| 137] 63 | 51 ]13-7) 7 |10 | 19.5
4123 “ ee Hs “ 1 728} 64] 54/14 | 7 9.7 | 18.3
4267 ee te Q@ | 132} 61 | 51 /12.5| 65] 9 |17
4062 He ee we “ 1 723/ 61 | 52 | 12.5] 6 8.5| 18
3947 m a * 1 130) 62 | 53 | 13 9 |18.7
4223 Albemarle,Elizabeth Bay.| gf | 133| 66] 53/14 | 7 9 |185
4292 mt ue ae “ 1138) 66 | 54 113 7 to |18
4299 we ae Ke “ | 140] 65 | 55 | 13.5} 6 9 |18.5
4417 Narboro. “| 136} 62] 54/13 | 5.7] 9 | 185
3879 a ‘e ) 128] 64] 52/12 | 5.5] 9 | 18
3886 se “ 1 136} 64] 52 | 13.51 6 9.5 | 18
#8 © | 135) 64] 50/13 | 65] 9.51/18
4531 James. $ | 135] 64] 53 ]13 | 5.5] 85119
4530 7 “| 132] 62] 51/13 | 6 Io | 18.5
4553 ee 2 | 130] 62] 51 | 12.7] 6 8.5 | 19
4625 Duncan. & | 135! 62 | 52 | 13.5] 6 9 |19
BIRDS 241
based on them. Hence we must agree with Rothschild and Hartert
in placing the individuals from Charles, Indefatigable, Duncan,
James, Albemarle and Narboro together in one species, including thus
under P. xanus nanus three of Ridgway’s species. The specimens
from Abingdon and Bindloe may perhaps be regarded as a separate
subspecies.
This species is nowhere very common, but occurs almost every-
where. The mangrove swamps of Albemarle and Narboro are a
favorite haunt of this bird, but we found it pretty generally distributed
from sea level to the tops of the highest mountains.
506. PYROCEPHALUS NANUS ABINGDONI (Ridgway).
Pyrocephalus abingdoni RipGWway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvil, p. 367, 1894
(Abingdon Island), and x1x, p. 578, 1896 (? Bindloe Island and Abing-
don Island).
Pyrocephalus nanus ROTHSCHILD AND HaARTERT (in part), Novit. Zool., v1,
Pp. 172, 1899.
Range. — Abingdon and Bindloe.
This form may very doubtfully be retained as different from the
last. Our specimens were all taken in June, while those of P. xanus
nanus were taken from January to May. The Abingdon and Bindloe
adult males, of which we have only three, differ from those of P. x.
manus in having a distinct orange shade to the vermilion of the under
parts, the color being rather conspicuously different from that of the
average males of P. x. xanus, but from some of the latter it is scarcely
distinguishable. This color is called by Ridgway ‘ flame scarlet or
orange chrome,” but we can scarcely recognize any such difference
as this.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /yrocephalus
nanus abingdont.
ee:
s op a Pe =O a
t. No. y a ev ie = 3
stan, Univ. Locality. 3 bo ] iE B | Ae | Bz 2
Mus. - % B 5 go = ag &
a &
5008 Abingdon. & 137 63 55 19
5071 ue ae I41 65 56 5.5 18.5
5047 Bindloe. ee 138 66 54 5.7 18
272 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
&
51. PYROCEPHALUS DUBIUS Gould.
Pyrocephalus dubius GOULD, Voy. Beagle, 1, Birds, p. 46, 1841 (Galapagos
Islands). — RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvil, p. 368, 1894 (Chat-
ham Island), and x1x, p. 579, 1896.— ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Novit.
Zool., VII, p. 173,1899.
Pyrocephalus minimus RiDGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XII, p. 113, 1890,
in text (Chatham Island).
Range. — Chatham Island.
This species differs from 2. zanus in having a shorter wing, the
wing not exceeding fifty nine millimeters in length and averaging about
fifty seven millimeters, while in P. zazus the wing varies from sixty
one to sixty six millimeters averaging about sixty three. We have
four adult males: two of them are decidedly orange-red below, much
more so than in P. zanus abingdonz; one of the others has less of an
orange shade, while the fourth is indistinguishable in color from ordi-
nary males of P. xanus.
We found this species fairly common on Chatham in May, where we
took four adult males and two adult females. They were perhaps more
plentiful in the upper cultivated parts of the island than elsewhere.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF
Pyrocephalus dubtus.
I I
ro eb ad g | Se | ae] «
Stan unie| Louxtity, 3 Ey 2 E # |] ga sg a
Mus. 3 5 3 33 & vA ra
5 =
4756 Chatham. é 132 58 49 12.5] 5.5 8.3 | 16.5
5748 eS ti 128 57 49 Il 6.5 8 16.3
5743 as as 129 58 46 11.7] 5.5 8 16.5
4875 “ in 134 | 59 | 52 | 13 55 | 85 | 16
4834 a 2 131 55 49 12 5 9 17
4807 ee we 129 56 48 11.5 | 6 8.5 17.5
5753 Hi is 129 | 57 | 49 | I 6 8.5 | 17.5
Family ICTERIDA.
Genus Dolichonyx Swainson.
Dolichonyx SWAINSON, Phil. Mag., I, p. 435, 1827.
Range. — Eastern North America, in winter south to South Amer-
ica. Galapagos Archipelago.
52. DOLICHONYX ORYZIVORUS (Linneus).
Fringilla ortztvora LINN&US, Syst. Nat., ed. x, p. 179, 1758.
Dolichonyx oryzivorus DaRwIN, Zool. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 106, 1841 (James
Island). — ROTHSCHILD AND HaARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 171, 1899
(Charles and Chatham Islands).
BIRDS 273
Range. — Same as that of the genus given above. On the Galapa-
gos Archipelago: James, Charles and Chatham.
We did not meet with this species. It is recorded simply as a winter
visitor, but five hundred and fifty miles of ocean is a long distance for
it to traverse accidentally.
Family FRINGILLIDA.
Genus Geospiza Gould.
Geospiza GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 5, 1837.
Cactornts GOULD, ibid., p. 6.
Camarhynchus GOULD, ibid., p. 6.
Platyspiza Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 545, 1896.
Cactospiza R1DGWAY, ibid., p. 546.
Range. — Peculiar to the Galapagos Archipelago and found on all
of the islands.
We follow Rothschild and Hartert in combining all the Fringillid
species of the Galapagos into one genus, Geospiza. It appears cer-
tain that they have all been derived from one form, and it is a matter
of convenience more than anything else to give them all one name.
Authors have heretofore disregarded the color in relating the species to
one another, and have established different groups on the shape of the
bill alone. The lines thus drawn have been found to break down, but,
as we shall show, four well separated groups can be recognized on a
color basis. These groups are nearly coincident with those that have
been established on the different shapes of the bill, and the ¢yZes of
the latter each fall into one of the groups as based on the color, so that
the same names may be retained. These groups are: Cactospzza,
Camarhynchus, Geospiza and Cactornis. We include them under
the genus Geosfiza as subgenera, but this is making simply an arbi-
trary difference of degree between genera and subgenera.
The members of the genus as a whole present, in the young and
adults, six different phases of plumage. Since these phases occur at
definite periods in the growth of the individual birds they may be
described as stages. The following are brief descriptions of these
stages, which, throughout the discussion of Geosfiza, we represent
by the Roman numerals I to VI. Stage I is described in detail under
G. pallida, and Stages II-VI under G. fuliginosa parvula.
Stage I. — General color yellowish-olive, darker above, pale below ;
wings dusky, the feathers widely edged with olive; middle and greater
wing coverts with yellowish rufous edgings. Bill yellowish, darker
above.
274 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
This stage is characteristic of the young in the first plumage of the
subgenera Cactospiza and Camarhynchus.
Stage II. — Plumage brownish, paler below, feathers with darker
centers showing specially as spots on the breast. Two wide, conspicu-
ous rufous wing bands formed on the tips of the middle and greater
wing coverts. Bill either entirely yellowish or yellowish below and
brownish or dusky above. Plumage soft and lax.
Characteristic of the young in the second plumage of Cactospiza
and Camarhynchus, and of the young in the first plumage of Geo-
Spiza.
Stage III, — Resembles Stage II in color, but differs in lacking
the rufous wing bands, the tips of the wing coverts are gray or
brownish-gray. Plumage compact, not soft and lax. Bill asin Stage
II or entirely dusky.
Characteristic of the adult male and female of Cactosfzza, of the
adult female and the young in the third plumage of Camarhynchus,
and of the adult female and young inthe second plumage of Geo-
Spiza.
Stage [V.— Dark brown above, spotted with blackish-brown be-
low, edges of feathers of breast and abdomen whitish. Bill mostly
brownish or black.
Characteristic of immature males in the fourth plumage of Cama-
rhynchus and the third of Geosfzza, and of adult females and young
in the first plumage of the lower numbers of Cactornzs.
Stage V.— Back, head, throat and breast continuously black;
wings sooty-brown; abdomen whitish. Bill black.
Characteristic of adult males of Camarhynchus, of immature males
in the fourth plumage of Geosféza, and of adult females and young
of the higher members of Cactornds.
Stage VI. — Entirely brownish-black or black, except the edges of
the under tail coverts which are whitish, buffy or chestnut. Bill
black.
Characteristic of adult males of Geosfiza and Cactornis.
From the above description it may be seen that the four subgenera
mentioned differ from one another in a very significant manner. The
differences may be tabulated as follows:
A. Adult females in Stage II.
1. Adult males in Stage IIT... eee Cactospiza.
2. Adult males in Stage V oo... cece eee Camarhynchus.
3. Adult males in Stage VI... Geospiza.
B. Adult females in Stages IV or V..................0008 Cactornis.
BIRDS 275
It will be seen from the above that there is in the genus a regular
progression toward complete melanism, z. e., toward a form in which
both sexes and all ages of the young would be entirely black. Hence,
it appears to us that the color may be taken as the most important fac-
tor in the evolution of the genus. Almost the only other variable
character is the beak. Hence, by plotting with the color variation as
the ordinate and the bill variation as the abscissa, we can arrive at an
approximate scheme of the relationships of the different subgenera,
species and subspecies of the genus. The diagram on page 276 is
formed in this way. This diagram is made out from the characters of
the males only, except in the upper or Cactornzs half of Stage VI, for
in all the others the females remain in Stage III.
The diagram shows that the young of Cactosfzza during their
growth pass through Stages I and IT while the adults never get beyond
Stage III. The young males of Camarhynchus traverse Stages I, I,
III and IV, arriving by maturity at Stage V. This is their ultimate
condition. The males and females of Geospiza begin at Stage II and
the male goes through all the stages up to Stage VI, which represents
the maximum of blackness attained by any of the Geospize. The
males of Cactornzs are the same when adult as the males of GeosZzza,
but both males and females in their growth begin at Stage IV (or go
very rapidly through Stages II and III). The female in this group
reaches Stage V, or a condition similar to it. Hence, the average
amount of blackness in the subgenus Cacforzzs, considering all the
forms, is greater than in Geospiza, and for this reason we place it
higher in the diagram. This scheme brings G. condrostris cont-
rostris at the top of the entire Geospiza series. The position of the
species in the diagram to the right or to the left of the main vertical line,
indicates the relative slenderness or thickness respectively of the bills.
The position of the species as given in the diagram certainly repre-
sents their degrees of resemblance, but we do not claim that zt cer-
tainly represents thetr natural relationships. We have no way of
determining to what extent convergent evolution has operated in caus-
ing forms to resemble one another. However, in the discussion of
the species and subspecies we have followed the order indicated in the
diagram, working in each direction away from the main vertical line.
Subgenus Cactospiza Ridgway.
Cactospiza RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 546, 1896 (Type, Cac-
tornis pallida Sclater and Salvin).
No black on the plumage at any stage. Sexes similar, and the
young resemble the adults. Color, above brown with dusky centers
SNODGRASS AND HELLER
240
Bills thick.
Bills slender.
*(snoaovarjo) *(spuvq Sura *(paxjods *(payjods -(ysrypetq szaed *(soriq Apomue 2) LA 881g
1 0821S snognz) [] edeyg |-umosq) TIT e8e3G] -YOeTG) AT eBeIG e107 LP) A e8eig “umoaq & “ysppryq &
S24 JSOAISSNALI SUA JSOAIUS DUL
sanehoeas en
ne eee
ase aan 52-4 J8O42UOD
DIA Gs wiajy finds
109 DY ae on
wad ee ee
ee psaaeaat vaburgosg
Sinaia sey
ee
| Sones
pe IPPIYISYIOL
sedans
ppryyog S242 lip puopsurgn
siete aes ae |
Sy oe pyos1yvf
eee
- “pz1gsiQnig “SNYIUAYADILDD *pz1gsoay *SIUALOJIDI
‘aSemmyg puosag ut "91U40]902 =
‘aZetmmn[d ISI Ut
Snyrudyavuny pue
D2z1gs0j9D) Jo BunoR
‘OBEN SIT UT
vzidsoasy Jo puew
‘aZeuin|g puosas ur
SNYIULYADULDD PUB
p2z2gsoj7nD Jo BUNOA
pzigsoay Jo sale
Buanogx ‘snyaucys
-DuDD pus vz1gs0ay
jo sofemoayt Npy
‘snygudyaviuDnyD
jo asemant[d Py
ul sajeW Sunox
‘aserminid sIly
Ul $240,997 JO
Bunox ‘asemn[d
PAIQL, ur vz1gsoayH
jo so]ey Sun0A
QZeuIn|d qyIn0g
Ul ‘snyoudyADUDD
jo sale duno, ,
‘nz1gdsojavD JO siINpY
jo SaTemag WNPV
‘osemn|[g puosss Ut
S2UL0JID JO S3TBIN
Sunog ‘adsemnid
qynoy ut v22¢s07
je sajeWw Junoy
SNYIULYADUDD
JO soTeW WUPV
*$1U4079D PUB Dz1Gs0ayH Jo Sale WUPV
‘T[EQ 9Y} JO azIs UT suOTELIVA JUdsa1da1 sadUL Isp [eJUOZIIOY | 10]09 UT seOUDIaBIP JUasordas saouEIsIp [BHAI A
‘VZIdSO4Q) AO SHIORUSENG ANV SHIOAdG AO SdIHSNOILVTAY AO WVASVIC
BIRDS 277
to the feathers, below buffy-white spotted with brown on the breast
and on the sides. Bill slender; culmen curved, not greater than
eighteen millimeters, contained one and one third times in the tarsus;
depth of bill about equal to gonys.
The two species at present known under this subgenus without
doubt stand nearer to the ancestral Geosfiza than does any other
known member of the genus. The plumage of the male and the fe-
male is the same and is identical with that of young birds of Cama-
rhynchus and Geospiza proper before they have begun to assume the
melanistic phase characteristic of all the higher Geosfize. Young
birds of this subgenus, in the first plumage, have a bright olivaceous
color, a character common to young birds of Cactospiza and Cama-
rhynchus but lost by all the members of Geospzza proper and of Cac-
tornis. The adults reach the brown-spotted stage attained by the young
of the other higher groups in Stage III. Hence, during their life
history, the members of Cacfospzza go through Stages I, II and III.
One member of the subgenus, G. Zeléodates, is an inhabitant exclu-
sively of the mangrove swamps of thearchipelago. It might be fanci-
fully supposed that these mangrove swamps were the first vegetation
on the islands and that G. helzobates, or an ancestor of the present
Geospize resembling it, lived in these swamps until the islands became
elsewhere fit for habitation; that then some of the birds ‘left the
swamps and became differentiated into the species of Camarhynchus,
Geospfiza proper, and Cactornis; while the others, remaining in the
swamps, retained their primitive plumage, and survive at present as
G. heliobates. The mangrove swamps were, most probably, the first
vegetation of the islands on which they occur, but they are not pres-
ent to any extent anywhere except on the southeast part of Albemarle,
along the shores of the straits between Albemarle and Narboro, and
at Elizabeth Bay, Albemarle. These islands do not by any means
appear to be the oldest of the archipelago and their mangrove swamps
stand on very recent lava. Hence the greater probability is that G.
heliobates has been derived from G. pallida, the member of Cacto-
spiza that inhabits the same areas as the other Geospize. The two
species differ only in the size of the bill.
53. GEOSPIZA PALLIDA (Sclater and Salvin).
Cactornis pallida SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 323,
1870 (Indefatigable Island).
Cactornis hypoleuca RiDGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XII, p. 109, 1890
(James Island).
Camarhynchus pallidus RrpGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 565, 1896;
Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 487, Igo1.
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
278 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Camarhynchus productus RrpGway, Proc. U.S, Nat. Mus., xvi, p. 364, 1894
(Albemarle Island) ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 566, 1896.
Geospiza pallida ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 165,
1899 (Indefatigable, Jervis, Duncan, James and Albemarle Islands).
Range. —Indefatigable, Jervis, Duncan, James and Albemarle.
Adult Male. — Cat. No. 4591, Leland Stanford Junior University
Museum; James Island, April 22, 1899. Above, plain light brown,
darker on the head where the feathers have distinctly dark brown
centers; lighter, almost grayish-brown on the rump and upper tail
coverts. Upper surface of wings and tail darker than the back, some-
what sooty-brown. The wing quills with narrow grayish outer
edgings, and wider slaty inner borders. The upper wing coverts with
indistinct grayish-brown edgings. Under wing coverts whitish.
Lores, superciliary line, subocular and auricular regions, and entire
under parts dirty buff gray, palest on the belly and under tail coverts.
Under parts most strongly tinged with brownish-buff on the breast and
along the sides. Throat and breast spotted with dusky. Bill black.
Feet dark brown. Length 148 millimeters, wing 75, tail 48, culmen
17.5, gonys 9.3, width of bill at base 7.3, depth of bill at base 9.5,
tarsus 24.
Immature. —Cat. No. 5225 Leland Stanford Junior University
Museum; Iguana Cove, Albemarle, June 9, 1899. Back almost
entirely pure yellowish-olive, the feathers of the head having slightly
dusky central areas. The lower parts are bright yellowish-buff, con-
siderably paler than the back. Wings and tail dusky with wide olive-
buff edgings to the feathers. The feathers of the breast and sides
without subterminal brown spots. Bill brownish-yellow above, pale
yellowish below. Feet dark brown (specimen moulting). This
plumage is what we have termed Stage I in the evolution of the color
of the Geospize.
The color of the specimen just described is identical with that of
young birds of the subgenus Camarhynchus. It was taken at about
one thousand feet elevation at the south end of Albemarle, near Iguana
Cove.
This species probably represents the ancestral Geospzza more nearly
than any other species of Geospzza now living. In plumage it is cer-
tainly primitive, for in the adult it reaches only the stage attained by the
immature birds of all the other species. Whether the bill has the
shape of the ancestral Geospzza or not is impossible to say, since the
variation of this member in the genus is so great that we can place no
reliance on the supposition that it has remained constant.
Geospiza pallida differs but little from the next species, G. heliobates
BIRDS 249
of the mangrove swamps of Albemarle and Narboro. The songs of
the two species are, however, very different. That of G. pallida, as
we heard it on James, may be represented thus: chir-heé @-2-2 chir-
kéé @-é-@. It is a rare bird, the two specimens above described are the
only ones we obtained.
54. GEOSPIZA HELIOBATES Snodgrass and Heller.
Geospiza heliobates SNODGRASS AND HELLER, The Condor, p. 96, Aug., 1901
(Albemarle Island).
fange. — Albemarle and Narboro in mangrove swamps.
Specific Characters. — Very similar to G. palléda, resembling it
in coloration, but having a smaller bill—the culmen being 15.5 milli-
meters or less in length, while in G. palléda it is 17 millimeters or
more in length.
Adult Male. — Cat. No. 4186 (type of the species), Leland Stan-
ford Junior University Museum; mangrove swamp at Tagus Cove,
Albemarle Island, Jan. 24, 1899. Above dark brown with an olive
tinge on the rump; all of the feathers of the dorsum with narrow pale
olive-grayish edgings; wing and tail feathers lighter, more smoky-
brown; lores, sides of head and under parts dirty buff-gray ; brownish-
buff on the sides and flanks; lores spotted with brown; feathers of the
breast and sides with dark brown central areas forming spots of the
same color. Tips of the greater and the middle wing coverts rather
indistinctly brownish-rufous, forming two inconspicuous cross bands.
Under wing coverts grayish; under tail coverts brownish-buff with
pale grayish edgings. Under surface of wing and tail feathers grayish-
brown. Bill black. Feet dark brown. Length 123 millimeters,
wing 72, tail 48.5, culmen 15, gonys 8, width of bill at base 6.5,
depth of bill at base 9, tarsus 21.5.
There is a slight variation in the paleness of the under parts in dif-
ferent specimens of adult males, some being slightly paler than the
type. Some also have a slightly more olive tinge to the plumage of
the back. There is present in a few specimens a very distinct gray
superciliary stripe ending behind the eye above the auricular region ;
in others this stripe is less distinctly marked or entirely absent. There
is no distinguishing difference between the Albemarle and Narboro
specimens.
Adult Female. — Female specimens having the plumage very much
worn are almost identical in coloration with the males, but generally
have fewer and smaller spots below. Above, the plumage is blackish
on the head, almost pure olive-brown on the back, with the central
280 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
areas of the feathers darker. Wing and tail feathers dark brown with
olive-buffy edgings.
There is considerable variation in the color of the adult females.
Some are, as described above, almost exactly the same as the males,
but others have the lower parts plain buff-gray with no spots whatever.
Immature Males and Females. — Feathers of the head and back
with blackish centers and olive-yellowish borders, on the head the
black predominates, on the rump the olive-yellow, on the back the
two are present in almost equal proportions. Wing and tail dark
brown with buff edgings to the feathers; these edgings are widest and
most conspicuous on the tips of the greater and middle wing coverts.
Under parts similar to the adult male, having the same spots, but
generally paler. Bill dusky or brownish above, pale brown or yel-
low below. Feet dark brown.
Still younger birds (represented only by males in our collection)
are colored like the last but have no spots on the under surface, being
plain dirty grayish below with a buff tinge, especially on the breast
and along the sides.
We have no females of this stage but it is to be supposed from
analogy that they do not differ from the males.
The extent of the olive coloring on the upper parts varies according
to the abrasion of the plumage. We have no specimens of this species
in the purely olive and yellow plumage characteristic of Stage I, but
since this plumage is well represented by G. pallida we may expect
to find it present in G. helzobates.
Rothschild and Hartert’ make the following remark concerning
Geospiza pallida: ‘*The birds which are olive and buffish yellow
below are immature ones, but it is somewhat puzzling to account for
the distinct blackish brown stripes on the lower throat, chest and sides
of the body in some of them. Neither the apparently most adult
ones, nor the most yellowish, and therefore, according to our view,
youngest of the series, have these stripes well developed.” The facts
of the case are as follows (applicable to either species of the subgenus) :
(1) The youngest birds of each sex are unspotted below; (2) older
immature birds of both sexes have the lower parts profusely spotted,
in some cases even more so than in the adults; (3) adult males are
generally more or less spotted below; (4) adult females may be
spotted below or they may be entirely plain there. The apparent in-
congruity pointed out by Rothschild and Hartert of some of the females
losing their spots in maturity may be explained as follows: The indi-
1Novitates Zodlogice, v1, p. 166, 1899.
BIRDS 281
vidual feathers of the spotted regions of both immature and adult birds
are pale slaty-gray basally; toward the tip is an arrow head shaped
spot of dark brown with the apex directed toward the distal part of
the feather; beyond this and forming the exposed margin of the feather
is a buffy-gray area. The youngest birds, represented by the olive
and yellow specimens of G. falléda have no brown spots on the
feathers of the lower parts. Our specimen is moulting. Hence, the
spotted plumage ts obtained by a moult involving a change in the
color of the feathers. The individual feathers of the adults that are
plain below and of those that are spotted below are the same in color,
but those that are unspotted are new, and show no signs of being
worn, while those of the spotted birds are so greatly worn that nearly
all the pale marginal part has been lost. Hence this difference in the
general coloration of the birds is not one of an actual difference in the
color of the feathers, but is a difference of the degree of abrasion of
the plumage.
The immature spotted birds have the plumage very soft and lax, and
the tips of all the feathers are rough and ragged as if much worn away.
We have no specimens of this age having a fresh plumage, but it is
evident that if the feathers of the worn birds were entire the brown
spots below would be concealed, and then immature birds would
present the same two phases as do the adults. All of our immature
spotted birds are moulting so that between this stage and the adults a
moult intervenes.
Hence there is in Geospiza pali/da and G. heliobates no real color
difference between the males and the females. Immature birds in the
second plumage, 7. e., in Stage II, differ from the adults only in having
the bill paler in coloration — brownish above and yellow below; in
the plumage being softer and more lax, and in possessing wider, more
distinct and more buffy wing bands formed of the pale edgings of the
middle and greater coverts. This latter character distinguishes birds
of this stage in all the subgenera and may be regarded, when com-
bined with a non-olivaceous plumage, as diagnostic of Stage II.
Hence between Stage II and the adults a moult intervenes, but ths
moult involves only a slight change in the color of the plumage.
In its habits Geospiza heldobates is the most interesting species of
all the Geosfize. It inhabits exclusively the mangrove swamps and
feedsoninsects. Whether it occurs on other islands besides Albemarle
and Narboro we do not know. These swamps in many places con-
sist merely of a narrow fringe of trees bordering shallow lagoons that
run inward from the shore; but in other places, such as at Turtle
282 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Point, Elizabeth Bay and Villa Mil, Albemarle, and along the east
shore of Narboro, depressions of the surface of considerable extent hea
short distance back from the shore and these fill up with water at high
tide, but have generally no visible connection with the ocean. At such
places there occur large, dense groves of the mangrove tree and of
another tree, Avicennéa, which is always associated with it. At high
tide the bases of these trees are covered several feet in depth, while
at low tide the floor of the swamp is generally exposed except for
scattered pools of water. It is only in the denser, interior parts of
such groves as these that Geospiza heliobates is found. The birds
seldom come out to the edge of the swamp, but they may easily be
taken if one can find a clear space near the center of the grove.
They are not timid or wary, but seem simply to prefer the denser and
more shaded parts of the swamps. Their food consists entirely of
insects which they obtain under the bark of the trees.
The notes of this species are as distinctive of it as is its habitat. We
first heard the birds in January in the grove at Turtle Point, just
north of Tagus Cove, on Albemarle. The song resembled ¢zr-tdr,
tér-tir, tér-tir, the set of two syllables being generally repeated
three times in succession, although sometimes more and sometimes
only twice. The sound was varied somewhat and often resembled
twér-twér, twér-twér. The notes are uttered rather loudly and have
a very striking sound when heard issuing from the depths of a dense
and apparently otherwise uninhabited grove. The birds seem to utter
the notes almost constantly, and their presence and location in a swamp
may always be known by their song.
We observed the species in the swamps of the east shore of Nar-
boro during January, March and April, and did not perceive any dif-
ference between the habits or notes of the birds here and those at
Turtle Point, Albemarle. The species was also observed in two
large groves situated two or three miles apart, on the north shore of
southern Albemarle, a few miles west of Elizabeth Bay. It was at
once apparent, however, on listening to the birds of these swamps
that their song differed from that of the Tagus Cove and Narboro
birds. Instead of each set of notes in the song consisting of ¢wo syl-
lables, it consisted of three. Each trisyllabic set was repeated two or
three times just as with the others. The song, hence, resembled
tiir-tur-tur, tiir-tir-tur, tur-tur-tir. Tach swamp was visited twice ;
the birds were not scarce in either, and only now and then were bisyl-
labic sets heard. We visited the Turtle Point swamp again in March
and the birds here were singing, as before, their bisyllabic song.
BIRDS 283
Besides the song just described the species has several ordinary
notes. One resembles cheek, the & sound at the end distinguishing it
from the notes of other Geospize. The vowel sound of this may be
varied to chddk, but the terminal & is retained. When hopping about
they also utter a very low sound resembling cheep. Another common
note very characteristic of the species, and one by which it may readily
be known, is a rather harsh, prolonged sound, having 2 as the vowel
and the stress declining toward the end.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geosprza heliobates.
Ba |B |
Ea} d Ay A. ee a
at. No. , = bo i=l 4 BN en: | Sey Fd
Suncimes'| tocatity. | 2) B | 2 | a | 8 | 8 jsalea lee] &
a 6 | O | ee) oe | kA] &
Fe lq |é
4491 Narboro. & | 137/69.5| 44.5] 15.5) 85 | 7 9.25) II | 21.5
4492 se “ | 132} 73.5|/46 |15.5| 8.25) 7.5 | 8.5 | 10.5] 21
3896 a “ | 728)72 |47 |15 | 8 7 8 |10 |23
4109 “ “| ya7}7r |49 |15 | 8 7 g_ | 10.5 | 22
4479 a Q | 130) 70.5] 405/15 | 8.3 | 7 9.5 | 10 | 21.5
4496 st “ | 157/71 |40.5115.5| 8 7 8.5 | 10.5 | 20.5
3911 * 1133/73 [53 |153}8 | 7 | 9 jIr 123
4186 Albemarle. & | 123/72 |485/15 | 8 6.5 | 9 | 10.3 | 21.5
4161 ie “ | 126/70 | 48.5115 | 8 uf 8 |r | 2n.5
4226 ue “1 733/71.5145 115.5) 85 | 65 | 8 | 10.5 | 23.5
4266 “6 * | 127/69 139 |15 | 8 6.5 | 8 | 10.5] 21.5
4166 ss “ ) y22)71 |42 {15 7.5 | 6.7 | 8.3 |Io | 21.5
4I24 os “ | 728/72 |43 |15 | 8 6.5 | 8.7 |Io | 21.5
4122 . “ ) 125/73 143 [15 | 7-7) 7 9 |I0 | 22
4130 a “ | 129/74 |45.5/15 | 7-7| 7 | 85 | 9.5] 22.3
4173 ic “ | 128/73 |50 |15 | 8 6.7 | 8.3 |I0 23
5142 ae © | 137/67.5|/46 | 15.5] 8 7 8 | 10.5 |20
4249 “s “ | 132 169.5 | 42.5|15.3| 7.5 | 6.7 | 8 Io |22
4157 ge “ )138}71 144 {15 |9 !7 | 9 | 11-5] 22.5
4177 us “ |} t12/70 |42 |14.5] 8 6.7 | 7.7 |1o | 21
4213 ee “ | y42]70 |42.5/15 | 87 | 67) 8 {11 | 21.7
4242 ae “ | 136/68 |41.5/15 | 85 | 6 7.5 |Io | 21
4138 “ | 120}70 |45 }14 | 8 7 8.7 |Io | 22
4135 Ke “ | 125/69 |46 | 15.3] 8 7 9 10.5 | 21.5
4192 ee “ | 722/68 |44 |15 | 7.7 | 65 | 8 9.7 | 22
4146 o “ | 723/69 |51.5|15 | 8 7 8.7 | 10.3 | 22
We know nothing concerning the breeding habits of the species.
The nesting season apparently does not begin till after March. It is
still to be determined, also, whether the bird occurs in the mangrove
swamps of other islands such as Indefatigable.
There are in the collection seven adult males, seven adult females,
five immature males and one immature female from the mangrove
swamp at Turtle Point north of Tagus Cove, Albemarle, taken in
January; two adult males, two adult females and one immature male
.
284 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
from the swamps at Elizabeth Bay, Albemarle, taken in February ;
four adult males, two adult females, one immature male and five im-
mature females from the mangrove swamps on the east shore of Nar-
boro Island, taken in January, March and April; and one adult female
from Tagus Cove, Albemarle, taken in June.
We have examined also specimens of this species in a collection be-
longing to Captain W. Johnson, of San Francisco, collected in 1900
and 1901 by Mr. G. M. Green, of San Francisco. The specimens
are from the mangrove swamps at Tagus Cove, Albemarle, and also
from the mangrove swamps on the southeast part of Albemarle, abreast
of the Crossman Islands. They are exactly the same as our birds
from Tagus Cove, Elizabeth Bay and Narboro. Mr. Green obtained
one specimen of Geospiza pallida from the eastern side of the moun-
tain south of Perry Isthmus.
In the preceding table No. 4186 was taken mated with No. 4138.
Subgenus Camarhynchus Gould.
Camarhynchus GouLp, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 6, 1837. (Type Cama-
rhynchus psittacula Gould.)
Adult males with the back, head, throat and breast blackish.
Sexes dissimilar. Female never blackish. The young resemble the
adult female. Bill conical with the culmen strongly curved.
The males of this subgenus go through Stages I to V. This is an ad-
vance of two stages beyond the stage attained by the males of the last
subgenus. The female remains in Stage III. Birds in Stages I and II
have the bill yellowish. Inthe higher stages the bill is generally black.
There is but slight variation in the shape of the bill. The species
can be most naturally arranged in a series graded by the size of the bill,
beginning with the smallest billed form and ending with the largest.
Among the specimens there is considerable variation in color, but it is
probable that the males of all the species eventually attain the stage in
which the entire upper and fore parts are blackish, although such
forms have not been reported for all the species. But many are rare
and black males are unknown only in the rarer species.
55. THE GEOSPIZA PROSTHEMELAS SERIES.
55a. GEOSPIZA PROSTHEMELAS PROSTHEMELAS
(Sclater and Salvin).
Camarhynchus prosthemelas SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond.,
p. 323, fig. 4, 1870 (4yfe, from Indefatigable Island), — Ripaway, Proc.
U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 563, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1,
p. 485, Igol.
BIRDS 285
ce aa Brosthemelas ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 169,
1899.
Range. —Narboro, Albemarle, James, Duncan, Jervis, Indefatig-
able, Charles, Gardner (near Charles), Barrington and Cowley.
Adult Male. — Cat. No. 4536, Leland Stanford Jr. University
Museum; James Island, April 21, 1899. Head and neck all around
and breast black. Back and upper surface of wings and tail dark
dusky brown. Rump and upper tail coverts paler brown. Belly and
under tail coverts white; sides and flanks brownish; lower part of
breast white, streaked with black. Lower surface of wings and tail
grayish-brown. Under wing coverts dusky-gray anteriorly, whitish
posteriorly. Bill black. Feet dark brown. Length 105 millimeters,
wing 63, tail 38, culmen 10.7, gonys 5.7, width of bill at base 6.3, depth
of bill at base 8, maxilla from nostril 7, tarsus 20,5.
There is a considerable amount of variation amongst the fifteen
specimens of adult males in the collection, specially in the coloration
of the lower parts. Some have the back and upper surface of the wings
lighter than in the one described, contrasting more strongly with the
black of the head. The feathers of the throat and breast may have only
the central areas black, the marginal parts being white. In some not
only the belly but the lower part of the breast and the sides are white,
the sides being streaked with brown. Still others have almost no
dusky below, except on the throat, where the central areas of the
feathers are black, the general color of the under parts in such speci-
mens being yellowish-olive, shaded on the breast and sides with buff.
The top of the head may be black with narrow olive-yellowish edges to
the feathers, the back, wing- and tail-coverts olive-brownish, with the
central areas of the feathers darker, the wing and tail quills brown with
yellowish-olive edgings. The bill in such specimens is entirely black,
indicating that the birds are adults. Since comparatively few of the
males have purely black heads, we may assume that the acquisition of '
this character is rather late in the life of the bird.
Adult Female. —Cat. No. 4372, Leland Stanford Jr. University
Museum; Tagus Cove, Albemarle, March 18, 1899. Feathers of the
upper parts dark brown centrally, with yellowish-olive borders nar-
rowest on the head and widest on the lower back and rump. Wings
and tail dusky-brown, the feathers edged with yellowish-olive. Lower
parts dirty buffy-gray, whitish on the belly. Obsolete streaks of brown
on the breast and sides. Bill black. Feet brownish-black.
The streaking of the under parts and the proportion of olive and
brown on the back in adult females varies, but such differences are
286 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
apparently due to the degree of abrasion of the feathers. Some of the
females have a pale superciliary stripe, a character of the young of
Camarhynchi and adults of G. pallida.
Immature Males and Females (Stage Il). — Upper parts blackish
and olive, the black occupying the central areas of the feathers and
the olive the edges. In some the olive predominates, in others the
black. Under parts buffy-grayish, in older specimens streaked with
brown in the breast. Middle and greater wing coverts with wide buffy
tips forming two bands across the wing. Bill pale yellowish. Feet
brown.
Young Males and Females (Stage 1). — Above olive-brownish, the
brown color occupying the central areas of the feathers, the edges of
the feathers yellowish-olive, this color often almost concealing the
darker central color. Wings as in older specimens. Below pale
yellowish-olive or buff, obscurely streaked on the breast and sides
with brown. <A yellow superciliary stripe.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF (Greospiza
prosthemelas prosthemelas.
a is 2
a./a@./ ee,
Cat. No. = ae ee Sl uf, Se] g
Stan, Univ. Locality. g on a 3 E 2 Bg = ais g 2
Mus. ¥ EB a G ra) 3 a3 Be ro
EF |}Aa |a
4427 Narboro. 2 | 106] 57.5 | 39.5 | II 6 6.5 | 8 7-5 | 20.5
4317 Albemarle. | gf | 115|62 /38 |11.5| 6 6 8.5 | 7.5 |20
4396 ae “ | t10o/6r |36 |ir | 5.5} 6 8 7 |20
4246 ae ‘“ | 713/61 139 |10.7] 5.5 | 65 | 8 7 |205
4310 a “ | yar/6r |39 | 11.5] 6 65 | 85 | 8 | 205
4327 ‘| t10/64 |37.5/11 | 5.7) 65 | 83} 7 1207
4362 ee “ ) 116/60 |39 |II | 5.5 | 6.3 | 8 7 |20
4257 ae “ 7 113 |62.5/41 |12 | 5.5 | 6518 7 |2r
4105 i “ | t10}62 |44 |11.3] 5.7 | 6.3; 8 7 |20
4234 e Q | 117)60 143 [Ir (5315.5 |7-7!7 |195
4155 es “ | yir}58 |42 |1r | 5.5 | 63) 8 7 |I9
4318 us “1 116 | 60.5 | 33-.5| 11-5] 5.5 | 6.5 | 7 7 19.5
4268 as “ ) 11} 6r 137 | 10.5] 5.3 | 6 v4 6.5 | 20
4372 ue ‘“ } tro/6r 137 | 10.5! 5.3 | 65 | 85] 7 19
4536 James. & | 105/63 |38 | 10.7] 5.7 | 6.3] 8 7 |20.5
4544 oe “ ) 112/62 | 36.5] 11 5.3 | 65 | 7.717 19.7
4509 ae ‘© ) 110/63.5|45 | 11 5 6 7.5 | 6.7 | 20
oy “| 115 |62.5)39 | II 5-3 | 6 7 6.5 | 20
4532 fie ‘* | 306164 | 46 | 11.5] 6 6.3 | 7.3 | 7.7 |20
4527 we “ | tr0}62 |42 |1II 5-3 | 6 75 \7 |19.5
4605 ee wzr/56 |38 |/11.5} 5.5 | 6 75 \7 |18.5
4554 ae “| 104]60 |4t |r | 5.3)5.7);8 17 {19
4739 Charles. 115/62 |40 ,;12 | 5.7|65;8 7.5 | 18.7
4727 ee “ | 115/62 |39.5/11.7! 5.5 | 6 8.5 | 7.3 | 20
4732 ws 120] 58.5/38 | 11.3] 5.5 | 6 7.317 |19
4741 ae “ J) yr0o/60 |35 |11.5| 5.5 | 6 7 7 120
BIRDS 287
On these olive-yellowish specimens there is not enough brown be-
low on the feathers to give the color of the spotted immature form
merely by a wearing away of the paler marginal parts of the feathers.
Hence, there must be, asin the case of G. pallida, a moult inter-
vening between the olive-yellow stage and the spotted stage involving
a change in the color of the feathers. When feathers are acquired
having large subterminal brown spots the olive above and the yellowish
below may yet, however, be indefinitely retained through not being
worn off so as to expose the brown.
Our specimens were taken at Iguana Cove, Albemarle, in Decem-
ber and March; at Tagus Cove, Albemarle, in June; on James in
April, and on Duncan and Charles in May.
This is the smallest species of the subgenus Camarhynchus and one
of the smallest of the Geospzze, being about the same size as G. fulig-
znosa. The bill is nearest in shape to that of the subgenus Geospzza
and probably represents the first step in the bill variation along the
Camarhynchus line.
The following two pairs of specimens were taken mated with each
other: Nos. 4246-4268, 4532-4554.
5s. GEOSPIZA PROSTHEMELAS SALVINI (Ridgway).
Camarhynchus salvint Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvii, p. 364, 1894
(Chatham Island), and x1x, p. 561, 1896; Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt.
I, p. 486, IgoI.
Geospiza salvini ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vI, p. 169,
1899.
Range. — Chatham.
This form is very close to G. p. prosthemelas, averaging slightly
larger with a heavier bill, approaching G. pauZera in size.
The collection contains seven adult specimens from Chatham taken
in May. Five are apparently adult males, one of which has the head
and throat black, but the color does not extend so far down on the
chest and sides as it does in most of the adult males of G. J. pros-
themelas. The other males, apparantly immature in plumage, are
streaked below anteriorly, being in the plumage described as adult
by other authors. Our specimens are no more olivaceous than those
from Albemarle, but are considerably more so than those from
James.
The Charles Island specimens of G. p. prosthemedas is intermediate
in size between G. p. salvint and G. Z. prosthemelas of the other
islands, although some specimens from most of the islands within the
range of the latter species are equal to G. p. salvini in size.
288 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza
prosthemelas salvinz.
a ee
| a G koe oe | Sa G
Cat. No. j a @ > |$8/ 88/58
stan. Univ. Locality. 3 be A E g 3 Pa of Be, é
Mus. eli ais 3 | a3 | a| 4
a Q &
4794 Chatham. | $ ; 125| 66] 4o 12 | 6 6.7 | 8.5 | 7.3 | 21.5
4823 ee * | 123} 69 | 4o |12.5] 6 4 9.3 | 8.3 | 21.5
4711 es ‘© | 122} 62] 39 | 13 6.5 | 6.5 | 8 8.5 | 21
4802 as “| 24] 63 | 39 |12.5| 6.3 | 6.7 | 8.71 8 21.3
4710 a © | 115|} 59 | 35 | 11 6 6:3) 8 (7 |26.5
4708 He “| 322! 62 | 37 |12 | 63 8.5 | 20.5
56. GEOSPIZA PAUPERA (Ridgway).
Camarhynchus pauper RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1, p. 111, 1889,
and XIX, p. 559, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 483, 1go1.
Geospiza paupera ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., 111, p. 169, 1899.
Range. — Charles Island.
This species approaches G. haéelz in the shape of the bill but it is
much smaller and the adult males have the head and chest less blackish.
We have three specimens, two of which are adult males, but both
lack blackish heads, being streaked on the throat and chest with dark
brown. These were taken near the higher central part of the island
to which they seem to be confined, none being seen near the coast.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza paupera.
s/ 48
Cat. No, | a |e] &@) 2 | & eal Ss
Stan, Univ. Locality. 3 be a a 5 3 a 83 é
at Ce ea 6 ,;°/ #8] # | hale
| | jal a le
4788 Charles. 135| 69 | 47 | 14 | 7.3.| 7 | 9.5 | 95 | 21
4740 | “| 118] 70 | 39 |13.3/ 63] 719 | 85 | 22
57. GEOSPIZA HABELI (Sclater and Salvin).
Camarhynchus habeli SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc., pp. 323, 325,
fig. 3, 1870.— RipGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xrx, p. 555, 1896; Bull.
U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 480, Igol.
Camarhynchus bindloet RrpGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVIII, p. 294,
1895, and XIX, p. 556, 1896.
Geospiza habeli ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 168,
1899.
Range. — Abingdon and Bindloe.
BIRDS 289
This species is intermediate in size between G. pstttacula and G.
affints, but with a differently shaped bill. The bill is not so deep and
considerably more elongate.
We have three adult specimens of this species from Abingdon and
Bindloe. Immature birds common on Abingdon, but adults rare,
only two having been seen. Only a few seen on Bindloe.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza habelt.
; s/48
Cat. No. Fs g|/¢)28 |e /é8] ¢
eta Uaiv. Locality. 4 | & aldilael|e|e]a Pe 2
Mus. n o Ss H 3 6 — 4 mo bt
tal (3) a a az, i
i] a
. a} male
5200 Abingdon. & | 130] 71/39 |16 | 85 | 85 | II | 10.5] 22
5141 Bindloe. “ | r40|] 69 | 44.5/16 | 8 8.3 | Ir | 10.7] 23
5131 ae @ | 144] 73 146 |16.5] 7.7 | 8 10.5 | 10.3 | 21.5
58. GEOSPIZA INCERTA (Ridgway).
Camarhynchus incertus RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVIII, p. 294, 1895
(James Island) and x1x, p. 560, 1896; Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1,
p-. 482, Igol.
Geospiza incerta ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 168, 1900
(James and Duncan Islands).
Range. — James and Duncan.
This species was not seen by us. According to Rothschild and
Hartert it is a very doubtful form and is probably not different from
G. affinis.
59. GEOSPIZA AFFINIS (Ridgway).
Camarhynchus afinis RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVII, p. 365, 1894,
and XIX, p. 554, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 481, Igor.
Goespiza affinis ROTHSCHILD AND Harter, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 168, 1899.
Range. — Albemarle.
This species is very similar in the shape of the bill to G. pstttacula
psittacula, All of our specimens are considerably smaller than the
specimens of G. p. pséttacula, but the two would probably be found
to intergrade if a large series could be compared.
We have five specimens from Iguana Cove, Albemarle, two of
which are adult males; the others have immature plumage, but have
black bills and are of adult size. This species is not common at
Iguana Cove and appears to be very rare about Tagus Cove, where
only a single immature specimen was secured during several weeks of
collecting.
In June these birds were heard at Iguana Cove singing a song which
may be represented by ¢wir'e-twee-twee-ee-e.
290 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF Geospiza afints.
Cat =e <
cat dlali| § | sige] alas] 4
Stan. Locality. 3 2 a é & 5 ae Aa aA 4
Mus. S/F)" |) 3 lo lgel gsieal] 8
a | & &
4335 | Albemarle, Iguana Cove. |Ad, $ |127/66!40]12 |6.5)8 |10.5| 8.5 | 22
4041 ae ae me “ l327169/ 47/14 | 6.5/8 | Io 9.3 | 24
5104 ee ee «© \Im. $ |130] 67} 42| 13 | 6.3) 7.7) 10 8.5 | 20
3884 a es i a 130] 69| 40] 13.7|7 | 7.7/10.5| 9 | 21.5
4071 a a as ‘© Jr20] 68} 44/13 | 6.3/7.3) 9 8 | 20.5
60. THE GEOSPIZA PSITTACULA SERIES.
60a. GEOSPIZA PSITTACULA PSITTACULA (Gould).
Camarhynchus psittaculus GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 6, 1837.—RIDGwayY,
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 552, 1896 (James Island ?); Bull. U.S.
Nat. Mus., 50, Part I, p. 477, 1901.
Camarhynchus rostratus RIDGWAY, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XvII, p. 363, 1894.
Camarhynchus conpresstrosivts RipGWay, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvuI, p.
294, 1895, and XIX, p. 558, 1896.
Geospiza psittacula pstttacula ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vit,
“p. 167, 1899.
Range.—James, Jervis, Indefatigable, Duncan and Barrington.
Only four specimens of this species are in the collection, two of
which are adults from James, one immature male from Barrington,
and a young female from Indefatigable.
This species approaches nearer G. crasstrostr¢s in the shape of the
bill than does any other of the smaller species of the subgenus Cam-
arhynchus, but it stands much nearer G. affints, which is perhaps
only a smaller billed subspecies. In size and coloration it approaches
closely to G. Aadelz but the bill is much thicker and the culmen more
convex.
This is, apparently, a rare species throughout itsrange. It is found
sparingly on James, where four were seen during two days of col-
lecting.
MEASUREMENTS OF Geospiza psittacula psittacula.
2.12.18
s q 6 |} Be} Gl Ed] a
Cat. No. bo] Y > | f= | ee) | 3
Bian Gain Locality. 8 ¥ 3 & & 8 Pa alg 83 4
Mus. % |B § | Oo | go] gs Baloo
ow wo
a a a
4528 James. Ad. | 130/74) 44] 16] 7.7]| 9 |II.5|10 | 22.7
4473 . “ 1 125;75| 45} 16] 8 8.5 | 1 10.7 | 24
4977 Barrington. |Im. ¢ | 129|69| 40 | 15 | 7.3 | 8 [12 |1o | 22
BIRDS 291
603. GEOSPIZA PSITTACULA TOWNSENDI (Ridgway).
Camarhynchus townsendi R1DGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XII, p. I10, 1890.
Camarhynchus psittacula RIDGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIX, p. 552, 1896.
Geospiza psittacula townsendi ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
Pp. 167, 1899.
Range. — Charles Island.
We did not procure any specimens of this form. It was described
from Charles by Ridgway in 1890, but in 1896 included by him under
G. pstttacula. In 1899 Rothschild and Hartert doubtfully based the
subspecies G. pstttacula townsend? on four specimens from Charles.
61. GEOSPIZA CRASSIROSTRIS (Gould).
Camarhynchus crassirostris GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 6, 1837 (Gala-
pagos Islands). — Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xrx, p. 551, 1896.
Camarhynchus variegatus SLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., pp.
323, 324, 1870. —Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 549, 1896.
Geospiza crasstrostris ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 166,
1899.
Platyspiza crassirostris RIDGWAY, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt 1, p. 474, Igo.
Range. — Charles, Chatham, Indefatigable, Jervis, James, Duncan,
Albemarle, Narboro, Abingdon and Bindloe.
This is the most abundant and widely spread species of the subge-
nus Camarhynchus, and, as do the other species of the same group,
it inhabits the moister and more wooded regions of the Archipelago.
We found it common on the higher parts of Narboro, at Iguana Cove
on Albemarle and on James. It is also common at the eastern end of
south Albemarle.
In size and proportions of the bill Geospiza crasstrostris stands
apart from the other species of Camarhynchus, being much larger and
having a much thicker and wider bill, it having been made by Ridg-
way, on account of this last character, the type of a separate subge-
nus, flatyspiza. In coloration it resembles the smaller species, but
the males are more olivaceous and not so extensively blackish anteriorly
and the females are more streaked below.
On the south side of Narboro, at an elevation of about two thousand
feet, this species was found nesting in April. A nest containing four
incubated eggs was taken April 5 in the branches of an acacia bush
three feet above the ground.
This nest is ovate in shape, the lower end being the larger, covered
above, and has the entrance in one side above the middle. It is com-
posed of small, dry, flexible, tendril-like twigs of some vine, woven
all through which are mat-like masses of a yellowish (when dead)
lichen. The height of the nest is 150 millimeters, and the width at
292 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
the entrance is 120 millimeters. The entrance is ovate with the larger
end below; the vertical diameter is 65 millimeters, the transverse 50
millimeters. There is no special lining to the nest. The floor is very
compact and hard.
The eggs are about the size and shape of those of G. strenua but
differ somewhat in coloration. The ground color is pale greenish-
white, marked chiefly about the larger end, but not in the form of a
wreath with brownish, chestnut, umber and lavender. The darker
markings are confined to the apex where they sometimes form short
scrawly marks. One of the specimens lacks the darker markings of
the large end and is quite indistinguishable from specimens of G.
strenua. Three of the eggs measure 24 x 17, 23 X 18, 24 X 14.
The song of this species is very different from any of the typical
Geospiza songs. It was heard only on Narboro and sounded like
chér-ké-réé-zeé-eé-e. The song begins low and is gradually brought
up to a climax at the finish.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF
Geospiza crassirostris.
ais |8
nt bb a 3 ry Be os Ga a
stan Univ. Locality. 8 ) £ & z:| a BS a a s z &
pause 4 6 | ° | ge] ee] a] 6
a |a |e
4443 Narboro. & | 166/77.3156 |15 7-3.| 9.3 }11.5|10 | 24.5
4421 e “© | 154 | 81.3 | 52.5} 14.7] 7 9.5 |12.5|10 | 27
4452 ee “) 161) 77 |52.5/14.5| 7 8.5 | 11.7} 9.7) 26
4445 ae “ 1 764)/78 (54 |15.5| 7 9.5 | 11.7} 10 | 24.5
3878 ee “1155/83 |48 |17 7 'to 12.3}10 | 28
4422 at 2 | 158/76 |53.7/15 | 67 | 8.7 |I1.5|I0 | 24
4451 ee “| 16r)76 | 5% | 135) 7 | 85 |1n.5! 9.3! 265
4454 0 a 775|5% |14 | 7 | 9.5 |11.5)10 | 27.5
4450 ae “* ) 164/72 |52.5/14.5] 6.5 | 9.5 | 125/10 | 25.5
3972 2 “7 -157;78 153 |16.51 7 9 |1I2 |10 | 25.5
3934 Albemarle. | g | 158/83 |52 |16.3! 7 |10 |12.5| 9.7) 27
3954 ie |) 163/85 |54 }18 | 7.3 [10 |13 | II | 29
4090 os “| 167/81 |49 117.5) 7 9.3 |12.5|}10 | 26.5
3935 7 “158/82 155 |17 | 7519 |12 |1o | 265
3944 : “* ) 170/87 [52 /17.5! 7.5 [10 |13 |10 | 27.5
4331 ee 2 | 155|8t | 52.5]15.5| 7 9.3 | 11.5 | 10.3 | 28
4589 James. o | 166/84 |56 |18.5] 7.3 Io | 13.7/1r |29
4616 Duncan. © | 156/80 |!54 |17 | 7.5 [Io | 12 | 10.5] 23.5
4793 Chatham. “| 163/85 |50 |17 | 7.5 |10 |13 |10 | 28.7
5278 Abingdon. | gf | 163/84 |53 |17.5| 7 |ro |13 |11 | 26
5287 He | 160/77 |56 |16 | 7.3] 9.7 |12.5]10 |27
The following numbers represent pairs taken mated: 4443-4451;
4421-4422.
BIRDS 293
Subgenus Geospiza Gould.
Geospiza GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 5, 1837. (Type, Geospiza mag-
ntrostris Gould.)
Adult males almost entirely black, under tail coverts edged with
whitish ; sexes dissimilar ; females never blackish; the young resemble
the adult female; bill conical but varies greatly in size and propor-
tions; culmen generally straight.
During their growth males of this subgenus go through Stages II to
VI. There is never at any age any plumage resembling the yellowish-
olive plumage of Stage I in Cactospiza and Camarhynchus. Young
birds in the first plumage are in Stage II. The adult female is the
same as in the two preceding groups.
The evolution of this subgenus is not so simple as that of Cama-
rhynchus. G. fuliginosa parvula we take as the most generalized
member of the group, partly because it is most convenient to form a
series beginning with it, and also because it resembles in size and
general proportions Geospiza (Camarhynchus) prosthemelas with
which we started the Camarhynchus series. Starting with G. fulz-
ginosa parvula, and constructing the series according to the size and
shape of the bill, we can form a continuous line from G. fuliginosa
parvula to the more slender.billed varieties of the same species, and
from these through G. deddlérostris and G. septentrionalis to the
more slender billed members of the subgenus Cacfornzs. In the latter
subgenus there is again an evolution in the color, consisting of a
farther advance in melanism affecting the young of both sexes and
the adult females. From G. fuliginosa parvula also a second line
branches off in the opposite direction with regard to the size of the
bill, 2. e., instead of becoming longer and more slender, the bill be-
comes proportionally larger and thicker at the base. This series
begins with G. fort7s fortis, runs through the other varieties of the
same species, and then through G. darwini and G. strenua to G.
magnirostris.
The species G. controstris we place tn the subgenus Cactornis.
This is contrary to any disposition of it made by other authors, but
the species have heretofore been grouped solely according to the
shape of the bill. This, we think, is certainly a mistake, for the color
is so characteristically different in the four groups as we here give
them, and manifestly so much more constant than the shape of the
bill, that we feel confident in relying on it as being a more important
character for classifying the members of the genus. However, the
billin G. controstris propingua almost grades into that of G. scandens
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
294 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
rothschildi, so that there is scarcely a break in the bill series of Cac-
tornzs even when G. controstrts is included in it.
62. THE GEOSPIZA FULIGINOSA SERIES.
This series comprises all the smaller billed forms of Geospzza.
Under it we include the subspecies G. f. parvula, G. f. fuliginosa,
G. f. minor, G. f. acuttrostrisand G. f. difficilis. It is represented
on every island of the archipelago except the two most northern and
smallest ones —— Wenman and Culpepper. The bill varies within the
following limits: Culmen 12-15.5, width of bill at base 6.3-8, depth
of bill at base 6.5-10.
The species is the most abundant in individuals almost everywhere
that it occurs, as well as the most widely distributed.
62a. GEOSPIZA FULIGINOSA PARVULA (Gould).
Geospiza parvila GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 6, 1837 (James). —
Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 529, 1896.
Geospiza fuliginosa fuliginosa ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
p. 161, 1899.
Geospiza fuliginosa RiDGWay (not of GouLD), Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x,
p. 526, 1896; Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 504, 1901.
Range.— James, Albemarle, Narboro, Duncan, Jervis, Indefatig-
able, Seymour, Barrington, Charles, Gardner (near Charles) and
Hood.
Most of the specimens referred to Geospiza parvula by Ridgway are
undoubtedly simply small sized specimens of the same species that he
called Geospiza fuliginosa. Rothschild and Hartert state that ‘‘ the
type of G. parvula, according to Darwin, had been collected on James
Island.” Hencethe name Geospzza fuliginosa parvula (Gould) must
be given to the representatives of G. falzginosa inhabiting the islands
given above, since these differ slightly as a whole from the representa-
tives on Chatham to which the name G. fuliginosa fuliginosa
(Gould) must be given.
The bill of G. f. parvula is shaped like that of G. fortzs but is
considerably smaller, the culmen averaging about thirteen millimeters,
being always less than fifteen. The variety differs from G. f. fuligé-
nosa in the shorter but less slender bill. Some specimens from the
northern slope of Narboro have unusually slender bills which nearly
equal in length those of the longest billed Chatham specimens.
This is the most abundant form of Geosfzza in the archipelago.
It outnumbers in individuals all the other species together almost
everywhere that it occurs. On account of its being the most easily
BIRDS 295
studied species, and also apparently the most generalized of the sub-
genus Geospzza, we give the following detailed descriptions of the
different stages which were briefly outlined in the introduction to the
genus. The birds in the first plumage are in Stage II, Stage I having
been apparently crowded out of the life history in the subgenera Geo-
spiza and Cactornzs.
Stage If. Young Males and Females just out of Nest. — This
stage represents the first phase of the plumage of birds of both sexes
after leaving the nest and is characteristic of young birds of the first
year during spring and summer. We have no specimens taken later
than June, so we do not know when the change from this stage to the
next takes place. Young birds taken in December and January are in
Stage III.
Feathers all soft and lax. Top of head and back brownish or dusky,
the feathers with buffy, sometimes with buffy-yellowish margins widest
on middle of back and on rump. Wing feathers sooty-brown, all of
them with buffy-yellow edgings, these widest and most yellow on the
greater coverts, narrowest and grayer on the outer edges of the pri-
maries. Upper surface of rectrices dusky-brown, higher than the
wings, edged with olive-buff. Sides of head and lower parts grayish-
buff, more or less spotted with brown, especially on the throat and
breast. Some specimens are almost uniformly pale below; others are
thickly spotted. Each feather below has the concealed basal part
dark slaty-plumbeous, the marginal part grayish-buff and between
these two colors an arrowhead-shaped spot of dark brown. The size
and intensity of this spot varies; when small it is almost entirely con-
cealed by the buffy marginal color, and when large it causes the con-
spicuously spotted appearance of some specimens. Lower surface of
wings and tail brown, paler than above, the primaries and secondaries
with pale grayish inner margins. Bill either plain pale yellowish or
yellow with the upper mandible clouded with light brownish. Feet
blackish-brown. Examples: Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum
Catalogue Nos. 4349, 4539, 4541, Iguana cove, Albemarle, March;
No. 4539, female, James, April; No. 4541, male, James, April.
Stage III (a) Young Males and Females of the Winter Months.
— Young birds are mostly in this stage about Tagus Cove during De-
cember and January. When the plumage is attained we do not know,
for we have no specimens taken earlier than the last of December.
Plumage compact and of the same texture as in adult birds, not
loose and soft as in Stage II. Upper parts brownish. The cen-
tral areas of the feathers dusky-brown, the marginal parts lighter
296 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
brown, but not buffy 'as in Stage II; the pale margins narrowest
on the head, widest on the rump. Upper surfaces of wings and tail
sooty brown, somewhat lighter than the central parts of the feathers
of the dorsum; the primaries narrowly edged with ashy-gray. The
greater coverts rather widely edged with buffy-brown; secondaries and
rectrices more narrowly edged with buffy-brown. The buffy edgings
on the coverts are duller and not so conspicuously yellow as on birds
in Stage II. Below pale grayish with a slight buffy tinge on the belly
and sides, the feathers with subterminal arrowhead shaped brown
spots producing a streaked or spotted appearance on a pale ground
formed by the light marginal parts of the feathers. The spots most
numerous on the throat, breast and sides; the middle of the abdomen
plain. Under surface of wings and tail asin last stage. The bill may
be entirely yellowish, entirely dusky-yellowish, brownish-yellow with
dusky tip, or entirely brownish above and yellowish below or yellow-
ish below with,the tip dusky. Feet blackish brown. (Examples:
Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum Cat. No. 3880, female, Tagus
Cove, Albermarle, January; No. 4202, female, Tagus Cove, Janu-
ary; No. 4194, female, Narboro, April; No. 4194, female, Tagus
Cove, January; No. 4106, Iguana Cove, December.)
(6) Adult Females. —In plumage the adult female belongs to Stage
III, being almost indistinguishable,’ except by the color of the bill,
from young birds in the stage just described. The females, however,
differ from young birds in this stage in lacking the buffy margins to
the wing coverts, these being narrowly margined with grayish-brown.
The bill is in some cases perfectly black as in the male, but it gener-
ally has a distinct brownish color rather than black, and in breeding
birds the lower mandible may be pale brownish. Feet blackish-
brown. (Examples: Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum Cat.
No. 4369, female, Tagus Cove, March; No. 4392, female, Tagus
Cove, March; No. 4406, female, Tagus Cove, March; No. 4409,
female, Tagus Cove, March —all taken mated with adult males.)
Stage [V. Immature Males. —In this stage the males begin to
differentiate from the females in the color of the plumage. Birds in
this stage are similar in general pattern of coloration to males in the
last stage. They differ, however, in having the dusky areas of the
feathers of the lower parts much larger, so that below the specimens
appear covered with crowded brown spots, especially on the throat and
breast. The belly is generally mostly free from spots, but both the
belly and sides are strongly shaded with brownish-buff. The bill is
generally black, sometimes entirely so, but generally somewhat paler
BIRDS 297
beneath or with a pale spot on the gonys. Feet blackish-brown.
(Examples: Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum Cat. No. 4072,
male, Iguana Cove, December; No. 4075, male, Iguana Cove, De-
cember; No. 4104, male, Iguana Cove, December.)
Stage V. Immature Males (Older than the Last). — Head all
around, throat and breast continuously black. Feathers of the back
with dusky centers, but with paler brownish margins, the brown
lightest and most extensive on the rump. Upper tail coverts same as
feathers of back. Upper surface of wings and tail dusky brown, the
primaries and greater wing coverts edged with pale grayish-brown,
the secondaries and rectrices edged with light but not grayish brown,
as are the feathers of the back. Lower surface posterior to the breast
buffy-whitish, streaked with brown along the sides. Lower tail coverts
buffy-whitish. Lower wing coverts grayish and dusky. Lower sur-
face of wings and tail grayish-brown; the inner edges of the primaries
pale grayish. Bill generally black, but may have some yellowish on
either or both mandibles. Feet blackish-brown.
This stage in the subgenus Geosfzza represents the adult males of
the subgenus Camarhynchus, while Stage VI represents the advance
of Geospiza and Cactornis beyond Camarhynchus. (Examples
of Stage V: Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum Cat. No. 4101,
male, Iguana Cove, December; No. 5087, male, Iguana Cove, June.)
Birds in this stage are rather scarce, a fact perhaps indicating that the
stage is quickly passed through.
Stage VI. Adult Males.— The most melanistic forms are colored
as follows: General color black, deepest anteriorly. The basal con-
cealed part of each feather pale slaty-gray, this color abruptly demar-
cated from the wide black marginal part; there is no trace anywhere
of a paler brownish margin beyond the black. On the rump the black
part of the feathers is narrower so that the color is easily exposed
if the feathers are slightly disturbed. The primaries, inner webs of
the secondaries, and the rectrices dusky-brownish, somewhat con-
trasting with the rest of the dorsum and the exposed parts of the sec-
ondaries. Under tail coverts margined onthe exposed parts with pale
buffy-white. Under wing coverts black. Under surface of wings
and tail dark grayish-brown, on the wings contrasting strongly with
the black of the under wing coverts. Bill always entirely black.
Feet blackish-brown. (Examples: Leland Stanford Jr. University
Museum Cat. No. 4187, male, Tagus Cove, January; No. 3938,
male, Iguana Cove, December —these taken mated with adult
females. )
298 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
This plumage is characteristic of adult males of all species of the
subgenera Geospzza and Cactornzs and represents the farthest advance
toward complete melanism that any of the Geosfiz@ have reached.
There are all gradations between Stages V and VI. The black
color invades the lower breast, sides and abdomen as the pale margins
of the feathers disappear, the latter color remaining longest on the
lower abdomen, flanks and under tail coverts, never entirely disap-
pearing from the tips of the latter, and most of the blackest birds have
the under’ tail coverts broadly margined with pale rusty or buffy.
Also the primaries never become pure black, but in all cases retain a
distinct brownish color.
Plumage of Nestlings. — Very young birds having yet no wing
quills have four groups of very fine plume-like feathers on the head,
two on each side. One group forms an oblique line on the dorso-
lateral aspect of the head extending from a point above, and a little
back of the middle of the eye, backward and downward, ending a
little below the upper level of the orbit and over the posterior end of
the ear slit. The second group is situated on an oblique line on the
lower part of the back of the head on a level with the ear; it is shorter
than the upper, and extends from without downward and inward. On
the body and appendages there are eight groups of these plume feathers,
arranged in four pairs as follows: a longitudinal row on the posterior
edge of the forearm, a transverse line across the back of the middle of
the humerus, a transverse line across the back of the femur near its
proximal end, a row along each side of the median line of the back on
the position of the enlarged part of the dorsal pteryla of later stages.
There is no plumage on the ventral surface of the head or body at
this age.
The young wing quills, in nestlings a little older than those de-
scribed in the last paragraph, are of a pure bluish-slate color, tipped
with pale buffy-white. The greater coverts of the primaries are the
same as the quills. The middle and lesser primary coverts and all the
secondary coverts have long reddish-brown terminal parts. The tips
of all the coverts, especially those of the secondaries, bear long and
very fine buffy plumes. In older specimens not only the wing coverts
but also the feathers of the middle of the back are strongly tipped
with reddish-brown.
Pterylosis. — The following description of the pterylosis of Geo
spiza fulginosa applies to all members of the genus. The dor-
sal pteryla runs down the back of the neck as a very narrow band,
being much narrower than the cervical part of the ventral pteryla. At
BIRDS 299
the middle of the back, however, it expands greatly, forming a large
oval patch which extends posteriorly to the anterior part of the lumbo-
sacral region. Here the dorsal pteryla again contracts into a narrow
median band which extends along the middle of the rump to the oil
gland, expanding very slightly back of the acetabula. The ventral
tract forms anteriorly a single band along the upper and middle parts
of the ventral side of the neck. A little below the middle of the neck
it bifurcates and each half runs outward and posteriorly on the side
of the neck to the shoulder. Here it gives off laterally a shoulder
band which in turn divides into the alar and humeral tracts. The
main pteryle continue posteriorly on the sides of the breast. The
two diverge considerably, each becoming wider and extend along the
side of the abdomen to the knee. Here each contracts again and runs
down the front of the abdomen to near the anus, the two converging
once more.
Color of the Bilil.— The general development of the color of the
bill in the male is as follows: early in the life of the bird, in the be-
ginning of Stage II, both mandibles of the bill are yellow. Soon the
upper begins to become clouded with dusky, the yellow remaining
longest as a spot on the culmen generally near the tip of the mandible.
When the upper mandible has attained this coloration the lower be-
gins to become dusky, the dark color beginning at the tip and later
spreading over the whole mandible, the yellow remaining longest as a
spot on the gonys. The dark color of both mandibles is at first brown-
ish, later it becomes black. The color is developed in the same man-
ner on the bill of the female, but, the acquisition of the dark color
takes longer and the final tone is dusky-brown rather than black.
The development of the black color on the bill and on the plumage
do not always progress at the same rate. Often birds may be found
with perfectly black plumage, but with the bill partly yellow; the
lower mandible may be even entirely yellowish. In birds only partly
white below, the bill may be slaty-brown above and yellow below.
Relationship between Color of Billi and Plumage, and Maturity.
— There is apparently no seasonal change of plumage in the males —
adults being equally black, whether taken in January, March or June.
The height of the nesting season is in March in most places.
The following observations on the development of the color of the
plumage and bill are based on specimens taken at Tagus Cove, Eliza-
beth Bay and Iguana Cove, Albemarle, during the months of January,
February, March and June. We were not at the same locality any-
where else long enough to make observations on these points else-
300 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
where. From Tagus Cove we have twenty two specimens of males
taken in January, two taken in February and fourteen taken in March.
All of the clearly immature birds occur in the January and February
lot. Most of the January specimens are in the brown plumage,
Stage III, four are in Stage LV and two in Stage II. Both of the
February specimens are in Stage V. Nearly all of the March speci-
mens are in Stage VI or in a condition intermediate between Stage V
and Stage VI. Thisis the typical breeding plumage. One specimen,
however, is in Stage V and was taken apparently mated with a
female. Another specimen taken mated with a female is actually in
Stage III! This, then, shows that, although the black or nearly black
plumage and sexual maturity generally coincide, yet the melanistic
phase may be retarded. It is also evident that che males do not be-
come entirely dusky until the end of the first year.
All the March males have the bill perfectly black. Few of the
others, however, have the bill entirely black, most of them having
some remnant of the yellow on the lower mandible, either as a definite
spot near the tip of the gonys or as a diffusion over the base. Some
even with purely black plumage have the lower mandible entirely
yellow. Hence the d2ll does not become entirely black until the end
of the first year and may remain partly pale longer than the
plumage. The breeding male in plumage Stage III has the bill
entirely black, thus resembling exactly the adult female. Hence,
sexually mature males may have immature plumage, but we have no
case of a breeding bird having an immature bill.
From Iguana Cove we have sixteen male specimens taken in Janu-
ary and two taken in March.
Of the January birds only four are in Stage VI, eight are in Stage
V and IV or intermediate between the two, and three are in Stage III.
Yet all of these birds except one (this one in Stage III) were ap-
parently breeding males. The nesting season had here begun at this
season and the males in all stages of plumage had the testes enlarged
as if breeding. The breeding season at Iguana Cove begins about two
months in advance of that at Tagus Cove. This difference is due most
probably to the much greater humidity of Iguana Cove as compared
with Tagus Cove. The breeding season lasts at least as long as it
does at Tagus Cove, z. e., until April. Hence, it is probable that
birds hatched here during the last of a season begin breeding at the first
of the season in the following year when they are only ten months old,
being in Stage V or even IV, and, hence, before they have had time
to acquire the full black plumage.
BIRDS 301
We have thirteen male specimens taken during the second half of
February at Elizabeth Bay. The males are mostly in the black
plumage and have black bills. Two are intermediate between stages
V and VI. Oneis in Stage V but has the bill entirely black. The
nesting season here had apparently just begun at this time. It is
probable that it is of short duration as it is at Tagus Cove, and the
birds have time to acquire the black plumage before they begin to
breed. :
There is a slight seasonal change in the plumage of the females due
to the age and consequent abrasion of the feathers. Specimens taken
in March compared with specimens taken in January average darker
below with less of the pale color of the marginal parts of the feathers.
Only three of our specimens of females taken in March have per-
fectly black bills. In some cases the gonys is almost entirely yellowish
and this is true of birds taken mated with males. Only two of the
January specimens have dusky bills. Hence the bills of the females
do not asa rule become black by the end of the first year, and ap-
parently seldom become perfectly black, showing a tendency to remain,
as does the plumage, in a non-melanistic condition. In this respect
they differ from the males, which apparently regularly acquire black
bills by the beginning of the breeding season.
Nature of the Change from one Phase of Plumage to the Next —
Moulting. — The change in color of the males from the young to the
adult consists not only of a spreading of the dark color from the head
over the posterior parts, but also of a change from brown to black.
Of eleven breeding males taken at Tagus Cove in March three are
in a plumage that could have been produced from the plumage of
January birds in Stage V by abrasion of the pale tips of the feathers.
The pale color is very conspicuous below on the belly, flanks and
crissum, but less so than in typical examples of Stage V. The black
of the other parts, especially of the back and rump is not intense as in
birds most typical of Stage VI, but has a very distinct brownish tone.
The tail and wing feathers are also much paler and more decidedly
brownish than in the most melanistic forms. These brownish-black
forms could not pass over into the purely black phase without a moult
involving a change of color in the feathers, although they might be
produced from Stage V simply through abrasion of the feathers.
We have one specimen, taken at Tagus Cove in February, which
is in a stage intermediate between Stages V andIV. This specimen
is moulting, but the new feathers coming in have the same pale edges
and brown subterminal areas as the old ones.
302 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Three specimens taken January 12 and one taken January 24, at
Tagus Cove, all in Stage V or between this Stage and Stage IV, show
traces of moulting, but none so much so as the February specimen.
Any of these birds might attain the same plumage as the brown-backed,
pale-bellied breeding birds of March through abrasion of the plumage
involving a wearing away of the pale edges of the feathers.
There are three other birds from Tagus Cove taken in January in
the brown-spotted phase, Stage III, which are also moulting. These,
however, could not go over into Stages IV or V without a moult in-
volving a change in the color of the feathers, for they are distinctly
paler brown everywhere and not dusky. Another bird taken January
30 is dusky beneath but paler than specimens typical of Stage V, and
has the bill pinkish-yellow clouded with dusky. It is moulting
slightly.
There are in the collection sixteen male specimens taken at Tagus
Cove in January. These vary from the purely black phase character-
istic of Stage VI, to forms with dusky head, conspicuously brown
backs and tail, pale rumps, and with much pale buffy-grayish on the
edges of the feathers of the belly, flanks and crissum. One of these
duplicates in coloration the palest of the breeding March birds.
Among these dusky January birds, is one that has no pale color below
except on the under tail coverts but has a few new feathers growing
in; while several of those having pale bellies have many young
feathers.
None of the specimens from Elizabeth Bay, taken in February shows
any sign of moulting. Of thirteen males one is in Stage IV, two are
in Stage V and several are in the brown-backed, pale-bellied breeding
plumage intermediate between Stage V and Stage VI.
There are in the collection sixteen specimens from Iguana Cove
taken in December, January and March. Only two of the December
and January specimens show any indication of moulting. These are
both in Stage IV; they have very much worn plumage and a few new
feathers growing in. One of them has the lower mandible yellowish
with black at the tip and base. The testes were enlarged as if the
bird was breeding. The other has the bill almost entirely black
with the exception of a yellowish spot on the culmen and another
on the gonys. The testes of this one weré somewhat enlarged.
Hence, it appears that by the beginning of the breeding season, which
here commences in January, most of the males have ceased moulting.
The plumage of all the specimens is worn and does not have the
appearance of having been newly acquired.
BIRDS 303
Most of the immature female specimens taken in January at Tagus
Cove are moulting. Of the adult females only one is moulting — it
has a few new feathers coming in on the back. Of the females taken
in March only two (there are eighteen in all) are moulting — each of
these having a few new feathers growing in on the dorsum. These
two moulting adults were breeding since they were taken mated with
adult males.
None of the Elizabeth Bay females, taken during the second half of
February, is moulting, and only one Iguana Cove female, taken the
last of December, is moulting. This latter is an adult, and, appar-
ently, a breeding bird, and has a few new wing quills coming in.
The breeding (March) females from Tagus Cove have a different
appearance from the immature females taken in January. They are
much darker below, the brown color predominating, while in the
January specimens the pale color predominates and the brown is
almost restricted to the sides of the body and the fore-parts.of the
breast. In many cases it appears doubtful that the March phase could
have been derived from the January phase simply by an abrasion of
the feathers, for there is not enough brown on the feathers of the latter
especially on those of the belly and lower breast, to produce so dark a
tone as characterizes the March birds, even if the pale edgings were all
worn off. This difference would, hence, indicate a slight change of
color during the January moult which terminates during February.
The foregoing facts may be summarized as follows: during the
time from December to February the males go through Stages III,
IV and V, arriving at Stage VI by the first of March. In Stage VI
they are at first, however, brownish-black instead of pure black. The
females during the same time become slightly darker and acquire a
larger proportion of brown on the plumage. Both males and females
show all gradations of color from one phase of plumage to another,
z. é., there is no jump from one stage to the next as would be the case
if one phase were due to a rapid loss of one set of feathers and a
simultaneous acquisition of a new set. Corresponding with the
gradual change in the appearance, which slowly leads from one stage
to that following, is the fact that none of the birds that are moulting
shows any extensive indications of doing so. In all cases the moulting
process appears to be a gradual loss of old feathers and a correspond-
ing ingrowth of new ones, for in no case are there more than compar-
atively a few new feathers to be seen growing in. The birds never
appear denuded, and the total number of feathers appears to be al-
ways the same. (This does not apply to birds in Stage IT.)
304 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Along with the moulting of the feather there takes place a gradual
change in the color of the feathers. The plumage becomes darker
through the successive sets of feathers having not only more dark color
but also a duskier shade of dark color and narrower pale edgings.
In the male the color change is from light brown, through dark dusky
brown to black; in the female from hght brown to dark brown. The
spreading of the dark color is due in part also to the wearing away of
the light margins of the feathers, so that general color of plumage
formed of old feathers is darker than that composed of new feathers.
Hence, both males and females moult slowly and gradually from
December into February, the new feathers having successively more
dark color on them, and the dark color becoming successively darker,
being always brown in the females but changing in the males from
light brown, through dark and dusky-brown, to black.
Young birds taken at Tagus Cove in June are in Stage II. One
male taken June g is in Stage V and is not moulting. We have no
other specimens from Albemarle taken after the breeding season.
Hence we do not know what phases of plumage the birds are in on
Albemarle during the time from March till December. Birds taken
on the other islands, however, during April, May and June are mostly
either in Stage VI or in Stage II. We have twenty two males from
Indefatigable and Seymour taken during the last of April and the first
of May that are in Stage VI. One is in Stage V and has a few new
feathers growing in on the breast. Several others are in Stages [V
and III and most of these are moulting. Besides these there are
numerous specimens in Stage II, birds just from the nest. From
Charles we have two adult males in Stage VI, five adult females, and
numerous young birds in Stage II. We have no material to indicate
when the transition from Stage II to Stage III takes place. Nor do
we know at what age adult males in Stage VI change from the black-
ish-brown phase to the purely black phase. The fact that many
breeding males possess the blackish-brown plumage would indicate
that the purely black plumage is not acquired until during the second
year.
flabits, Song, Nests and Eggs. — Geospiza fuliginosa parvula
is extremely abundant about Tagus Cove on Albemarle, living
everywhere in the dry brush that covers the walls of the old tufa
craters of this part of the island. The individuals commonly asso-
ciate with one another in small flocks and often mix gregariously
with the less abundant, larger-billed Geospiza_fort’s. Although their
food consists almost entirely of seeds, yet many of the birds may
BIRDS 305
be seen along the shore feeding among the rocks below high water.
During the dry season great numbers of them collect about the holes
of fresh water a short distance south of Tagus Cove. This is the only
fresh water of this part of the island, and birds that do not visit it must
depend entirely on dew for water. In the mornings they may often
be seen taking dew baths, perhaps never having known the luxury of
a running stream. During the middle of the day many of these birds
may be seen with gaping mandibles, in evident distress from the heat
and dryness. Habel thinks that a large number of them, especially
young birds, perish from want of water. They feed on both seeds
and insects, picking up anything they can find and swallowing with
their food a large quantity of gravel. They most frequently pick up
their food from the ground, and it is this habit alone which has gained
for them their name of ‘* Ground Finch”; for they never build their
nests on the ground, and except when feeding they are nearly always
in the bushes and trees. Furthermore, they pick many insects from
crevices of the bushes, eat berries and devour large numbers of Lep-
idopteran larve during the rainy months of February and March.
Although spiders are numerous, the Geospizas seldom molest them.
The birds are generally abundant wherever vegetation is found, and
their range extends to the top of the mountain back of Tagus Cove,
four thousand feet above sea level. Only a few, however, live in the
mangrove swamps to the north of Tagus Cove, most of them appear-
ing to eschew these dense, wet places, preferring the dryer, sunnier
and more desolate brush-covered areas.
Our first visit to Tagus Cove was made during January and the first
week of February. The breeding season was not yet on, but the males
did a good deal of singing, although there was not much variety in it
then. Their song at this time, however, is characteristic of them, and
can be recognized as the basis of almost all their numerous songs of
the breeding season. It consisted of three repetitions of two connected
syllables and may be represented phonetically thus: teur’-wéé, teur’-
wee, teur'-wéé, the accent on the first syllable. The single bisyllabic
set is the fundamental element of all theirsinging. The consonant
sounds vary a great deal, but it is difficult to observe them accurately
and impossible to represent them by the sounds of letters. Their
vowels come more nearly within the range of alphabetical sounds.
The first syllable varies from a ¢ewr-sound to what may be represented
by a German umlauted zw, thus ¢dér’-wee, tiir'-wee, tiir-"wee. Every-
where about the cove the birds could be heard uttering this song. It
was varied in many ways, but each set seldom had more than two
306 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
syllables. In some cases the vowel sounds were reversed, so that the
song sounded like ¢@e’-tweir, tée'-twiir, fée’-twiir. One bird was heard
singing ¢2'-dl, ¢tdi'-dl.
When Tagus Cove was again visited (March 11 to 26), everything
was greatly changed. Rains during February and the first part of
March had caused a revolution in the vegetation, which was now
green, in pleasing contrast with the former brown and barren aspect
of the hills. The birds were in the height of their nesting season,
almost all of the nests found containing either eggs or young birds.
Everywhere the males were vigorously exerting their musical powers
and the common song of January was replaced by longer and more
elegant pieces of music, so that the ¢ezr’-wee song was not nearly so
prominent as before. The closest thing to it merely had the accent
shifted to the second syllable, sounding like feur-wee’, teur-wee’. The
song variety next removed consisted of a lengthening of the second
syllable, so that it resembled ¢ezr-/ee---e', teur-lee---e'. Another
song may be represented thus: tew—twee-twee-twee-twee. The twee
syllable was generally repeated four times, but often only two or three
times. The space between the first and second syllables was generally
considerably greater than that between the others. No syllable had
any special accent. One bird was heard singing with a great deal of
force a song resembling @’-zért, @’-zér¢. Special stress was given to
the first syllable which was also slightly elongated. A common song
at this time sounded something like ¢zr-lee’, tair-7ée’. Another song
resembled ¢éé'-al-teé, tee'-ul-tee.
During the breeding season the males sing almost continually and are
constantly active. The females on the other hand, both when alone
and when with their male companions, are very quiet and reserved,
showing little excitement. They utter merely a single, low, pro-
longed note used by either bird of a mated pair as a call or an answer
to the other when the two are feeding or hopping about in the bushes
near each other. Whena male is with his mate he is generally con-
tented with flying or hopping about with her, making no demonstra-
tions of his affection for her and giving no evidence of any unusual
state of mind. It is when she is occupied with her domestic duties
that the male gives vent to his emotions, pouring forth most lavishly
all the songs of which he is capable. It must be said, however, that,
although his efforts are good, his actual productions can by no means
rank with those of even ordinary singing birds, and indeed anywhere
else would scarcely pass for songs. Ome never hears from the Geo-
spizas such songs as are uttered by the song-sparrow or house-finches.
BIRDS 307
The birds are scarce about Elizabeth Bay on Albemarle, for there is
little vegetation here outside of the mangrove swamps, and, as said
before, these salt swamps appear to be uncongenial to them. On the
north side of Perry Isthmus, however, there is plenty of vegetation all
over the side and about the base of the mountain there situated, and
the birds were found abundantly at this place. We were here during
February and it was noticed that Geospiza_fuliginosa parvula uttered
notes very strikingly different from anything heard elsewhere. The
song was so very much like that of the swamp Geosfiza heliobates
that when we entered the mangrove swamp along the shore where
the birds were singing, we supposed we were listening to this bird.
Afterwards, however, a specimen in the act of singing the song was
taken outside of the swamp and found to be Geospiza fuliginosa
parvula. The song itself consisted of a repetition of a single note and
resembled somewhat t'wér-t'wér-t'wér-t'wér. Each note had a
double sound, the ¢ being slightly separated, as if composed of a
bisyllabic sound condensed into a single syllable. Three or four
was the usual number of repetitions of the note.
During the time we were here the birds were nesting both in the
mangrove swamps along the shore and in the trees and bushes inland.
One male was noticed in aswamp reconstructing an old nest with ma-
terial that he took from another old nest in a neighboring tree. While
at work he constantly uttered in loud clear tones the song just de-
scribed. He worked, however, very interruptedly, for he spent a
great deal of time in flying about in a very excited manner from tree
to tree, acting just as if he was living in a state of such happy expecta-
tion that he could scarcely contain hisemotions. At intervals a female
came around to inspect the nest. She was always very quiet and
showed no excitement at all, very calmly examining the nest, but
paying almost no attention to the male. She, however, or perhaps
the delightful hope of her approval of the nest, was very evidently the
sole cause of the male’s exuberance of spirit. Whenever she appeared
he flew about wildly, first to the nest and then to some neighboring
branch and back again to the nest, all the time uttering with greatest
energy the song described. Very curiously, however, he did not fly
about the female nor keep close to her nor even look toward her more
than in any other direction. Whenever he alighted anywhere he held
his body in a depressed attitude and kept his wings rigidly half spread
in a drooping oblique position, all the time turning partly from one
side to the other. If the female went into the nest he went in also, or
at least to the nest, and then either one or both of them uttered low
308 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
elongated notes sounding somewhat like chéé......... éé. They uttered
this note a number of times while observed but always either when
both flew to the nest together or when one was at the nest and the
other flew to it. It was impossible to observe whether at such times
both birds uttered the note or only one, but two voices seemed to be
distinguishable.
The birds have a common note that they utter on ordinary occa-
sions, such as when they are hopping about in the bushes or when
feeding. This is a short, low simple chzck-like sound. Besides this
they have another, a more lengthened note, having a sort of broken
sound. This they use on more special occasions — it is almost always
heard when a male flies after a female, apparently both of them utter-
ing it.
The song of the birds at Iguana Cove was first observed during the
latter part of December. At this time they were occupied with nest
building and numerous unfinished and many completed nests were
found, but only a few of the latter contained eggs. A very common
song resembled the teur'wee song of Tagus Cove, it being bisyllabic,
having a vowel sound in the first syllable resembling a German um-
lauted z and in the second a longe. The song may be represented
thus: ¢22’-wee, ¢7il’-wee, the sets being generally uttered twice, often
three times, in succession. Sometimes the second syllable was repeated
several times; one bird was heard singing thus: ¢7id-twee-twee-twee,
tiul-twee-twee-twee. Another song heard resembled the first de-
scribed, but had the accent on the second syllable: ¢#-lee’, tz-lee’.
Again the vowel sounds were reversed and the song sounded like
tee'-twiir, tée'-twir. The same variations take place with this;
one bird was heard singing /éé’-twiir-twur-twir, tee'- etc., in each
set of this song, the accent being given to the first syllable. An-
other bird sang a song of two syllables, in each of which the vowel
had the z-sound, and the first syllable was much prolonged, thus:
tii... .d-twir. This was uttered either by itself as an entire song
or was followed by fwee-twee-twee.
These varieties of song were all uttered by males in full black
plumage, the usual breeding age dress. However, a brown-plumaged
bird was observed singing a song resembling ¢#....ul.... d-wee,
the first syllable being greatly prolonged, although varying consider-
ably in length, while the second was shorter and abruptly higher in
pitch. Another brown-plumaged bird was observed acting exactly
after the manner of a breeding male. He was rapidly and excitedly
uttering a song somewhat like ¢1/-wee', ¢ei-wee’, ¢i-wee', and was amor-
BIRDS 309
ously pursuing a second brown-colored bird, apparently a female, be-
‘fore whom he presented himself in a drooping attitude with spread
wings. Several brown-plumaged males were shot which had the
testes enlarged.
We visited Iguana Cove again during the first part of March. This
time numerous sets of eggs, all well advanced in incubation, and sev-
eral sets of young birds were found. Everywhere the males were
singing continuously. Their song was even more varied than before,
consisting in most cases of several syllables instead of two. One song
resembled ¢ wéée'-twee-twee-twee. The ordinary ¢d'-weé song was
heard, but it was not nearly so common as in December, while the
songs with a greater number of syllables were much more common
than then.
The same place was visited a third time early in June. The nest-
ing season was now past and the birds were much less abundant on the
flat to the east of Iguana Cove than during December and March, and
but few were heard singing.
At Tagus Cove some fledglings were taken from the nest while
the parents were absent. Both of the latter, however, soon came
flying very excitedly about the place, keeping most of the time near
the ground, repeating in rapid succession a short, sharp, ¢weet-like
note. The young became very angry at being handled and uttered a
a sound resembling z@2”’u, zee”, z@é”’u, etc. The long e-sound of the
first syllable was somewhat prolonged and given a deep vibratory
sound. Although the young birds were not yet able to fly, they
uttered the notes in very resentful tones and bit savagely at the fingers
of the person handling them.
Birds were observed on the Seymour Islands and the neighboring
part of Indefatigable from April 26 to May 4. On South Seymour they
were much more abundant than on North Seymour or on the part of
Indefatigable visited. They were not nesting, but the males were
singing a great deal, and most of the songs they sang were very no-
ticeably different from the songs of the Albemarle birds. The song
that they uttered most commonly resembled Zeur'-lee-hee, teur'-lee-
héé, teur'-lée-héé. The first syllable of each set carried the accent,
and the second and third syllables differed only in the initial consonant
sound. The same individuals that sang this song often uttered the
same syllables with the accent transferred to the second, thus: ¢ezr-
lee'-heée, teur-lee'-hee, teur-lee'-hée. This song was almost as common
as the other, and indeed a bird singing one almost always, sooner or
jater, changed to the other. Another song often heard sounded like
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
310 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
teur-lée', teur-lée', teur-lee', teur-lée', nearly always consisting of four
sets. This was similar to one of the songs of the birds at Tagus Cove
on Albemarle, but the birds there seldom uttered more than two sets
in succession. The Seymour birds were not heard to utter this song
with the first syllable accented —a form of song so common with the
Tagus Cove birds. Still another song resembled /ee’-wee-wee, tee'-
wee-wee, tee'-wee-wee.
On Charles Island this species was very common. In going up the
trail from Black Beach Landing to the higher central part of the
island the birds were found to be much more abundant along the
second half than lower down where other forms predominated. In
fact, only a few specimens of this species were found below the spring
on the trail, situated perhaps a third or more of the distance up, while
from here to the top it was by far the most common Geosp/za species.
We were at Charles Island during the first of May. A very common
song resembled ¢eu-wink', teu-wtnk'. The second syllable had a de-
cidedly different sound from anything heard elsewhere. They also
sang skéé'-wee, skée'-wee, skée'-wee, or something of this sort; it being
much the same in character as the common ¢eur'-weé at Tagus Cove,
differing from this conspicuously, however, in the consonant sound of
the first syllable.
On Duncan Island this species was the only common Geospiza. It
was abundant within the crater, but ouside of it was scarce.
We have eight nests of Geospiza fuliginosa parvula taken about
Tagus Cove on Albemarle Island during March. They are all very
similar and resemble in shape the nest of Camarhynchus crasstrostrts
already described. All are large, having the longest diameter vertical,
varying in height from one hundred and forty to two hundred milli-
meters, and in width from ten to twelve millimeters. The entrance is
generally oval and mostly above the middle of the side, being gener-
ally about fifty by forty millimeters in dimensions with the longer
diameter vertical. The nest is entirely and thickly roofed over above,
and often the part above the entrance is almost overhanging. The
front is generally more or less flattened. The nests are never suspended,
being always supported from below, but may have accessory lateral]
braces. Nests from Tagus Cove and Iguana Cove, Albemarle, are
composed of slender stems of small plants, stems of vines, grasses
and bark of larger soft plants. Four nests have interwoven all through
the coarser material numerous bits of cotton plucked from the cotton
bushes, which are abundant at both places. The cotton in the nests is
all in isolated heads detached from their stems. Leaves are very sel-
BIRDS
311
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fuliginosa
parvula.
a 2 12 le
nS | a fie hes g |e (Sal@aléel] 4
oy Locality. 3 tb Rs] = i: e ia O8 Sg b
a cae 5 | o /EslBalka| &
a 1S alas |e
§P a ja ls
3995 | Albemarle, Tagus Cove. 112/62 |42 |12 |6 |6.7;8.7/8 | 183
3985 ss s “ ) 115/65 |46 |13 |6.5/6.5/8.5/8 | 19
3915 uF de “ | 112/62 |38.5}12.5)6 |6.5)8 | 8.5} 18
3942 . ee “| 64 | — | 12.5/6.3}7 | 9.5/8 | 19.5
3986 a fe “ ) 110163 | 42 | 13.31 7.3/67/9 |9 | 19
3814 a “ | 10/64 |46 |14 17 17 |85/9 | 18.5
4030 ss et “ | 115;63 [41 |13 |6.7/6.5)9 |9 | 185
3941 se ug “ | 105/63 |41 [12 |6 | 6.7/8.7) 8.5) 18
4047 a “ “© | 120}65 | 48 | 13.5} 6.7/7 | 8.3) 8.5] 20
4007 ss « “ | r11/63 | 38 |12.5/6.5|7 |10 |8 | 19
4036 se os “ | 120/65 |40 |13.5/6.5)7 | 9.5] 8.3] 19
4341 ee *¢ “ | t20/6r |44 |13 | 6.5] 6.7/8.3) 8.3! 18.7
4110 he a “ | 120/63 |42 |13 |7 | 6.7/8.3) 8.3) 19
4400 a a “ ) 112/62 |44 |12.7/6.317 |9 |8 | 20
4206 ee i “ ) 112/64 145 |13.5!/6.317 |9 | 85] 18
4139 us 48 “ | 115163 | 42.5|12.7|6.5/7 |8.5!8 | 19.7
4187 te es “ | 312/64 |42 |12 |7 | 6.5) 8.5) 7.5] 19.5
4288 “ ss “« | — |62.514r |13 | 6.5/6.5)8.3/8 | 20
4211 a es “ | 126/62 145 |14 |7 17 |85/9 | 20
4366 #8 a ee — 166 |40 |12.5| 6.5] 7.5/9.5)8 | 19
4397 “ “ “ | 122/64 |3851313 |7 |7 |9 |9 {19
4384 ue ie “ | 116)64 |43 |13-517 |7 |8 |8.3] 20
4394 a " “| 113/64 | 41 [13 [65/7 |9 | 8.3) 19
4378 ut as “ | 722/64 139 [13 |7 |8 |10 |8.5/ 17.5
4365 i. i “ | —/6r |4r [13 /5.3)6.5/9 |8.7 19.7
4391 i ss “| 112/65 | 37-5 | 13.5 | 7-5] 7-5] 8.5]9 | 20.5
4377 fs “e “ | 122/62 |40 |13.516.7/7 | 9.7/8.5] 18
4399 «¢ “ | 112}62 |39 |13 | 6.3] 6.7/8.5]/9 | 19.3
4368 oy De “ | 118)}64.5/39 |12 |65)7 19 | 7-5] 18
4408 ee He “ | 120] 63.5|38 |12.5|6.5,7 | 9.5} 8.5) 19
3926 rs a Q | 114|63 | 40 | 12.5 | 6.5) 6.3) 8.3/8 | 18.7
3913 se # “ | y14|60 |42 113 17 |67/9 | 8.5) 19
4162 ae os “© | 110}59.5/47 |12 |6 | 6.7/8.5) 7.5) 18.5
4193 ue “ | 12/61 145 |13 | 6.3/6.5)8.7/8 | 19.5
4261 “ es “ ! rr5/6r 144 |12.5/7 |6.5)9.7/8 | 18.5
4286 < ee “ | 725/62 |39 | 13.5 | 6.5] 6.7] 8.3) 8.3] 19
4779 oe ae “| 778) 61.5135 | 12.5 |6.5/6.5}8 [7.5] 19
4398 me ne “ | 708/69 |39 [12 |6.5)6.5)/8 |9 | 17
4383 a ee “ | tr2/59 |34 |12.5/6.5/7 |8 |8 | 19.5
4343, ae ee “ | qi2/59 |36.5/13 | 6.3/6.5/8.7/8 | 19
4359 ee sit “ | tro|6r |38.5/13 |6 | 6.5) 8.5/8 | 19.5
4395 ug ie “ | yy2|62 |44 |13 6.7/7 |8.7)8 | 19.5
4364 ae ae “ | yy2!61 | 42 |12.5]7 |6.5/8 | 8.5) 19
4349 e et | — |6r |37 |11.5/6 |6 |8 | 7.7; 20
4392 ae ae “ | q10/59 |39 |11.5)/6 |165)8 18 | 19
4401 ue “ “ | air]/59 135 |12 [65/7 |85)8 ;18
4406 co ie « ) ar5/62 |40 |[11.5|6.5 7 |8.5/8 | 17.5
4402 He es “ | 723162 |38 |13 pat 8.5/8 | 19
4367 uf “ | a15|/60 |39 |12 |65'6.517.7/8 | 18
4369 ae as “ | yr5|6r 138 12 '65,6.5/85/8 [18
312 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fuliginosa
parvula.— Continued.
ce _{| (32g
ane : 4 oe i) cs Bo} g Salidied) g
a Locality. 3 F ‘y & L 5 Fa et; 83 a
28 4 o |° eee ° ar] 6
ar ma Im Is
4376 | Albemarle, Tagus Cove.; ? | 115|60 |38 [13 |6.3/6.5'8.5/8 | 185
4388 te ee “ 1 yr21 58.5 | 36.5 /13.5| 6.5/6 | 85:8 | 18
4409 ee as “© | 722)}62 [44 |13 | 6.5} 6.7/ 8.7/8.3) 18.5
4250 “Elizabeth Bay.| g | 113/62 | 40 | 13.3} 6.7/6.7/9 | 8.3] 19.5
4243 a a “© | t09}64 | 40 | 12.5 | 6.3/6.5; 8.5]8 | 19
4297 ie ee “| 728/64 | 41 |13.5]/6.517 |9 , 8.5) 19.7
4300 es te “ | y22/62 |44 |/13 16 |6.5/9.5/8 | 18
4217 se es “| 716/65 | 42.5} 12.516.5}7 |8.5/8 | 19
4263 o e “| 118/63 | 39 | 12 6.58 | 7.5) 18.5
4287 oe ae “| yrr}62 1395/12 |6 | 7 | 8.5] 7.5) 18
4209 ft a “ 1 114/63 | 37.5/12.5/6 [6.5/8 (8 | 185
4293 ss ce ‘© | 133/62 |4o |12.5|6.5)6.7}9 |8 | 19
4357 2s is «| 118) 65.5}40 |12.3/6 17 |9 |8 |19
4323 # ts “ | 4117/64 |4o0 |13 }65)7 | 8.5] 8.5] 20
4336 « ss “ | 115/63 | 42.5/12 |6.3;6.5/8.5/8 | 19
4303 se te Q | 120/62.5/38 |12 |6 | O5 8.5} 7.3) 18.3
4265 es : ) 108]59 |35 |13 165.7 17.5) 8.3' 185
4232 ee we “| 110/60 |37 |125/6 6 8 |7 | 19
4285 ts He “| 118;62 |4o |12.5/6.5 6.7 8.7 8 19
4301 ee a “| rrr]60 J44 [12 [6 1631/8318 {183
3938 ee Iguana Cove.| ¢ | 120]63.5/40 (13 17 {7 8.5/8.3. 18
4095 . o “| 110/62 [38 [13 |7 }7 19 [8.5 19.7
4066 a et “ | 107'66 [45 | 13.5/6.5)7 {8.3/8 | 2r
4084 a # “1 115 |64 | 43 | 12.7 | 6.3/7 8.5 8.7; 20
4060 sl “ ) 119|63 | 39.5} 12.3 | 6.3) 6.7: 8.5|8 | 20
4019 ee us “| 116/64 |44.3)13 | 6.7/6.7) 8.5]9 | 19
4325 . hi “© | 123}64 |39 |12.7/7 | 6.7; 8.5! 8.5) 18
4338 es ee ‘© | 726 |63.5/4r | 12.31/6.5)6 |8 |8 |19
4307 . ee | 115/63 | 37 |13 | 7-5}7 | 8.5) 8.5) 19
3950 7 2 67 |41 |12.3/6.5/7 | 9.5/8.3) 19
4059 ge a “ 1119/63 [41 /13 | 6.7/6.5)8.7)8 | 19
4056 ee “7 117/60 | 43 |12.5/)6.517 | 8.5/8 | 18
4051 ae es “| 107/60 /|40 |13 |6.7;6 |8 |8 | 205
4078 He ss “ | 114}60 | 38 412.5)6.7;6 | 8.7/8 | 185
4063 ne ee “ 1 I10!62 139.5113 [6.317 |9 |8 |19
4057 a ee “1 107|60 | 40 | 12.3 | 6.3) 6.7) 8.5/8 | 19
4300 ee “s “ ) 115 |6I | 34.5] 12.5 | 6.5] 6.5] 8.5) 8.5] 20
4330 ee oe “1! TI5 | §7.5 | 37-5 | 12.5 | 6.5| 6.5) 8.3] 8.5! 18.5
4009 Narboro. S | 111 | 62.5/37.5|12 |6.7/7 | 85/8 | 18
4151 i | 113/62 | 425/12 |65/6 |8 |8 | 18
4159 a “ ) 119}62 |44 |13 |6 | 6.7/8.9! 7.7) 19
4II9 as “| 105 |62 | 40 | 12.7/| 6.5! 6.5] 8.3/8 |20
4164 v7 “ | 112/64 |} 40 |13 |/6 |6.5)8 |8 | 20
4465 “ |} r2r}65 |36.5/12.717 17 | 8.5] 8.5) 18.5
4413 a “ ) 120/62 |/40 113 |65)7 | 7.5/9 | 18
4460 me ‘| 122162 1395/12 |7 | 7.5/9 | 85/19
4431 2 “| 113/65 |385]14 | 85] 7.38 | 9.5) 19.3
4449 as “ |} 128)64 |4o [14 | 8.3/6.5}8 | 9.5] 20
4426 “| 118/63 | 38 |12 |6 | 6.3) 6.5| 8.3) 18.5
4004 “s Q | 118)62 |42 |12.5/6 [7 |9 '8 | 185
BIRDS 313
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fuliginosa
parvula.— Continued.
d BS) =| a
aw a 3 S| | cr
i) = 5 s bo aq wu aA ma 33 w
= : 4 wo | a | 4 | SIRS Sele o| 2
S) Locality. v Fs] te] a 5 6 gala olka)
= * SLe | | ge Aeesee 2
ar E| al &
3885 Narboro. Q | 115;63 |4r |13 | 6.7/6.3)8.7/8 | 19
3988 us ‘ | 118/64 | 42.5/1r [6 |6 | 8.3) 7.7| 185
4440 ee “ | r12/6r 137 113 17 |7 |7.5}8.5) 17.5
4448 s “© 1 122/64 |37 |12.3)6.5/7 17 | 8.5) 18.5
4618 South Seymour. & | 119/63 |36 | 14.3] 6.5] 6.7/8.7]9 | 19
4633 es a “ | 324/60 |39 {13-.3}7 |7 | 8.5} 8.3) 19
4645 . < “© | 123/65 |39.5/13 |7 |7 | 85/8 | 19
4678 i, ‘| 126/65 |38 |13-5]7 17 | 9.5/9 | 185
4652 He ee ‘© | 124 | 60.5 | 38.5|13 |6.5/7 |7 |8 | 19
4630 i a ** | 123/64 |39 |13-717 | 6.5] 8.7| 8.7| 19.5
4662 os a “© | y20/6r | 40 | 13.5 | 6.5] 6.5] 8.5} 8.5] 18.5
4639 # we “ | 715/63 | 36.6/12.5]6.5/7 | 85/8 | 18
4617 - “ “| 125/60 |39 |13 |6.3/6.719 | 8.5] 19
4677 - ‘* | 123 162.5] 39 | 13.5 7 | 8.5] 7-5] 16
4631 as us “1 317/63 «137 [12.516 |7 |85/8 | 19
4688 us bad “ | 123}63 138 | 13 | 6.5] 6.5] 8.7] 8.7] 20
4699 ie “ “* | 120/64 |38 1135/7 |7 |9 | 87/19
4636 os a ‘© | 120)62 |37 |14.3/6.5}7 | 9.5) 8.7] 18
4676 Ss ae “ 1 125|64 |38 | 12.5 | 6.5) 6.7| 8.3) 8.3] 18
4610 a a ‘© 1 120/63 | 36 | 13.3] 6.3) 6.5/8.5)8 | 19
4641 ae «e 2 | 133}60 |30 |13.7)7 | 6.7] 8.5] 8.7) 18
4673 H ee “ | 113}60 |38 |12 |6.5)/6.3/8 | 8.5) 17
3899 ee as ‘* 1 120/60 |37.5]13 | 6.5)6.5]9 | 8.5] 18.5
AGII He a “ | 106/59 13) 4 17.517 |85)9 {18
4697 “ 7 118159 | 34.5}13 | 6.5} 6.5) 8.5] 8.5) 18
4657 a a “| yir}60 |39 | 13.3) 6.5)7 | 8.5) 8.5] 19.5
4651 i o ‘© | 716] 58.5/33 |13 |7 |6.7)8 | 8.5] 18
4964 Barrington. & | 120/60 }35 |14 |7 }7 |87/9 | 20
4971 “ “ | 723163 |39.5]13 | 6.7) 6.7) 8.5] 8.5) 18
4970 sf “ | y19|62 | 38.5113 | 7.5}6.5]8 | 8.5) 18.5
4948 . © | 123/61 | 375/13 | 6.7/7 |9 | 8.7) 18.7
4940 te “ | 117/60 |3 13 |7 | 6.7) 8.5] 8:5) 18
4944 # “| 713] 61.5137 [13 |6.5]7 |8.7)8 | 18.5
4946 = 116/59 {35 | 13-7| 6.5] 6.5] 8.3) 8.3] 19
4937 - “| 116] 59.5 | 375/13 |6.3/6 | 7.5) 8.5 17.3
4936 ee “© | 1151 58.5/34 |12.5}6 |6.5/8.5}8 | 17.5
4698 Indefatigable. é — |60 |38 |12.7/6 | 6.5)8.5)8 | 18
4661 a “ | 712/63 138 |13 |6 | 6.5] 8.5] 8.5] 19
4663 We “ 1 116/62 |39 |13 | 6.7| 6.7) 8.5] 8.3! 19
4706 at “ | 120/63 | 41 | 12.5 | 6.3) 6.3) 8.318 | 19
4671 ae “© | 120/62 [41 [13 |6.5/6.7/8.518 | 19
4674 ae “ | 720/62 | 38.5 | 12.3] 6.3)6.5/8 |8 | 19
4534 James. “ | 716/64 |144 | 13.3) 7 | 6.5) 8.5] 8.5] 20
4556 - 112/58 |37 | 12.3 | 6.3) 6.3! 7.3/8 | 19
4507 “ “ | 116/62 |42 |14 |6.5/6.5/8 |9 | 19.5
4737 Charles. 122/64 |38 {13.717 |6.7/8.5'9 | 20
4881 . es — |62 |38 | 12.5 | 6.5)6.5) 8.5/8 | 18.5
4710 ss 120;60 |38 | 12.51] 6.5|6.5/8.5!8 | 18
4731 at “ | qrol6r |36 |12.5/6.7/6.5/8 | 8.3) 19
4885 ve * | 120/59 [35 |13 |66/6.5|8 | 8.3] 19
314 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF CGreospiza ful/ginosa
parvula.— Continued. ©
a4 a F a8 8 |
a : to | o | RSE Pee T) S
st Locality. g b CI ] | z a Aa a3 p
4 S|F |" | & 6 lessslke| &
ge a 8 |g
(a)
4855 Charles. Q@ | 122,60 !42 |13.3)7 |6.5/8.5]9 | 18
4866 ee “ | 120/62 /38 |12 |7 |6.5/8.7/8 | 18
4744 Hood. & | 120;63 | 36 |13.5)7 |7 |Io /9 118
4716 ee “ — 161 |40 | 13 | 6.5) 6.5; 8.5) 8.5) 18.5
4850 be «| 120;62 |39 | 13.5! 7.3}6.5!9 | 8.5] 18.5
4624 Duncan. “ | 15!58 |35 |13 | 6.5] 6.7) 9.5/8.3] 18
4608 = “ | 120/64 | 39.5113.3.7 17 [9.5/9 | 19
4714 ae “ ) 317|61.5/36 |13 6317 '9 [8 {18
4614 oe 116/6r |35 |12.517 |6.5'9 | 8.3) 19
4622 He “ | 118/56 |40 j|13 |7 |6.5'8 |8.7) 18
4730 te | “ | 123/59 |36 |13 (7 |6.3 8 | 85/18
dom included in the nest material. There is no special lining. Some
nests have a somewhat finer material on the floor than elsewhere, but
the floor is generally more compactly and more solidly formed than
the other parts. Three of the nests from Tagus Cove contained eggs
— two sets of four each and one set of three. The eggs of set No. 1
have the usual pale greenish-white ground color of all the Geospzza
eggs, spotted and heavily blotched about the larger end with brownish,
vinaceous and rusty-brown, and sparingly spotted with brownish over
the rest of the surface. Measurements: 19.5 X 14.53 19.5 X 14,
19.5 X 14.5; 19 X 14.5. Set No. 2 has the same ground color as the
first, but is finely and nearly uniformly spotted with vinaceous so
thickly as nearly to obscure the ground color; one of the specimens,
however, is spotted only about the large end. Measurements: 19 x 14;
19.5 X 14; 18 X 13.5; 18 X 13.5. Set No. 3, of three eggs, is like the
firs tin coloration. Measurements of two specimens: 18.5 x 14.5;
18.5 x 14. These Geosfiza eggs greatly resemble the eggs of Spzzzdla
pusilla but are much larger. Some light-colored eggs of Junco
hyemalis thurbert are very much like them in coloration.
Several nests and two sets of three eggs were collected at Iguana
Cove in the latter part of December. The eggs are like those from
Tagus Cove in size and are similar in coloration. One set has a paler
ground color and is considerably more spotted with rusty-brown. The
nests do not differ from those taken at Tagus Cove.
One set of three eggs was taken at Elizabeth Bay, Albemarle, in
February. The eggs of this set are somewhat larger and more ovoid
BIRDS S15
in shape than any of the specimens taken either at Tagus Cove or
Iguana Cove. Measurements: 19.5 x 15; 18.5 X 153 19 X 15.
The following pairs were taken mated: Nos. 4662-4673, 4633—
4657, 4187-4182, 4341-4349, 4400-4359, 4377-4402, 4394-4364,
4403-4401, 4391-4395, 4368-4392, 4408-4409, 4378-4406, 4384-
4369, 4389-4367, 4397-4388, 4366-4376, 4325-4308, 4307-4330,
3938-3950.
626. GEOSPIZA FULIGINOSA FULIGINOSA Gould.
Geospiza fuliginosa GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 5, 1837 (Chatham).
Geospiza parvula RipGway (not of GouLpD), Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p.
2 3
aden ae Juliginosa ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p.
161, 1899.
Range. — Chatham Island.
In the collection from Chatham Island there are twelve specimens
of this species. As a series these differ ¢onsiderably from the G.
Suliginosa of other authors from James, Albemarle, Narboro, Inde-
fatigable, Duncan, Charles, Barrington and Hood. The bill is longer
and more slender with the basal depth about the same and the wing
averaging slightly larger. Two of the specimens are scarcely distin-
guishable in shape and size of bill from G. f. acutirostris. This
form approaches closely in size of billto G. dentirostrzs but the wing
is considerably less than sixty-eight millimeters.
This species was found abundantly on Chatham in May and gener-
ally distributed. The song consists of two notes, zéé' urr, repeated
twice.
*
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Greospiza fuliginosa
Suliginosa.
sis a
Cat. No ; 4 bo] 3 g =a gs a3 3
Stan. Univ. Locality. 8 a | & a a B mam) ke g
Mus. ld 8 | ° | 8s) es] ag] «
ma | A &
4717 Chatham. | @ | 127|64| 41 |13.5/7 6.7] 9 8.7 | 18.5
4829 ee “ | 126/65139 |I4 |7 6.5 | 85 | 85 | 19.5
4821 os “ | 120/64} 41 |14 |7 7 9 9 19.7
4856 ee “© | 728] 65] 42.5|14.5|8 7 9.7 | 9.7 | 20
4714 . Q | 116/59) 36 }12.3)6.5 |6 | 75] 7.5 | 17-5
4786 ee “ | 1177/62/36 {12.5)6.5 | 65 | 85 8 17
4715 “ “ | 722/60; 36 ;14 17.5 | 65187) 9 19.5
4895 . “* | 120/63]37 |14.5/7-5 | 7 | 85 | Io 19
4749 2 | 120/60]— {113 17.3 16519 9 19
316 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
62c. GEOSPIZA FULIGINOSA MINOR Rothschild and Hartert.
pa Cs ad minor ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., vI, p.
2, 1899.
Gopi hoe SALVIN, Trans. Zool. Soc., Ix, p. 483, 1876 (part). —
SHARPE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., x11, p. 13, 1888. — R1DGway, Proc. U.
S. Nat. Mus., XIX, pp. 526, 529, 1896 (part).
Range. — Abingdon and Bindloe.
Similar to G. f. parvuda, but averaging smaller, wing usually less
than sixty millimeters, culmen about twelve and one half.
This variety is common on both Abingdon and Bindloe. It occurs
everywhere on Bindloe which is comparatively low, but on Abingdon
it was found only below eight hundred feet altitude, Abingdon
reaching an elevation of nineteen hundred feet.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fuliginosa
minor.
a. \@ (8
Cat. No | eet ¢ | ¢ | Ze Bo | Gx 3
e \e = 7 m= b
Stan. Univ. Locality. 3 a | ae a | 8 3 ia mj an) s a) é
Mus. 4 B Bh 3 ro) gS $3 az a
fa --) =
5254 Abingdon. é 102 155.5134 |12.7/ 7 7 85 | 8.5 | 18
5195 ee “ | 114;58 | 30.5]12.3/ 6 6 7.5 | 7-5 | 18
5158 ee ee 110|58 }36 /13 | 67] 65] 8 8 | 18.3
5117 Bindloe. se 115 /|56.5;36 ;12 | 65} — | 7 8 1/18
5128 ss se 117/55 |35 |12.5| 7 6 7 8.7 | 18
_ 5165 a ee IIT §8.5/35 | 12.5} 63 | 63 7.5 | 8 [18
62d. GEOSPIZA FULIGINOSA ACUTIROSTRIS
(Ridgway). 1
Geospiza acutivostris RipGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XvilI, p. 363, 1894,
and xIx, p. 531, 1896; Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 506, 1901. —
ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 162, 1899.
Range. — Tower Island.
Very similar to G. f. fuldiginosa, but bill more acute, with straighter
outlines; the culmen averaging fourteen and one half millimeters and
the basal depth eight and one half millimeters. Our birds, which
were taken in June, all have pinkish-horn-colored bills, but are appa-
rently adult.
This is the most common Geosfzza on Tower, where it occurs
abundantly near the coast, frequenting the cactus (Opuntia)
thickets.
BIRDS 317
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fuliginosa
acutirostris.
ala|¢
| C rs] . gy. oa, a va
Cat. No. ; wo | a 6 led} oa | se
Stan. Univ. Locality. | 9 F f| 8 FE # BS OR | He z
Mus. & | F B/S gs gS ae) &
a | m &
5292 Tower. go | 118/61 39 114 | 7.5 | 65 | 85 | 9.3 | 18
5189 ct “| 115 | 63 42 |13 17 6.3} 8.7} 9 |18
5169 uh * | 115}62 | 40 /14.5| 7.3) 7 | 85 | 9.3 | 17-5
5157 a8 “ | 720] 61.5] 38/15 | 8 6.5 | 8 |10 |17
5291 7 “ | 123 | 66 43/15 | 8 6.5 | 8 9.7 | 19.5
5182 He ‘| 127 | 63.5] 41 |15 | 85 | 7 9 |I0o |19
5176 “6 “ | r1r|59.5| 40/14 | 7 7. 8.3 | 8.7 | 18
5133 _ 9 | 110/59 | 38/13 1 73/6 | 8 | 9 |175
5265 se “| 115 | 60 40 |14 | 7.7 | 65 | 85 1 9.3 |17
62e. GEOSPIZA FULIGINOSA DIFFICILIS (Sharpe).
Geospiza difficilis SHARPE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., x11, p. 12, 1888.—RIDGWAY,
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 532, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt.
I, p. 507, 1901.—ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 163,
1899. :
Range. — Abingdon Island.
This form is very close to G. f. acutzrostrzs of Tower, from which
it differs in the slightly larger bill. Some of our specimens, however,
are quite indistinguishable from-specimens of G. f. acutérostris and
we have, hence, united this form with the fadigizosa group. This
gives two subspecies of G. fuliginosa to Abingdon, but G. f.
difficilis is quite distinct from G. f. minor. This latter species, also,
as before stated, inhabits only the lower parts of the island, ranging
from sea level up to about eight hundred feet. G. f. dzfficilis, on the
other hand, appears to be restricted to the higher parts of the island,
where it is common. It was the only form seen above fifteen hundred
feet, and it was here most abundant, while below five hundred feet
it was not met with at all.
This is one of the few forms that occur on Abingdon but not on
Bindloe. Perhaps the lesser height of the latter island, which does not
reach an altitude greater tHan eight hundred feet, accounts for the
restriction of this species to Abingdon.
We must now make a break in the series which leads on uninterrupt-
edly from the form last described through G. dedzlrostris and G.
septentrionalis to the forms comprising the next and highest subgenus,
Cactornis. We do this in order to go back again to G. fuliginosa
parvula and insert another series which begins with G. fortzs and
318 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
leads up to the largest billed forms of Geosfiza, viz., G. strenua and
G. magnirostris, but which in plumage are more generalized than the
members of the Cactornzs group. It was only for the conventionality
of placing all the varieties of a species in continuous succession that
we did not insert the G. fortis magnirostris series immediately after
G. fuliginosa parvula.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fuliginosa
atficilts.
fe jails
F-| d 4°35) O54] Ga] g
Cat. No. va bo & \oe | oR | SE
Stan. Unive Locality, 8 2 = 3 g z ; . a a a) s 2 2
ve S/F |" 13) © | gel eel ge) 2
oS i]
a A s
5216 Abingdon. & | 128] 61 |36 |15.3! 7.7) 7 9 | 9.5 | 20.5
5279 is “| 118) 63 | 33.5|14.7| 8 | 7 9 | 9.7 | 20
5254 sé es 130; 62/39 |15.5|— | 65) 8 |Io |; 20
5192 i “ | 120] 59]35 |155/8 | 75] 9 | 9.7 | 19.5
63. THE GEOSPIZA FORTIS SERIES.
Under this series we include forms that have by Ridgway and
Rothschild been kept separate in two groups, G. fortzs and G.
dubia. We have specimens from the southern end of Albemarle at
Iguana Cove that absolutely bridge over the differences between the
previously known forms of these two supposed species. These Iguana
Cove specimens we have described as a new subspecies, G. fortis
platyrhyncha. This grouping of all the forms heretofore separated
into the species fortzs and duéza leads us into the necessity of recog-
nizing two subspecies of the same species on the same island wherever
the two forms occur. There are four cases of this sort: G. f. fortds
and G. f. dubéa occur together on both Chatham and Duncan; G. f.
fortis and G. f. dauréi occur on James; G. f. fortés and G. f.
simillima occur on Charles. G. f. s¢émzlléma Rothschild and Hartert
is a variety of very doubtful standing, but the other three cases are
apparently well substantiated. On these islands when two subspecies
of G. fortds occur together in this manner, the two forms are always
entirely distinct, and intergrade as subspecies only through individuals
on some other island. On Albemarle where two subspecies occur
they are geographically separated and intergrade on the intermediate
territory just as do subspecies inhabiting contiguous areas on the
mainland. It may of course be questioned whether groups of indivi-
duals living on different islands and showing some average difference as
BIRDS 319
groups, but yet intergrading in their variations, should not be regarded
as true species, since these intergradations are evidently due to over-
laps in individual variation and not to interbreeding, on account of
their isolation on the different islands. This isa point that we do not
attempt to discuss, and simply follow the conventional canons of the
A. O. U. nomenclature.
Geospiza fortis as a species, including all the fortzs varieties, has
its bill variation confined within the following limits in mature birds:
Length of culmen, 15 to 20; depth of bill at base, 11 to 16; width of
bill at base, 8 to 12. In both length of the culmen and width of the
bill at the base it intergrades with G. fudig¢nzosa, but there is a con-
stant difference in the depth of the bill, the greatest basal depth in G.
fuliginosa being 9.5.
Subspecies at the lower end of the G. fortzs series have the bill
“shaped exactly like that of G. fuliginosa parvula ; those at the upper
-end have bills of a proportionally greater depth and with a rounded cul-
men.
63a. GEOSPIZA FORTIS FORTIS (Gould).
Geospiza fortis GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 5, 1837. — Zool. Voy.
Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 101, pl. 38 (Charles Island). —Satvin, Trans.
Zool. Soc. Lond., 1x, p. 481, pl. 9, 1876. —SuHarpe, Cat. Birds Brit.
Mus., XII, p. Io (in part). — RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p.
521, 1896; Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 502, Igo1.
Geospiza nebulosa GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 5, 1837. —SHARPE,
Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., x1, p. 11 (in part).
Geospiza albemarlet RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvil, p. 362, 1894 ;
Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50 Pt. 1, p. 502, Igol.
Geospiza dubia albemarlet ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Nov. Zool., VI, p.
160, 1899.
Geospiza fortis fortis ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Nov. Zool., vI, p. 161,
1899.
Range. — Charles, Gardner (near Charles), Chatham, Indefatig-
able, Seymour, Duncan, Jervis, James, Albemarle (Tagus Cove) and
Narboro.
This form presents the least departure from Geospzza fuliginosa
fuliginosa. In shape and size of the bill it is intermediate between
G. f. fuliginosa and G. f. dubia of the upper end of the G. fortzs
series. Adultsof G. fortis fortis and G. fuliginosa are always dis-
tinguishable by the larger bill of the former, but young birds of G.
fortis have bills almost exactly duplicating those of adults of G. fudz-
ginosa. We have examined young specimens which in fact could not
be definitely assigned to either species.
Ridgway has described specimens from Albemarle as Geosfzza
albemariez. is specimens probably came from either Tagus Cove
320 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
or the southeast part of Albemarle, for these are the only localities that
collectors up to that time had visited. Specimens from Tagus Cove
do not differ from specimens of G. fortis fort¢s of the other islands.
Some of those from southeast Albemarle have rather longer and deeper
bills, but they grade into G. fort¢s platyrhyncha of Iguana Cove at
the southwest end of Albemarle. Hence there are two varieties on
Albemarle, but these are G. f. fortis and G. f. platycephala. If
the type of G. albemarlei had come from Iguana Cove, then this
name could be retained.
Our specimens of this species are from Charles, Chatham, James,
Indefatigable, Seymour, Albemarle and Narboro. The species was
found most abundant on Charles, James, Albemarle and Narboro.
We have twenty two specimens of adult males taken at Tagus
Cove in January, February and March. They are in Stages III to
VI. There are two in Stage III, taken in March; two in Stage IV,
taken in January and one taken in March; four in Stage V, taken in
March and one taken in January; and six in Stage VI, taken in Janu-
ary, one taken in February and four taken in March.
Adult Males. — Coloration almost exactly the same as in Geospiza
fuliginosa parvula. Deep black everywhere except on the wings
and tail, which have a brownish tone. Under tail coverts bordered
with white. In some there is a varying amount of grayish color on
the posterior part of the belly and on the flanks as pale edgings to the
feathers; in such cases the entire exposed parts of the under tail
coverts are gray. This pale color generally lacks the buffy tinge
present in G. fulig¢nosa. Bill black. Feet brown.
The same plumage stages are distinguishable as in G. fudiginosa,
but all the specimens except one, even down to those in Stage III,
have the bill entirely black. One specimen intermediate between
Stages V and VI, however, has the lower mandible yellow with black
only on the sides of the base and at the base of the gonys. There is
in no stage any buffy tinge to the pale parts of the plumage, a mark
distinguishing the species from G. fuliginosa. There are only three
young males in the collection taken in January; two of these are in
Stage IV, one has yellow on the lower mandible; the other is in
Stage V. March birds are in Stages III to VI. The yellow-billed
January bird has a few new feathers coming in on the back and breast ;
the other January specimens are not moulting. None of the March
birds are moulting.
The males of this species apparently are longer in acquiring the
black plumage than are the males of G. fuliginosa. The bill becomes
BIRDS 321
black by the beginning of the breeding season, but the plumage does
not. The species nests at Tagus Cove in March. Several pairs of
mated birds were secured at this time, and many others observed, of
which the males were in immature plumage, some scarcely distin-
guishable from the females. In fact, the number of mated black billed
males in immature plumage nearly equalled the number of mated
males in black plumage.
Adult Females. —We have three adult females taken in January,
one taken in February and three taken in March. The bills are not
as dark as in the males. The upper mandible is dusky or brownish-
black, while the lower is generally still paler. One of these females
is moulting; it is a March bird with entirely dark bill and was taken
mated with an adult male.
Immature Females. — There are eight immature females in the
collection, all taken in January. They have yellow or partly yellow
bills. The plumage in some is the same as that of the adult females,
but it varies from this to much paler, where the brown is not nearly
so conspicuous. Since no yellow-billed specimens were taken in
March, it appears that they acquire the dusky bill before this month,
probably in February. Nearly all of the young females are moulting,
but the new feathers are most numerous and conspicuous in the paler
plumaged birds. The absolute amount of brown color on the feathers
of the adult females and the darker immature ones is much greater
than onthe feathers of the paler younger birds, so that the moult must
be accompanied by a change in the color of the feathers.
Specimens from Narboro do not differ in the form of the bill from
those taken at Tagus Cove on Albemarle. The collection contains
four adult males in black plumage with black bills, taken in April
on the east side of the island. There are four males in black plu-
mage, taken in January on the north side of the island, that present
the following very unusual coloration of the bill for birds in black
plumage in January: the upper mandible in all four is brownish-
horn, in two the lower mandible is light horn-yellow with dusky tip;
in the other two the lower mandible is mostly the color of the upper,
but is yellow at the base. These birds must either have been very late
in acquiring the black bills, or else precocious in attaining the black
plumage. One of these black, yellow-billed birds is moulting.
There are seven specimens taken on Seymour and the adjoining
part of Indefatigable, during the last of April and the first of May.
One specimen is an adult male in purely black plumage and with a
black bill. Two are brown-backed males with much pale color on
322 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
the edges of the feathers of the belly. The occurrence of these forms
after the breeding season would indicate that the purely black plumage
is not acquired until during the second year. Another specimen is a
male in Stage V, and another a male in Stage IV. Both of these
have black bills and are moulting. There is one adult female with a
black bill, and finally one young bird in Stage II with a yellow bill.
These specimens indicate the same thing concerning the acquisition of
black as do the specimens from Tagus Cove, Albemarle, viz., that
the bills of the males are nearly always black by the breeding season,
but that the plumage may be only in Stages V or IV.
We have twenty specimens of Geospiza fortzs from James Island,
taken in April about James Bay. All of them apparently belong to
the subspecies G. f. fortis, being the same as those at Tagus Cove.
We have no specimens from James that we could identify as G. f.
daurt. Nine of the specimens are adult males, all having black bills,
but some are in the black phase of Stage VI and others in the brown-
ish. Several in each phase are moulting. One male in Stage V and
two in Stage IV are each moulting slightly, all having black bills.
Three are adult females, one with a black bill, two with the bill
dusky above and paler brownish beneath. Five are young birds but
recently from the nest, all in Stage II with yellow bills and soft
plumage, and all are moulting.
From Charles there are in the collection twelve specimens taken
in May. Eleven of them clearly belong to the subspecies G. f. for-
tés. One, however, an immature male with the lower mandible yel-
low, has a bill much larger than that of the others and resembling the
bill of G. fortzs dubia of Chatham. This specimen may perhaps be
G. fortts simillima (Rothschild and Hartert). Five of the Charles
specimens are adult males; two are immature males in Stage IV; four
are adult females; and one is an immature female, having the lower
mandible yellow and a few new feathers growing in.
Ffabits, Song, Nests and Eggs.— At Tagus Cove, Albemarle,
Geospiza fortis fortis was found fairly abundant, associating with
G. fuliginosa parvula, but was always much less numerous than
this species. The songs of the two were different but not radically
so, being often very similar, and were always constructed on the same
plan. One song consisted of two syllables of which the first had
an é-sound (thére) and was much prolonged by a sort of +-like trill,
while the second had a long e sound and carried the accent. The song
may be represented thus: ¢ér-7-r-r-wee', tér-r-r-r-wee'. The birds
were singing but little at this time, and were very scarce in the man-
grove swamps about Turtle Point.
BIRDS 323
During March the birds at Tagus Cove were nesting and the males
were singing much more than in January. A common song at this
time resembled feur'-wee-wee, teur'-wee-wee, teur'-wee-wee. The
accent was always conspicuously placed on the first syllable in each
set. Often all these notes resembled the first, or this was only slightly
different from the other two. In this case the song much resembled
that of the Elizabeth Bay Geospizza heliobates. This song, having all
the notes nearly alike, was connected by numerous intermediate vari-
eties with the other. They sang also a bisyllabic song resembling
twér-twér, twér-twér. This was much like the song of the Geo-
spiza heliobates of the Narboroand Turtle Point swamps. The vowel
sound, however, differed noticeably in the two, that of the former
lacking the pure ér sound of the latter.
About the middle of March Geospiza fortis fort?s was found rather
numerous in the mangrove swamp north of Tagus hill. They were
continually singing a song sounding like fee'-wér-wér, tee'-wér-wér,
tee'-wér-wér. Nearly always three sets were uttered in succession.
We shot a male that was uttering the sound almost continually, and
flying all the time from tree to tree ranging back and forth over a con-
siderable area. Others were heard doing the same. They varied the
vowel sound of the syllables so much that often the first had the sound
of the second and third and these two the sound of the first, thus:
tdr-wee-wee. Sometimes, especially when the bird observed was ata
considerable distance, all three syllables had the é or z sound, and then
the song much resembled the song of the G. elzobates at Elizabeth
Bay. In such cases, however, the initial consonant sound of the first
syllable is generally different from that of the second and third sylla-
bles, thus: ¢27/-wzir-wiir, tir'-wir-wir, tiur'-wir-wir.
During March a mated pair of these birds selected an acacia bush
in the small canyon at the head of Tagus Cove as their home for that
season. ‘The male constructed the nest, the female taking no part in
the actual labor; but she frequently came about while the nest was
being built, apparently to inspect and approve or disapprove of the
work of her partner. The latter never worked hard at the nest but
spent most of his time flying excitedly about and singing, working
only occasionally. Whenever the female came to the nest he quit
work entirely to remain near her and to fly about withher. This pair
was observed for a number of days and at all times during the morn-
ing. The male whenever heard sang the same thing, a song which
may be represented as follows: zee”u-twee’’u. The difference between
the initial consonants of the two parts was very marked and scarcely
324 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fortis
fortis.
a3 a ae z a5 |
b .| 3] ol a] 3} &leeige les] gs
3 Locality. g F Aa) & BS 8 ge Be Be, g
ee: ae oo) s e age
§P El al &
4201 | Albemarle, Tagus Cove. | ¢ | 137)73 | 49 {17 | 8.5) 9-5) 13. | 11.5/21
4006 a He a “ 1138/75 | 49 |18.5,;10 | 9.7/14 | 12 j21
3980 ee “e es “ 1125}68 |48 |17.5| 9 | 9-7) 12.5) 12 |20.5
3978 ef ee et “ 1132] 70 | 42 |16.5) 8.5) 9.5/13 | II |20.5
4132 ss ts £6 “ |y3r}7r 149 {17 | 8.5] 10 | 13.5] 11.5/21
4294 He te i ‘© 1135|72 | 42.5)18 | 9.5} 10.3} 14.5) 12 |23
4322 ie ee sy “1142/74 144 |17 | 9 | 9.5) 13-3) 12 |22
4208 es se ue “ 1140/75 /44 |18 | 9.5) 10.3) 13.5) 12.5)22.5
4039 te “ ts “ /rrs| 71 14t | 17-7] 9.7| 9.7/13 | 12 j22
4393 ae ue ée “« 1118) 70 |39 |16.5) —| 9 |12 |1II j21.5
4371 as oe a “ !127/70 |43 |17.5| 9 9.5) 12 | 12 |21.5
4176 ee oe es “ 1117/66 |39 |16 | 8 | 83/11 | 10.5!20
4407 a « es 138|7r | 42 |185, 9.5/1 {14 |13 /21
4133 ee oe as “ 1128/66 (39 | 15.7; 8.5, 8.5: II.5/ 10.5/20
4142 wt ae ce ‘ 1127) 68.5'44 /17 | 83] 9 | 14 | II |22
4181 we “s i “1118/67 | 38.5) 16.7] 8.5! 8.7; 12 | 11.5/20.7
3958 es as 8 “ |125/70 |42 |Ig |Io |Il | 14 | 12.3/23
4028 " ff ae “© | 128/72 149 |18.5) 9 | To | 13 | 12.5)20.5
4147 e ms " ‘| 127/68 |49 ;17 | 8.7) 9.3! 12.3) 11.7/21.5
4390 ee et “e ‘ (131,65 | 40 | 16 8.5' 9 {12 |II |20
4387 as at we ‘1720164 |34 |16 | 8 g {Ir |11 Jar
4370 ue uM Hs “© 1118; 65 | 38.5) 16.5) 8.5) 8.5) 11.3) 11 |20
4264 me a we “ |120|66 | 40 | 15 8.5! 8.31 11.5} 10 [19.5
4463 Narboro. & | 136] 70.5) 41.5, 16.5} 8.5! To | 12.5) 12 {19.7
4419 = “1133/71 |42.5/16.5) 9 |Io | 13 | 11.5|20.5
4459 es ‘* | 140] 72.5)44 |17 | 10 9.7113, | 12 i21
4440 “ “1122/66 |38 |} 16.5) 9 | 9.5/12 | 11.5|21.3
3933 se 1131) 70 {42 |16.7/ 9 | 9.7) 12.5) 11 |20
3971 a “ 1130/72 |43 | 16.7] 8.5! 9.3/12 | 11.3/21
4006 ee “1130/73 |42 117 | 8.5) 9.5! 12.5 11.5]21
3952 et © 1133/70 |44 |17 9 9.5| 11.7] 11.3]20.5
4464 _ “ 1139/69 |38 |17 | 9.5| 10.31 13.5/12 |18.5
4870 Charles. “ 1135] 68.5' 43 | 16.5) 9 | 9.3)/13 | Ir |20
4833 me ** 1130} 69 | 41.5| 16 8 8.5| 11 | 10.5/19
4722 a “1140173 [43 |16.7; 8.7) 9.5)12 | IL |21.5
4717 al “1134/70 |40 117 8.5] 9.7/12 | II |20.5
4892 “ @ |136;70 143 |17 | 85) 95/13 | 11 |2z
4725 ue ‘“ 1128/67 |4o | 16 8 8.7| 11.5] 10.5}/19
4723 fe “ 1130166 | 40 | 16 8.3' 8.5! 11.5] 10.5]20.5
4878 if * | — }68 | 43 | 47.7] 9.3| 9.7)13 | 12 |19.5
4867 “ “ 1139/73 |42 |18 | 9.7] 9.5! 13.3!12 |20
4702 Indefatigable. gS |130}70 |43 |17 9 9 | 12.511 |20.5
4707 ne “© 1131/69 135 |17.5; 9 | IO | 12.7] 12.5/21.5
4667 as ‘1732/68 | 41.5) 17 8.7) 8.7; 12.3] 11.5|20
4644 South Seymour. © |135/68 139 |17 | 9 | 9.5) 12 | 11.3)20.5
4601 James. & |128|70 |40 |17 | 9 | 10 [13 | II j2t5
4535 i “ 1135|72 144 }18 | 9.3) 10 | 13.3/ 11.5/21
4476 oe “© | 124/170 | 42 |17.5! 9 | IO | 13 | 1T.5]21.5
4510 . “ )128174 |44 117 | 8.5) 9.5112.3) 11 |22
4501 oy ‘© 1134/71 |44 | 16 8.3) 9 | 12.5] 10.7|21
BIRDS 325
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fortis
Sortis.— Continued.
a ¥ : ‘ 22/8
a : 3 bo = 3 @ iS) Solas) a
é Locality. S # eI & a e Pa AR £3 &
a8 a | a | o (es) gs) He] &
ll aja |g
4458 James. & | 122] 73 44 | 18.5 |Io |ro |14 |12.5] 20.5
4506 - “ | 123/71.5| 50/16 |8 18311 [10 | 20
4504 = “1 133] 70.5! 46 |18 !9 j1o |12.5 11 | 21
4503 fe 2 | 123] 67 41 }16 | 8.5/8.7) 11 j1r | 20.3
4515 te “« | 120) 68 45 117 |9 |9 |12.3/11.3] 20
4555 ee ee | 133. 67 45 | 16.5 | 8.3] 9.5|12.5|10.7| 22
ever did the bird make any variation. Another male bird of the same
species was observed flying about in the neighborhood of a tree in
which was a large Geosfzza nest with eggs uttering continually
these same notes. No female, however, was ever to be seen about or
in the nest and the eggs were always cold so she had probably been
killed, yet the male remained in the neighborhood singing as if the
female were still on the nest.
During March a bird at Tagus Cove was heard singing fee’up-
tweeu.
At Iguana Cove in December one bird was observed singing a song
resembling twee’-ur’r’r, twee'-ur’r’r. This was uttered generally
twice in succession, often only once, sometimes three times. (The
representatives of the species at Iguana Cove belong to the subspecies
G. f. platyrhyncha.)
On James Island about James Bay the relative numbers of Geospiza
fuliginosa parvula and G. fortis fortzs were just the reverse of what
they were at Tagus Cove, Albemarle. Here on James the G. fortzs
was the commonest species of Geospiza. Their song very much re-
sembled the common song of the individuals at Tagus Cove, sound-
ing somewhat like ¢ew'-we, teu’-we.
On Charles Island one song of Geospiza fortis fortés almost ex-
actly resembled the song of G. fuliginosa parvula of Tagus Cove.
The accent was always on the first syllable and may be represented
thus: teur’-wee, teur'-wee —no difference was noticed that could be
described by alphabetical sounds. The same birds, however, sang
numerous different songs.
Two nests collected at Tagus Cove in March were placed in bushes,
and are of the same shape as the nests of G. fulzginosa described.
Both were composed almost wholly of grasses, but were very
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
326 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
unequal in size. One was about the size of an ordinary G. fuligi-
nosa parvula nest, the other was much larger, larger even than the
nest of G. strenua.
In the smaller nest were four eggs. These do not differ, except in
their larger size, from eggs of G. fuliginosa parvula. The ground
color is pale greenish-white, finely spotted with brownish and vi-
naceous, the spots forming blotches about the larger end. They
measure as follows: 21 X 16.5; 21 X 16; 21 X 16; 21 x 16.
The following pairs were taken mated: Nos. 4371-4390, 4361-
4407, 4373-4387, 4503-4503.
636. GEOSPIZA FORTIS FRATERCULA (Ridgway).
Geospiza fratercula RipGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xvilI, p. 363, 1894,
and XIX, p. 525, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 504, Igo].
Geospiza fortis fratercula ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p.
161, 1899.
Range.— Abingdon and Bindloe.
Our series of specimens of this subspecies from Abingdon and Bind-
loe show no difference in the shape or size of the bill from specimens
of typical G. f. fortés from Charles. The wing, however, averages
smaller and the body is smaller in proportion to the size of the bill
than in G. f. fortzs and these appear to be the only distinguishing
characters of this form.
MEASUREMENTS OF Geospiza fortis fratercula.
ee 8
Cat. No. S| wo! 3) €) @ ) 8a) ool se] gs
Stan. Uai: Locality. 8 2| 8 = z: 8 aa AR | s 3 e
Mus. | B § | °o | 8s) es | ez] &
ma a Ss
5203 Abingdon. jAd. $/133/64 |41 |18 | 9 |105\13 |12 |19
5073 te “ 1133/65 |4o | 16.5| 9 9 |IL.5|1I | 19
5245 ce Im. | 141/71 |44.5;18 |10 Il 14 | 12.7) 20.5
5222 ee ee 121 | 63.5|40 |16.5] 8.7} 9 j1r {Ir | 18.5
5256 Bindloe. (/Ad. $/128/67 | 38.5)18 | 9 9 |12.5|)12 | 18.5
5223 ce “ }115}64 |40 117 | 8&5 | 9.7;13 | 11.5 | 18.7
5184 es ee 120/65 |37 |17.5| 9 9 |12 |11.5|20
5151 a Im. | 125/67 | 39.5)17.5] 9 95/12 |12 |19
4724 #6 Ad. 9|122|60 |37 |16.7/ 8.3 | 9.3|;12 |12 | 185
5118 fe ee 128|62 {37 }16 | 83}; 93/12 |1r 1185
Found in June fairly common on Bindloe, but less abundant on
Abingdon, where nearly all seen were young birds of the same year.
There is no difference between the specimens from the two islands.
The collection contains five adult males in either black or black and
BIRDS 327
brownish plumage. Four have black feathers on the back with an ad-
mixture of brownish feathers, z. e., the individual feathers are either
purely black or brown. They are all moulting. Hence, it appears
that here, at least, in June a moult occurs in which the brownish-
, black plumage is lost and the black acquired. We have one male in
Stage V with the bill black, another with the bill black above and
pale below, one in Stage III with the bill entirely pale. All of these
are moulting. Two males in Stage IV, having the bills mostly pale
but partly dusky above, are not moulting.
63c. GEOSPIZA FORTIS PLATYRHYNCHA
Heller and Snodgrass.
Geospiza fortis platyrhyncha HELLER AND SNODGRASS, The Condor, Vol.
in, No. 3, May-June, p. 75, 1901 (Iguana Cove, Albemarle Island).
Geospiza platyrhyncha RipGway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 673,
Igol.
Range. —Iguana Cove, Albemarle.
This form is similar in size and proportions to G. fortcs dudbza,
but the bill averages considerably wider at the base, being twelve
millimeters or more in width. The variety intergrades through forms
at the southeastern part of Albemarle and at Elizabeth Bay with G.
fortis fortis at Tagus Cove.
It was not common at Iguana Cove either in January, March or
June. We have three adult males taken in January and March in
black plumage having very large thick bills with curved culmens, and
two females, one adult taken in March, the other taken in December.
The latter has the bill yellowish below and was moulting. The
ovaries were enlarged, however, as if the bird was breeding.
Type. — Adult male, No. 5150 Leland Stanford Junior University
Museum; Iguana Cove, Albemarle, Galapagos, June 7, 1899.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fortis
platyrhyncha.
6 s le |§
ag a/weloal go! ¢|$sl@slés| «
7 : | | 2) 8] 8) PIPR/aB| S|
28 Locality. & E 5 | 4 4 8 igs les (ae E
i oO is] a
BP a fa =
4355 | Albemarle, Iguana Cove.) $ | 151 | 77.5) 46.5; 19 | 10.5]12.5!16 |13 |22
4351 . . “ 1148/76 | 44 |18 | 9.5) 12.5/15 | 13 |23
5150 ee ef “ |r47|75 |46 |18.5, 9 |12 |16 | 13 |22
4352 os . Q | 142] 74.5] 43.5, 18.5] 9.7) 12 | 15 , 13 |22
4048 ie se a 71 145 |18 9.5|I2 | 15.5} 12.7/21.5
328 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
We have examined seven specimens of Geospzza fortzs from the
southeastern part of Albemarle at Villa Mil, in a collection belonging
to Captain W. Johnson, of San Francisco, collected by Mr. G. M.
Green, of San Francisco. The bills of these specimens vary from
the G. f. platyrhyncha type to that of G. f. fortis. The following,
are measurements made on these specimens:
Basal Basal Maxilla
Locality. Sex. Wing. | Culmen. Width Depth from
of Bill. of Bill. | Nostril.
Albemarle, Villa Mil. & 78 19 12 15 13
as a 71 16 Io 12 12
se ae 74 18 Io 14 12
o * a 73 19 12 15 13
ee af #¢ 74 16 Io 13 II
ee as 72 17 10.5 14 I2
ne a se 72 18 ae) 14 13
There are in our collection seven specimens of Geospiza_fortzs from
Elizabeth Bay, Albemarle. These resemble the Villa Mil specimens
in presenting a great deal of variation. Some have bills as large as
those of typical G. f. platyrhyncha specimens with strongly curved
culmens; others are indistinguishable from ordinary G. f. fortés
specimens. The following are measurements of the Elizabeth Bay
specimens:
[pe ne = d| 4/ =
a mm mm sel
32 a : aial_ A] _ Ales; x
a Wi ® | Vlas v | my) Se | Be || s
S Locality. o a] #| #@| 8) 8/8°) 8°) kz) eB
es | S/BL Rl als Ag ae ce é
6 ey en ee ee ee
4244 |Albemarle, Elizabeth Bay.| g | 125/73 |47 |19 |10 | 11 | 14.5] 12.5'22
4346 ef ‘ $s “1137/74 | 48 |17.5]10 | 11 | 15.5] 13 21.5
oe as ae “1146/74 | 47 | 18.5)10 | 10.3] 15.5] 12.5'21.7
4290 ee se se “ 1130] 68.5])38 | 17 |9.5!10 | 13.5] 12.5/21.5
4295 ae “ ue “1136/73 145 | 16.7/8.3; 9 | 12.3] 10.7/21.5
4298 ee He oe “1136/69 | 42 |16 | 8j 8 J1I15 10.7/2
4296 is ae as ® |140|72 |41.5|17 | 9 | 9.5| 12.5] 11.5]/21.5
These specimens undoubtedly bridge over the difference between the
former species G. fortds and G. dubza.
63d. GEOSPIZA FORTIS DUBIA (Gould).
Geospiza dubia GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., v, p. 6, 1837. — R1peway,
Proc. U. S. Mat. Mus., xIx, p. 518, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt.
I, Pp. 501, Ig0I.
Geospiza dubia dubia ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool,, v1, p. 160,
1899.
Range.— Chatham, Barrington and Duncan.
.
BIRDS 329
The bill of this form is shaped much like that of Geospiza strenua,
being the longest of all the G. fordzs bills except G. f. bauri, and
has a strongly curved culmen.
All of the specimens of G. fortcs that we obtained on Chatham be-
long to this variety, although G. f. fortés is recorded from Chatham
by Rothschild and Hartert. We have four adult males, one adult
female and two immature males taken in May. The immature males
are in Stage IV; each is moulting slightly.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza fortis dubia.
ra
a:
é : 3 3 8
‘at. No. 3 oD n 3 we 2a és oa wo
Stan, Univ. Locality. 8 2 a | 8 | e ag Aa | s : 2
Mus. s 5 § ro) pa go RA &
Q a s
4790 Chatham. S | 134! 73 | 42.5/18.3] 9.5]/II | 15 | 12.5] 22
4894 ee s8 138| 77 |46.5}19 |10 |11.5]15.5]13 | 22
4760 ee < 153| 75 |46 |I9 |1o0 | 11.5) 16.3/13 | 23.7
4851 us ee 150| 76 |48 |18 | 10.3] 10.7/14 | 12.5 | 22
ee ee 145| 71 | 44.5)18.3] 9.5]11.3/15 |13 | 23
4712 ts @ | 140] 68 |4r | 18 9.5|II [14 | 11.7| 22.5
63e. GEOSPIZA FORTIS SIMILLIMA (Rothschild and Hartert).
Geospiza dubia simillima ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p. 161,
1899 (Charles Island).
Geospiza simillima RipGway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 1, p. 502,
Igol.
Range. — Charles Island.
This form is described by Rothschild and Hartert from one adult
male and four immature birds as differing from G. f. fortzs of Albe-
marle (comparisons probably made with specimens from Villa Mil at
the southeast part of Albemarle) in having the wing from two to three
millimeters longer. If this is a valid species really different from G.
Jf. fortis on Charles, we have one immature male that is probably
referable to it. This specimen measures as follows: length 130; wing
75; tail 49; culmen 20; gonys 10; basal width of bill 11, basal depth
of bill 15.5; maxilla from nostril 13; tarsus 22. It was taken in May
and is moulting.
63f. GEOSPIZA FORTIS BAURI (Ridgway).
Geospiza bauri RipGway, Proc. U. S, Nat. Mus., xv, p. 362, 1894 (James
Island), and x1x, p. 518, 1896 ; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 500,
IgOl.
Geospiza dubia baurt ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 161,
1899. =
339 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Range. — James Island.
This variety is known only from three specimens taken on James
Island by Baur and Adams. We have not seen specimens of it.
According to Rothschild and Hartert, who examined Baur and
Adams’ specimens, it is subspecifically related to G. fortzs dubia, dif-
fering from the latter only in having a larger beak. It, then, possesses
the largest bill of the G. fortzs series, approaching nearest to G.
strenua.
64. GEOSPIZA DARWINI Rothschild and Hartert.
Geospiza darwint ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 158, 1899
(Culpepper Island).—Ripeway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 500,
1901.
Range. — Culpepper Island.
We did not procure any specimens of this form. The measure-
ments of the beak given by Rothschild and Hartert are included within
the dimensions of the bill of G. strezua. The adult male differs,
however, from that of G. conirostris, G. strenua and G. magnirostis,
according to the describers, in having the ‘‘ feathers of the breast, ab-
domen and back slightly edged with olive” and in having the rump
conspicuously olive. ‘* Bill compressed and rounded, as in G. conz-
rostr¢s, but, unlike the other species of Geospzza, abruptly narrowed
three millimeters from the tip and elongated sharply to the point.”
65. GEOSPIZA STRENUA Gould.
Geospiza strenua GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 5, 1837, and Zool. Voy.
Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 100, pl. 37, 1841. — ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT,
Novit. Zool., vI, p. 155, 1899. — Rrpeway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50,
Pt. 1, p. 496, 1901.
Geospisa pachyrhyncha RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XvIlt, p. 293,
1896 (Tower Island) ; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 498, Igol.
fange.— James, Bindloe, Abingdon, Tower, Indefatigable,
Jervis, Duncan, Barrington, Albemarle, Narboro and Wenman.
Our collection contains one adult male and one adult female from
Narboro, taken in January and March; five adult males and one
adult female taken on James in April; and nine adult males and three
adult females taken on Abingdon, Bindloe and Tower in June. Be-
sides the adults there are numerous young specimens from James,
Abingdon, Bindloe and Tower.
The adult males are exactly the same in plumage as adult males of
G. fuliginosa and G. fortis. The specimens are all moulting ex-
cept those taken on James in April. They were taken on Narboro
BIRDS 331
in April and on Abingdon, Bindloe and Tower in June. This
shows that with the adults there is a moult after the breeding
season.
The adult females resemble those of G. fuliginosa and G. fortis
in color of plumage, but the bill is generally more or less pale below.
Females taken in April and June are moulting; the one taken on
Narboro in March is not.
All of the young birds in the collection except one were taken in
June. All of these, except one male from Tower, are in Stage II.
The one that is not is in a condition between Stages [IV and V; the
upper mandible is black; the lower mandible is black on the sides,
yellowish below. One young female from Narboro was taken in
January. It has the plumage of the adult, but the lower mandible
is pinkish-yellow.
A nest of this species containing a set of five eggs was secured on
Narboro April 5. It was placed a few feet above the ground in the
forks of a small bush. In shape it resembles the nests of other Geo-
spize already described. It is composed exteriorly of plant stems in-
terwoven with lichens and a few grasses, and is lined scantily with
bark fibers, finer grasses and a few lichens. The height of the nest
is one hundred and fifty millimeters, its width one hundred and sixty,
the depth of the interior one hundred and twenty, and the diameter of
the entrance five.
The eggs have a pale greenish-white ground color, with a few
grayish shell marks and numerous brownish blotches, heaviest about
the larger end. Dimensions: 23 X 17.5, 23 X 17, 23.5 X 17, 23.5 X
17, 23.5 X 17.
The song of this species was not often heard. One bird was ob-
served singing at James Bay on James Island. The song had a very
pleasing sound, differing considerably from the ordinary Geospiza
notes. It may be represented as follows: tew’w,........ Ctpeneaaus é-leur.
The first greatly prolonged syllable was indistinctly divided into two
parts, the second one with the @-sound being the part specially pro-
longed. The sound of the first syllable was smooth and continuous,
but the second syllable was abruptly different from the preceding. It
was slightly prolonged, had a very pure tone, and ended with a rising
inflection.
The following table shows that the specimens from Narboro have a
somewhat smaller bill and smaller wing than most of the others.
More specimens from this island might indicate a separate subspecies
for Narboro.
332 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza strenua.
a
Cat. No. : g to | & S ie oI a8 a
a Univ. Locality. é oe 3 é EI z aa ae i z EB
saa a | a | = ye aa)
5168 Tower. oS 170} 86} 55 |24.5)12.5}16 |22 |17 | 23.5
5226 “ “| 162! 84 | 52 |25.5/13.5/16 | 22 [17 | 25
5243 # ee 160] 86 | 53 | 24.5] 12.5]16.5]21.5/16 | 24
5239 a 2 155| 81 | 50} 25.5/13 |17 | 22 | 16.5 | 23
5213, “ 8 172} 87 | 57 |24.5/13 |16.3]}22 |17 |25
4590 James. & 160} 82] 51 |23.3)/12 |;15 |20 | 15.7124
4516 ne os 160} 86} 52 |24 |11.5/15.5/21 |16 | 25
4511 a mi 162] 85 | 50 | 23 | 11.5] 15.5] 21 | 15.7] 25
4580 ue ee 158} 85 | 52 }25 |12.5|15.5|22.5)17 | 25
4529 “ Q 163| 83] 50 ]23 {12 {16 |20 | 16.3] 24
5051 Bindloe. c 160] 81 | 44 |24 |12.5}15.5]2I | 16.3 | 24
5136 ue ae 163/ 81 | 50] 23 |11.5]/14 | 19.5 | 16.7 | 24.3
5067 Abingdon. Se 168] 80] 50] 24 |12.5]15 | 21.5| 16.5 | 25
4917 ae ts 168| 80] 47 |23 j12 |15 |20.3/16 | 25
5206 we Bs w6r| 81 | 45 |23 |12.5|15 | 21 I5 | 24
4969 nt as 160] 79] 50 | 22.7/11.3/15 |19.5115 | 24.7
5107 vs 2 155] 77 | 47 | 22.7|12.5}15 |19.5)15 | 23
4414 Narboro. é 160} 78 | 50 | 22.7/11.5/14.5]19.5|16 | 23
4444 ne Q 159| 77 | 48 |20.5]1r |13 |18 [15 | 23.5.
66. GEOSPIZA MAGNIROSTRIS Gould.
Geospiza maguirostris GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 5, 1837 (Charles
Island), and Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 100, pl. 36, 1841. — R1DG-
way, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xx, p. 512, 1896; Bull. U. 5. Nat. Mus.,
50, Pt. 1, 495, 1901.
Range. — Charles Island.
The specimens from which this species was described were collected
by Darwin on Charles Island. No expedition since then has obtained
specimens of the species from any of the islands of the archipelago.
Rothschild and Hartert give the following measurements of the three
adult males in the British Museum: ‘*Culmen 26.5, 27, 27 mm.;
height of bill at base 23.5-24 mm.; wing 91, 91, 95 mm.; tarsus 25
mm. These measurements show that G. magnirostris has both a
larger bill and longer wing than any specimens of G. strenua yet ob-
tained, and that the bill is much larger than that of the average G.
strenua individual.
This ends the side branch begun with G. fortzs fortés from G.
fuliginosa parvula leading up to the largest-billed forms of Geospiza
with the adult females in Stage III. We will now go back to the
continuation of the series leading from G. fuliginosa through its
varieties and through G. debdlzrostr¢és and G. septentrionales into the
subgenus Cactornis, where the females as well as the males acquire a
melanistic plumage when adult.
is BIRDS 333
67. GEOSPIZA DEBILIROSTRIS Ridgway.
Geospiza debilirostris RIDGWAY, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., Xv11, P. 363, 1894,and
XIX, Pp. 533, 1896 (James Island); Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p.
508, 1901. — ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool, VI, p. 163, 1899.
Range. — James Island.
This species is slightly larger than G. fuliginosa, the wing of
adult males measuring, according to Rothschild and Hartert, sev-
enty-one to seventy-three millimeters. The basal depth of the bill
does not exceed ten and one-half millimeters and is generally less
than ten, while the culmen is about sixteen. The bill is, hence, but
slightly larger than the bill of G. fuliginosa difficilis. On the other
hand, the size of the bill and wing in G. dedcirostrzs is identical with
the measurements of smaller specimens of G. septentréonalis and the
two species are separable only by the color of the under tail coverts,
which, in the second named species, are of a distinct chestnut tone.
Hence, in shape of the bill G. debzlrostris is intermediate between G.
Suliginosa diffictlis and G. septentrionalis, and therefore between the
former genera Geosfiza and Cactornis. It is probable that if more
specimens of G. debilirostris could be examined the size of the bill
would be found to intergrade with that of G. f. d7ficdl’s. The dif-
ference in length of wing, however, is considerable, so that it is pos-
sible that this may be found a specific character. ,
We have two immature specimens taken in April at James Bay, on
James Island, that we refer to this species.
68. GEOSPIZA SEPTENTRIONALIS (Rothschild and Hartert).
Geospiza scandens septentrionalis ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 165, 1899 (Wenman and Culpepper Islands). — RipGway, Bull.
U.S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. I, p. 510, Igo1.
Range. — Wenman and Culpepper.
This form is more distinct from those nearly related to it than was in-
dicated by its describers. The bill in the smallest billed specimen is not
different from that of the last species, G. debcd¢rostris, and on the other
hand the bills of the larger specimens intergrade in size with those of
the next species, G. scandens. Inshape the bill resembles more nearly
than does that of any other species the beak of G. conztrostris propin-
gua. One Culpepper specimen has an unusually large bill, the cul-
men measures eighteen millimeters, the width at the base is seven
and three tenths millimeters, the greatest depth at the base nine and
one half millimeters. The smallest billed specimen of G. c. propin-
gua has a culmen of eighteen and one half millimeters. The width
334 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
of the bill is ten millimeters and the greatest depth thirteen millime-
ters. One adult male has a deep groove on each side of the culmen
running from the nostril, parallel with the curvature of the culmen, to
the tomium, exactly as does one of the specimens of G. c. propingua
from Tower. Some of the others have less distinct grooves.
Hence in the shape of its bill this species might be related in three
different directions with the G. fuliginosa series through G. dedile-
rostris, with the G. scandens series (both of these being very close),
and finally, but not so closely, with G. condrostrds through G. c. pro-
pingua.
The adult males differ from the other species of Geospzza in having
the pale marginal parts of the under tail coverts of a very decided rusty
or evenchestnut color. This is the only character by which the form can
be specifically separated from either G. debilérostris or G. scandens.
We have no females which are surely adults. All of the female
specimens in the collection have yellowish bills, or yellowish with
dusky at the base and at the tip. They are plain brown above with
the feathers edged with buff; below heavily streaked with dark brown
except on the middle of the abdomen, which is plain buffy whitish.
All of these have prominent wide rusty almost chestnut edgings to the
middle and greater wing coverts.
Two other clearly young specimens, one a female and the other a
male, having purely yellow bills, have the spots below mostly confined
to the breast and the region in front of it. The abdomen is whitish
in the middle, strongly shaded with buff onthe sides and on the flanks.
The wing coverts have bright chestnut borders.
Two adult males of G. conzrostris propingua, including the speci-
men of this species from Culpepper, have a slight tinge of chestnut on
the under tail coverts.
The fact of the similarity of shape between the bills of G. septen-
trionalis and G. controstris propingua, the occasional occurrence of
grooves on the sides of the upper mandible in each, and the exceptional
presence of a chestnut color on the under tail coverts of the latter spe-
cies — a marked characteristic of the former — might be taken as evi-
dence of a derivation of G. controstris direct from G. septentrionalis.
But since the bills of some specimens of G. condrostris propinqua
can almost be duplicated by bills of G. scandens rothschildi, which
stands at the top of the G. scandens series, and since the dark color of
the adult females and young in G. cozzrostrzs is simply the maximum
of the tendency shown by the whole G. scandens series, we think it
most logical to regard G. conzrostr’s as following naturally G. scan-
BIRDS 335
dens rothschildi. The gradation in size and shape of the bill from
G. septentrionalis into G. scandens through G. s. scandens is com-
plete. Hence we begin G. scaxdens with this subspecies.
MEASUREMENTS OF Geospiza septentrionalis.
a2. 18
Cat. No. +s] a g $ ea | Gs) ad a
Stan. Univ. Locality. pI ee z EI FI Fi BR AR s 3 a
Mus. &| Ble 7 io) Bie 8S Be, a
a {ma |S
3847 Culpepper. /Ad. $/130!73 |45 |17 | 9 7.7) 9.7 |I1 |22
3848 i “ /140;73 |47 |16 | 9 | 7.3 |x 10.7 | 23.7
3849 ae “11451 70.5/44 |16 | 85) 7 | 9.3 | 10.5 | 22
3850 es ee 148|74 | 45.5}16.5| 8.7 | 7.7 | 9 II | 22
3892 ae “1145172 |48 |17 | 9 7:3] 9 {113/22
3901 : “1154/74 |48 |18 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 9.3 }12 | 22
3851 a Im. 9/ 143/69 145 |16 | 8.7] 7.3 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 22
3873 Wenman. |Ad. $/ 125/72 |44 |16 | 85 | 6.7 | 9 Io | 22
3875 < “ 1130] 74 |47 |15 | 85 | 7.3] 85] 9.7) 22
3863, ee “ 1135] 72.5146 117 | 9.5] 7 8 | 11.5 | 22
3864 . “ 1135/71 |49 1165/9 | 7.5/9 |1IL | 22
3857 “ )143)69 47 [16.5) 9 | 7.3.1 9.3 | IL | 23
3870 ss Im. 9/137|70 | 44 116.51 9 7 8.7 |II | 21.5
3856 ss ee 140|69 ;42 |15 | 8.7.| 7 7.5 |10 | 21.5
3867 ee “ /122/69 |42 115 | 8 7-3}9 [Io |2I
3874 ee ee 133 167.5 42 |15.7| 8.7 | 6.7 | 8 II | 20.7
3865 ES KS 130/68 45 |16 | 87 | 7 8.5 |II | 20.7
3871 Se a — | 64 es 16.5 | 8 7 8.3 | 10.5 | 22
3872 « | « }136)68 143 116° | 8516519 |105| 20
Subgenus Cactornis Gould.
Cactornts GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 6, 1837. (Type, Cactornis
scandens Gould.)
Geospiza Gould (in part).
Adult males same in color as adult males of Geospzza proper.
Sexes dissimilar. Adult females and young blackish, either in
plumage corresponding with Stage IV of young males of Geospzza
and Camarhynchus or in Stage V._ Bill various, either elongate and
slender or thick and conical.
This subgenus was formed by Gould for slender billed Geospize
such as G. scandens. However, a distinction between Geospzza and
Cactornis based on the bill does not hold, but the type of Gould’s
Cactornzs can be retained as the type of a distinct group based on
color as given in the last paragraph. The adult females are con-
tinuously dusky over the upper and anterior parts, and the abdomen is
heavily streaked with dark brown. Young birds in the first plumage
resemble the adult males except that they have the rufous wing bands
336 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
invariably characterizing birds of the age of Stage IT of the other sub-
genera.
69. THE GEOSPIZA SCANDENS SERIES.
The variation in the shape and size of the bill in this series amounts
to but little. We begin with the smallest billed variety which follows
naturally G. septentrionalis, and end with the largest billed form, G.
scandens rothschild?, which leads easily into G. concrostris pro-
pingua, and this into the again conical billed form, G. conirostris
controstris.
The plumage of the varieties of G. scandens differs from that of
any of the forms so far described in that the adult females and the
young present a strongly melanistic phase. Adult females instead of
being pale brown spotted forms as in G. fuliginosa and G. fortis
are continuously dusky over the back, head, and throat, corresponding
with Stage V of immature males of G. fuldiginosa instead of with
"Stage III as do the adult females of this species. Young birds of
both sexes soon after leaving the nest acquire the same dusky plumage of
the adult females except that they have the rufous borders to the wing
coverts characteristic of birds of theirage. The varieties from Abing-
don and Bindloe present the maximum of this melanistic tendency in
the female and young reached by any forms of the species. The next
species, however, G. conzrostris, is still blacker in these forms and
represents the farthest advance toward complete melanism attained by
the genus.
The forms now included under the species G. scandens were regarded
by Gould as constituting a distinct genus, Cactornés. The intergra-
dations at each end with other forms, however, are, as has already been
recognized by Ridgway and by Rothschild and Hartert, unbroken.
Rothschild and Hartert regarded Camarhynchus pallida as being
intermediate between the genera Camarhynchus and Geospiza. This
may be true of the bill, but, as we have already shown, the plumage
of C. pallida separates it widely from any species of Geospiza, and
especially from those which it most resembles in the shape of the bill.
69a. GEOSPIZA SCANDENS SCANDENS (Gould).
Cactornis scandens GouLn, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 7, 1837 (James Island) ;
Zool. Voy. Beagle, Birds, p. 104, pl. 42, 1841.
? Cactornis assimilis GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 7, 1837 (? Charles
Island according to Rothschild and Hartert, Bindloe Island according to
Gould which cannot be correct); Zool. Voy. Beagle, Birds, p. 105, pl.
43, 1841.
a
BIRDS 337
Geospiza intermedia RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvi, p. 361, 1894
(Charles Island), and xrx, p. 535, 1896.
Geospiza scandens RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xrx, p. 534, 1896
(James Island); Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 509, Igo1.
Geospiza scandens scandens ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., x1, p.
164, 1899 (James Island).
Geospiza scandens intermedia ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p.
164, 1899 (Charles Island).
Range. — James and Charles.
We cannot distinguish any difference between the specimens of
this species from Charles and those from James. The measurements
of the bills in the two setsare the same. The smallest ones intergrade
in size with the bills of G. septentrionalis.
Our collection contains ten males in black plumage and two adult
females taken on Charles in May, and seven adult males and five
young birds taken near James Bay on James Island in April. The
adult females are very dark, being continuously dusky over the back,
head, throat and breast. The young birds from James are in Stage I.
They were taken April 22.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza scandens
scandens.
: F | Bt ae
at. No. P = bo a a B | u @ | eee =3 g
Sian, only Locality. & a 8 ] & a s a 7 a \ z e
Mus. 2) P) Ee |) at oO lgelteiag|
Bia | &
4713, Charles. & 142] 70 45 |I9 | 11 8 9.5 114 | 17.5
4715 ee ee 140 | 70 44 |18 |10 | 8 9.7 | 12.5 | 21.5
4884 ag ss 1521.72.5| 45 |18 {10 | 7.5 |I0 | 12.5] 21
4708 ee 146 | 71 46 | 20.5|10.5| 8 9.5 |14 | 20.5
4735 - * 1 130)67 | 43. [19 | 10.3) 7.3 | 8.7 | 13.5] 21
4594 James. 140 | 73 45 }19.5/11 | 8 j10 | 13.5) 21
4596 ee of 136 | 69 41 | 18.5 | 10.3] 7.5 | 8.7 |13 | 21
4597 ee es 140 | 68 46 |20 |11.5| 8.3 | 9.7 | 13.7) 22.3
4592 ae te 128 | 71 45 |18 |11.3/ 7.5 | 8 |13° | 20
4518 ee a 129 | 70 46 |18 |10 | 7.3 | 9.5 | 12.3 | 20.7
4596 te fs 126 | 68 47 }18.5|10 | 7.7| 9 |13 |20
4542 s “| 135/70 | 44 /}19 [12 | 7.5 | 85 113.51 19
On James this species was found rather common some distance in-
land from James Bay where the vegetation was heavier. None of
these birds was seen near the beach. Some of the males were heard
singing a song sounding like ¢ew’-lee, tew'-lee, teu'-lee, teu'-lee. Two
birds specially observed always repeated the set of two syllables four
times in succession. The tone of the voice resembled exactly that of
the conical-billed Geosfize. Another song that was heard more
338 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
frequently than the last resembled ¢eur’-wee-wee, teur'-wee-wee, teur' -
wee-wee. In each set the first syllable carried the accent and was
separated from the second by a longer interval than that between the
second and the third. Many were heard uttering a song sounding like
bur'-tee-tee-tee, bir'-tee-tee-tee.
The species was about as abundant on Charles as on James, but was
found much nearer the coast.
696. GEOSPIZA SCANDENS FATIGATA (Ridgway).
Geospiza fatigata RipGWay, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XvIl, p. 293, 1895 (Inde-
fatigable Island), and xIx, p. 539, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt.
Giicden Drie ead Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvii, p. 361, 1894
(Barrington Island), and xIx, p. 541, 1896.
Geospiza scandens fatigata ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., p, vi.
164, 1899.
Range. — Indefatigable, Seymour, Barrington, Chatham, Duncan,
Jervis and Albemarle.
This form differs from G. s. scandens in the slightly larger bill.
We have adult specimens from only Seymour and Barrington; the two
sets are indistinguishable from each other. Immature specimens from
Seymour, Indefatigable and Albemarle are apparently the same, but
those from Chatham have the bill considerably shorter and thicker,
more as in the young of G. s. abingdont.
The adult females of this species are much darker than females of
G. fuliginosa, G. fortis, etc. The back, top and sides of the head
and the throat are continuously dusky. The spots of the breast and
abdomen are dark dusky brown. The collection contains six adult
females, all of which are colored thus and absolutely duplicate the
color of males in Stage IV of G. fuligznosa and the G. fortis mag-
ntrostrts series.
Young specimens of both sexes taken in April vary in plumage
from Stage I to Stage III of G. fuliginosa, etc., except that they all
have the wide rufous bands on the wing coverts, indicating, together
with the date, that they are birds of the same season. The bills of
all are dusky above, yellow below. The collection contains three im-
mature specimens from Iguana Cove, Albemarle, taken in June. One
is a male, whose plumage is entirely dusky except for pale tips to the
feathers of the abdomen, but the bill is blackish only at the base, the
rest being yellow. It has distinct but narrow rufous edgings on the
wing coverts. The other two young specimens, the sex of which is
undetermined, are in the plumage of Stage III, the wing coverts have
BIRDS 339
wide bands of rufous and the bill is dusky above, yellow below. Two
immature specimens from Chatham taken in May are in the plumage
of Stage III.
On southern Seymour we found this species very common during
the last of April and the first of May. The most common song
uttered by the males consisted of a simple series of similar notes, thus:
tlee-tlee-tlee, etc., the song consisting sometimes of only three or four
notes but generally of a larger number — six or seven. They sang also
another song which resembled ¢eur'-wér-wér, teur'-wér-wér, teur'-
wér-wér, this one being very much like one of the songs of G._foritzs.
A third sound that they uttered, but infrequently, was somewhat like
zee'-eurp. This they uttered singly, z. e., they never repeated the set
of two syllables several times in succession so as to make a more pro-
longed ‘‘ song.”
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Geospiza scandens
Satrgata.
Pe s is |8
ag 3 a ra Ses | Os | oa wn
os 4 cry ba = uv Es BR Az eae 2
o i Vv — i) d a al a) 33 uw
Zz Locality. O § S H 3 8 gs 33 a2 E
om] SI G4 Gl
s rc a 3
4978 Barrington. & 1154 |70 |44 |19 |1r | 8 |1zI | 13.5} 20
5007 es “ /155 |71 1/41 |19 |1Ir 8 Io |13 | 21
4982 ee ‘© |140 172.5}43 |20 |10.7| 8.3 |10.5)14 {22
4943 ee “ l150 |71 )46 } 21 |12 | 85 |Io5;15 | 21
4994 - « 1138 | 71 |4r |20 jx | 8.3 |} 10.7] 14.5) 21.5
4947 ee “© 1148 | 70 | 42 | 21.5/ 12 8.3} 11.5) 16 | 21.5
4991 ras “ frag |7r |4r |18.5|10.5]/ 8 [105/13 | 21.5
4920 ee “ lr44 169 |39 |} 20 [11.3] 8 |10 | 14.5 | 21.5
4954 fe 147 |72 | 38.5] 20.5/11.7) 9 | 11.3 | 14.5 | 22
4950 se . 154 {71 |44 |20.5/11 | 85 | 10.5 | 13.7/ 23
4951 ee “© |y42 }70 (44 | 21 |11.5| 8 | 10.3 | 14.7] 21.5
4979 ee © 1146 169 |42 | 20 |11 9 |Il [14 | 21.5
4963 “ }147 |7L {39 | 21.5) 12.5| 8.7 |10.5}15 | 23
4968 ee @ |135+)69 | — |21.5)12 | 85 |10.5);15 | 21.3
4983 es * lt40 168.5) 39.5) 21 |11.5| 83 | 105/15 | 21.5
4938 ee “ lrar |65 |40 |19 |10.5] 8 Io |13 | 21
4995 “ “ )140 | 68.5} 38.5) 19 | 1I-5| 7-7 |IO | 14 | 20.5
4675 | South Seymour. 144 [71 |45 |2r | Ir 85 [II |14 | 21.3
4650 oe es “« |} 167 |— |185|10 | 8 10.5 | 12.5 | 22
4666 “it Ke “ 1146 | 7 | 42.5,22 |12.5| 8.7 |1r |16 | 22.5
4687 ee Be “ /|145 |69 |44 |2t |12 | &5 |1O0 [15 | 20
4628 ee ue “ Jr48 | 72 |41.5|22 [12 | 9 | 10.3] 15.7 | 22.5
4653 es ee “ 1150 | 72.5} 42.5) 21 | 11.5) 8 9.3}14 | 21.5
4672 “ ee “ lraq [ar |43 |2r [1.5] 8 [11 | 14.7] 21.7
4638 os ee “ |145 |68 | 42 |} 20 |13.3| 7.7 | 95/13 | 21
4642 fe ee “ |146 § 685/45 |205|/1r | 8 j|I0 |14 | 21
4627 ee ef 136 |67 |42 |20.5/11.7/ 8 | 10.3} 14.5 | 22
4648 #6 ee | 2 |143 |70 143 |20 |11 8 Io | 14.5 | 20.5
4700 ee te ; * 1148 (69.5) 42 | 21 | 12 7.7 |10 |1I5 {21
340 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
On Barrington we found the species even more abundant than on
Seymour. Males in black plumage here predominated. The species
is rare on Albemarle, we found it only at Iguana Cove where but three
immature specimens were secured. We have also three immature
specimens from Chatham, but we did not find the form on Duncan.
69¢. GEOSPIZA SCANDENS ABINGDONI
(Sclater and Salvin).
Cactornis abingdoni SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., pp. 323,
326, 1870 (Abingdon Island).
Geospisa abingdoni RipGWaAY, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 540, 1896 (Abing-
don Island); Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 513, 1901.
Geospiza scandens abingdoni ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT (in part), Novit.
Zool., V1, p. 165, 1899 (Abingdon and Bindloe).
Range. — Abingdon.
Birds of this species from Abingdon and Bindloe can be distin-
guished from each other by the larger size of the Bindloe bill. G.s.
abingdon? is very close to G.s. fatigata, differing from it in the
slightly deeper bill, being in this respect intermediate between it and
G. s. rothschildé of Bindloe Island.
MEASUREMENTS OF IMMATURE SPECIMENS OF Geospiza
scandens abtngdont,
a 4 3 bo a g $ ce ae 23 a
stan, oniv. Locality. 8 Be S 2 a a cA 2a « Zz g
Maas oF 8} ° |gulas/sa| é
Be 1A &
5188 Abingdon. | g | 148] 71 | 45 |20.3/11 | 8.3 | 10.3 | 14.3 | 21.7
5044 a “ | 140] 72 | 44 |2r |12 | 83 | 10.3] 14.7] 22.5
5070 ug 146/ 72 | 48 | 20.5] 11 8.5 | Io | 14.3 | 22
5113 a “ ) r45| 72] 42 |20 |11.3] 85 | Io | 14.3) 22
5047 ; a “| yqg2| 71 | 47 120 |11.5! 7.7 | ID | 14.0] 22
4931 i ns @ |} 155) 72 | 46 )2r /12 8.5 [Ir | 14.5 | 22.5
5283 ue “ | 138) 63 | 39 |19.5|1r | 8.3 | 10.3 | 13.3 | 20.5
4930 ee “ | 40} 69} 39 }20 |1r | 8 |r | 14.5] 21
From both Abingdon and Bindloe we have only immature spec-
imens in the collection. Nearly all are in plumages corresponding
with Stages III and IV, but have rufous bands on the wing coverts
and bills either entirely yellow or mostly yellow with some dusky
above. These specimens are the blackest of all the varieties of G.
scandens in immature stages. They are almost as dusky as the adult
females and young of G. conirostris.
BIRDS 341
a
69d. GEOSPIZA SCANDENS ROTHSCHILDI
Heller and Snodgrass.
Cactornis assimilis SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 323, 1870
(Bindloe Island).— Sa.vin, Trans. Zool. Soc., 1x, p. 486, 1876 (Bindloe
Island),— SHARPE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., x11, p. 18, 1888 (Bindloe) (prod-
ably not C. assimilis of Gould which did not come from Bindloe).
Geospiza assimilis RiDGWAY, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., X1x, p. 537, 1896 (? James
and Bindloe) ( probably not of Gould).
Geospiza scandens abingdont ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT (in part), Novit.
Zool., VI, p. 165, 1899 (Abingdon and Bindloe Islands).
Geospiza scandens rothschildi HELLER AND SNODGRASS, ,The Condor, Vol.
m1, No, 3, May, p. 75, tg01 (Bindloe Island).
Geospiza rothschildi RipGway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 673, 1901.
Range. — Bindloe.
This species is very similar to G. s. adcéngdonz but the bill is con-
siderably thicker, being the heaviest of all the varieties of.G. scandens.
. The basal depth is equal to the length of the gonys.
Only immature birds are in the collection but these differ so con-
spicuously from specimens of G. s. abingdond of the same age that
it is very probable that adults will be found to differ correspondingly.
Some of the thickest billed specimens have bills almost as large as
some of the smaller billed specimens of G. c. profingua from Tower.
The measurements of the bill of one young specimen of G. c. pro-
pingua of the same age as the Bindloe specimens are as follows: cul-
men 19, width of bill at base ro, greatest depth at base 12. This, it
will be seen by comparison with the table of measurements of G. s.
rothschtldt, is extremely close to the bill proportions of some speci-
mens of this species.
MEASUREMENTS OF IMMATURE SPECIMENS OF Geospiza scandens
rothschilar.
es TCA
a fleial S|) £ioe te |ea| 3s
Ee Locality. 8 ) a & a] 8 ot: sa 3 g
8 a |? B| olss|aglaz| é
tT) <a ‘7
3) eB |A |s
5146 | Albemarle, Iguana Cove.| $ | 148| 72/45} 21.5)12 | 9.5 |I2 |15 |20
5237 os te “Cl r4r|7r|4r}20 | 11.5) 8.5 ;11.5/14 | 20
5145 = * ©1147} 69/43} 21.5,12 | 9 | 11.5/ 15.5! 23
5122 ae es 9 |152/71/44/19.5) 11 | 9 Ti id | 22.7
5173 ms “* | r40 | 67 | 43 | 20.5] 10.5} 8.5 | II | 14.5 | 21.5
5175 ee a “lq45)71| 40/20 |1r | 8 /|11.5/14 | 22
5163 e ee ““!144|65| 38/20 |1r | 8 j|10.5)14 1205
1Rothschild and Hartert (Novit. Zool., 1x, p. 398) retain the Bindloe form
under G.s. abingdon?. Their measurements of the bill depth for Abingdon spec-
imens, however, vary from 10 to 10.5, and for Bindloe specimens from 11 to 12.
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
342 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
Hence thére is almost a perfect gradation through this subspecies
from the slender billed Cactorzis group to the next species, G. conz-
rostris, which ends at the top of the Geosfzza series with a bill
again enlarged and conical and with very dark plumage in the adult
female and young.
The remarks on the plumage of G. s. abingdon7 apply also to this
form.
This species is not common. All our specimens were taken about
the middle of June. We did not even see any adult individuals.
yo. THE GEOSPIZA CONIROSTRIS SERIES.
This species presents probably the greatest variation in the size and
shape of the beak of any of the species of Geospzza. Twoapparently
well separated species were formerly described by Ridgway from the
extremes of one subspecies, G. c. controstris, living on Hood. The
bill in shape resembles that of G. f. fort¢s, differing from it at one
end of the series, mainly in being larger. The species comprises two
subspecies, of which G. c. concrostris of Hood has the larger and more
conical beak, resembling in shape that of G. f. forts; while the
other, G. c. propinqua of Tower and Culpepper, has a more slender
beak resembling in shape that of G. septentrionalis of Culpepper and
in both shape and size in some cases that of G. scandens rothschildi of
Bindloe. The size of the bill of an average specimen measures as fol-
lows: Culmen 22, gonys 11.5, width of bill at base 12, depth at base
16.5. The variations are as follows: Culmen 19 to 24, gonys 10 to
14, width of bill at base ro to 13.5, depth at base 13 to 18. All of
these variations in size occur within the subspecies G. c. conzrostris,
but the bill of G. c. propingua averages smaller than that of G. c.
controstrts.
The plumage of this species presents the farthest advance toward
complete melanism, 7. e., of both sexes and all ages, attained by any
species of Geospiza. It reaches a stage farther in the females and
young than it does in the last species. The adult females have a
greater amount of dusky on them than do males of G. fuliginosa, G.
fortis, etc., in Stage IV, since the belly, instead of being mostly pale,
is heavily streaked with dark brown. The back, head, throat and
breast are continuously blackish-brown, except that the feathers of the
back have slight brownish edgings. The young soon after leaving the
nest resemble the females.
The fact that the beaks of the smallest billed individuals of this
species are so close in shape and size to those of the largest billed in-
BIRDS 343
dividuals of the last, z. ¢., those living on Bindloe, and the fact that
the melanistic tendency in the adult females and young in the Bindloe
form of G. scandens approaches nearest in degree to that of G. con-
zrostris, indicates a natural transition from G. scandens to G. con-
zrostris. The few facts that might be taken as evidence of a relation-
ship between G. c. propingua and G. septentrionalts have already
been given under the latter species.
Since, in the general evolution of the groups Cactospiza, Cama-
rhynchus, Geospiza and Cactornts, the color of the plumage is seen
to be a much more constant character than the size and shape of the
bill, and a characteristic, in all other cases, of apparently natural
groups, we see no reason why it should not be relied on in the case of
G. controstrts, and be made the basis for including this species in the
group Cactornis. ‘Taking the color as the more fundamental charac-
ter in the classification of all these groups, and the shape of the bill
as a secondary one, then G. conzrostris controstris must be regarded
as the most specialized of all the Geospfzz@, and be placed at the top
of the series, a position that has by all previous writers in the genus
been given to G. magnirostris.
yoa. GEOSPIZA CONIROSTRIS PROPINQUA (Ridgway).
Geospiza propingua RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvII, p. 361, 1894
(Tower Island), and xIv, p. 543, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1,
p- 499, Igol.
Geospiza controstris propingua ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p.,
159, 1899.
Geospiza conirostris subsp. ? ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p.
160, 1899 (Culpepper Island).
Range. — Tower and Culpepper. ©
We have seven aduit males from Tower taken in June, one adult
male from Culpepper taken in December, and two young males and
two young females from Tower. We apparently have no adult females.
The shape of the bill in this subspecies is very similar to that of G.
c. controstris. Between the bills of some specimens from Tower and
Hood there is absolutely no difference, but the bill of the Hood
Island variety averages larger. The billof G. c. propingua generally
has a more curved culmen and less acute tip.
The collection contains eight adult males. Two of them have not
quite reached the purely black phase of Stage V, having a few narrow
whitish edgings to the feathers of the lower part of the abdomen and
a few brownish feathers on the back. Two specimens have a slight
tinge of chestnut on the under tail coverts. Most of these males are
344 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
moulting. The bills are very pale, being either dusky brown all
around, or having the upper mandible dusky and the lower pale
brownish or even pinkish-yellow; one purely black specimen has also
the sides of the upper mandible yellowish. The male from Culpep-
per taken in December has the bill blackish-brown except the sides
of the base of the lower mandible which are yellowish-brown. Im-
mature males resemble those of G. c. con¢rostr¢s but the feathers of
the back are widely margined with grayish-buff; they also lack, in
most cases, conspicuous buffy edgings to the greater and middle wing
coverts, although one specimen has them well developed. We have
no female specimens that appear to be mature, but, from the light
color of the bill in the adult male, one would expect to find a still
paler bill in the female.
The bill of one specimen has a distinct groove on each side of the
upper mandible, running from the nostril, in a curve parallel with the
culmen, to the tomium. Another has a less distinct groove in a simi-
lar position on the left side of the upper mandible.
The following measurements show that the Culpepper specimen
does not differ from the Tower specimen. They show also the inter-
gradafion between this form and the one on Hood, and the small dif-
ference between this species and G. scandens rothschildt.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Greospiza conirostris
propingua.
=e fs]
3 ad} ¢ |Be|Sai asl y
Cat. No, eo ee BR oa | 33 (a6
Stan. Unie: Locality. 3 2 a & z ef s a = 3 i z z
Mus. ar 8 | ° |Se/Beisa| &
e 1A &
5214 Tower. So | 155| 76 | 48 | ar 12 |x 14.5 | 14.5 | 23
5109 He “ 1 145] 74] 47 |185}10.5|/10 |13 | 13.5) 23
5233 A “| 150! 73} 45 |19 {II |Io |13 |14 | 23
5005 ” “ I50} 74 | 42 |2r |11.5)10.3/14 |15 | 22.5
5281 ee “ ) 155! 78 | 53 | 20.5/11.5]/11 | 14.7115 | 24.5
5129 ee aie 140) 73 | 49 |20 |Io |Io | 13 13 [24
5171 st ‘* | 146] 76} 45 ;21 |1r |1o 113 |14 | 22
3905 Culpepper. | ‘* | 160] 77 | 51 |]20 |105/10 /14 | 13.5) 24
7ob. GEOSPIZA CONIROSTRIS CONIROSTRIS (Ridgway).
Geospiza controstris RiDGWAY, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., x1, p. 106, fig. 2,
1890, and Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 516, 1896 (Hood Island) ;
Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 498, 1901.
Geospiza media Ringway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1, p. 107, fig. 3, 1890
(Hood Island).
BIRDS 345
Geospiza conirostris conirostris ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 158, 1899 (Hood Island),
fange. — Hood and Gardner near Hood.
The collection contains sixteen adult males mostly in pure black
plumage. One bird, however, has the primaries almost reddish-brown,
contrasting strongly with the rest of the plumage including the ter-
tiaries. This bird is moulting and besides the brown wing feathers it
has a few brown feathers scattered about over the back. One male
having a black bill is in a plumage intermediate between Stages IV
and V of G. fuliginosa.
Adult Females. — The adult female differs greatly from the fe-
males of other species in being as black as males of other species
in Stage V. Upper parts blackish or blackish-brown, feathers
of the middle of the back with grayish or light brown edgings.
Primaries and secondaries brown, edged with rusty, in strong contrast
with the black of the dorsum. Tertiaries black, edged with buffy
gray. Rectrices sooty brown, sometimes edged with rusty. Sides
and lower part of head, throat and breast black or blackish-brown.
Feathers of lower breast, abdomen, sides and crissum with sooty
brown central areas and wide buffy gray margins, giving a strongly
streaked appearance to these parts. Bill blackish-brown abovey paler
brown below, blackish at tip and base. Feet blackish-brown.
There are four immature males and three immature females in the
collection. The bills are black above, but are almost entirely pale
below, the lower mandible having black only about the base and at
the tip. These birds are evidently, judging from the condition of
the bill and the general appearance of the feathers, but recently
from the nest, z. e., they correspond in age with Stage I of G. fulig-
inosa and G. fortis. They are in a plumage, however, very sim-
ilar to that of the adult female except that they have certain char-
acteristic marks of the young. The head all around, back, throat and
breast are black or blackish-brown, the feathers of the back are edged
more or less with buff. The wings are sooty brown. The middle
and greater wing coverts are widely edged with rusty buff, a character
belonging only to Stage I of other species. The abdomen, sides and
under tail coverts are heavily streaked with blackish or sooty brown
on the central parts of the feathers, the marginal parts of the feathers
being buffy white.
This species was abundant on Hood in May. Their song was
considerably different from that of other species of Geospiza and in
itself presented a large amount of variation. One bird was heard sing-
346 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
ing a song resembling ¢/ee-leé-00, tree-leé-oo, tlee-leé-oo. The conso-
nant sound was various and is hard to represent by the sound of letters.
Another bird was heard uttering a song sounding like cheé-you-hoo,
cheé-you-hoo, cheé-you-hoo. The space between the second and third
syllables in each set was longer than that between the first and second,
A third bird sang the following song: cheé-ee-00, cheé-ee-00, cheé-ee-
oo. Another sang chéé’-woo, chée'-woo, chéé'-woo. Still another bird
sang a song resembling fwee'-i’r’r'r-rwi/, the v-sound in the second
syllable being trilled.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Creosp?za controstrts
controstris.
. No, : == bp = o 2 wh | HY | oR a
gen ine Locality. iS eo | & & e - a a a|s 3 é
Mus. ie 8 3 3 a | se Be 32 Fa
B a a
4805 Hood. 1 @ | 135 77 |43 |21.5]/12 |12 |16 |15 |23
4809 ie . 1 142,76 |44 |22 |rr5)1r |i15 |15 | 21
4877 me ee | 147/72 !45 |21.7,12 | 11.7} 16.5] 15.5 | 22
4842 a “160 78.5;47 | 24 [14 |13.5]/18 | 17.5 | 24.3
4839 ve “ ) 158/78 |45 [23 |12.5]/12 |16.5/16.3| 23
4890 | | *© | 155 /82.5) 52 |23 [13 [13 [185116 | 22.5
4757 fa | | 15t) 80 | 45.5 | 23.5 | 11-5] 10.7] 15.5] 15 | 23
4874 is a 142/77.5|40 |22 |12 |Ir |16 | 15.5 | 22
4883 vs “| 155;78 147 |22 |11.5)12 |16.5)15 | 23
4815 er “1 150/76 | 44 |21.5}12 | 11.7}17 | 15.3] 23.5
4898 a “| 152/80 | 47.5) 22.5|/11.5/12 |16 | 15.7] 21.5
4719 - “| 142)77 143 | 22.5/12.5!11.7|16.5/16 | 22
4750 eS “145176 |44 (22 |11.3/12 | 16.5! 16.5 | 21.5
4860 He se 68 Ig |10.5)10 {13 113 | 22
4849 os “| 153}78 147 | 21.5) 11.5]10.7)15.5/15 | 23
4862 as 2 | 140/74 |38 |2r |12 |11.5/15.7)15 | 20
4893 ve 1) 149/72 |46 |22 |12.5/12 |16 |16 | 22
4810 ue “1145/76 |46 |22 |12 |12 |16 |14.7 22
The following are species of doubtful existence. It may be that
the ¢ypes from which they were described are simply ‘ aberrant”
forms of some of the well established species. In any case there is
not at present enough material in museums to decide their status.
(a) GEOSPIZA DENTIROSTRIS Gould.
Geospiza dentirostris GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 6, 1837; Zool. Voy.
Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 102, 1841. —RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.,
XIX, p. §32, 1896; Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt.1, p. 507, 1901. — ROTH-
SCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vI, p. 163, 1899.
Range. — Charles.
Described from specimens in the British Museum taken by Dar-
win. No specimens referable to it taken since. Probably aberrant
BIRDS 347
individuals of G. fortis fortzs, characterized by possession of a toothed
mandible.
(6) GEOSPIZA SPEC. INC. Rothschild and Hartert.
Geospiza spec. inc. ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 163,
1899 (Chatham Island).
ange. — Chatham.
Described as resembling G. dentirostris in proportions, but lacking
the ‘‘tooth” of the upper mandible of that species. One adult male,
described by Rothschild and Hartert, taken on Chatham by Baur and
Adams.
(¢) GEOSPIZA BREVIROSTRIS Ridgway.
Cactornis brevirestris RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xu, p. 108, 1890,
fig. 4; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 1, p. 514, 1901.
Geospiza conirostris brevirostris ROTHSCHILD AND HaRrTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
p. 159, 1899 (Gardner Island, near Charles),
Range. — Charles.
Described from an immature specimen collected by the Albatross.
Besides this specimen there is one taken by the Harris expedition and
described by Rothschild and Hartert as differing from G. conzrostris
controstris in having a slightly smaller and narrower beak.
Family HIRUNDINIDA.
Genus Progne Boie.
Frogne Botk, Isis, p. 971, 1826.
Range. — Temperate and tropical America. One peculiar Gal-
apagos species.
v1. PROGNE MODESTA (Néboux).
Hirundo concolor GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 22, 1837 (Galapagos
Archipelago).
flirundo modesta NEBOUX, Rev. Zool., p. 291, 1840 (Charles Island ).
Progne modesta RipGway, Proc. U.S, Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 505, 1896.
Progne concolor ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p. 152, 1899.
Range. — Charles, Chatham, Barrington, Indefatigable, Seymour,
James and Albemarle.
This swallow is very abundant at some places in the archipelago.
We found it most numerous near Elizabeth Bay, on the north shore of
the southern half of Albemarle. We obtained it also at Tagus Cove
1 This form has been named Geospiza hartert? by Ridgway (Bull. U. S. Nat.
Mus., 50, Pt. 1, p. 507, 1901) and its standing as a species confirmed later by
Rothschild and Hartert (Novit. Zool., 1x, p. 397)-
348 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
on Albemarle, andon the southern Seymour Island. The birds inhab-
ited the crevices of the tufa cliffs facing the ocean about Tagus Cove.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Progne modesta.
|
oO.
Cat. No. 3 wo | 2 g |) ae g
Stan. Univ. Locality. 3 ee a 3 23 5
Mus. oe 4s 3 al 6 | he, &
a
3943 Albemarle, Tagus Cove. | ¢ 177| 123] 67 | Io; 7.5 |12
3897 He #s 170/ 125| 65 | II 7.5 |12
4195 ee Ke ee 173; 126| 68] 11 7 12.5
3909 & us oe 170} 123; 66 12
4121 ae “ 2 163} 121} 62 | 10 6.5 | 11.5
4118 oe os ee 166| I19| 63 | It 7 12.5
3888 fs ss us 167] 120] 64] II 6.7 | 12
4219 ae Elizabeth Bay.; ‘“ I70| 122} 60 | I0| 7 IL5
4701 ; Seymour. f os 177| I20| 68} 12! 7 II
Genus Hirundo Linn.
ffirundo LINNEUS, Syst. Nat. ed. 10, I, p. 191, 1758.
Range. — Cosmopolitan.
72, HIRUNDO ERYTHROGASTER Bodd.
Hirundo erythrogaster BoDD., Tabl. Pl. End., p. 45, 1873.
Firundo rustica erythrogastra ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
p- 152, 1899.
Range. — Breeding in North America, migrating into Central and
South America. Galapagos Archipelago: Charles, Chatham and
Hood.
We did not obtain any specimens of this species, but in May we
saw several individuals flying about over Hood. The time of the
year would lead one to suppose that they are resident in the archipelago.
Family MNIOTILTIDZA.
Genus Certhidea Gould.
Certhidea GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 7, 1837 (Galapagos Islands).
Range. — Galapagos Archipelago.
This genus is of doubtful affinities. It was described by Gould as
belonging to the Fringillide, but was placed in the Cerebide by
Sclater and Salvin. Lucas (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvi, p. 309,
1894) concluded from a study of the anatomy of the genus that it has
a ‘‘very near relation with Dexdrotca” and that it ‘‘ surely belongs
among the Mniotiltide.”
BIRDS ‘ 349
Certhidea is peculiar to the Galapagos Archipelago and is known
from every island of the group. We have only a small number of
specimens, seventy six in all, but the genus has been well discussed
by Rothschild and Hartert and we make only a few changes in the
disposition of the species as given by these authors. There are eight
varieties distinguishable, comprised under two species— C. ol/vacea
and C. cimerascens, characterized as their names imply, one by an
olivaceous color and the other by an ashy tone.
Nothing is certainly known of the nidification and eggs of Cer-
thidea. We shot a female of C. olzvacea olivacea at Iguana Cove,
Albemarle, from a nest containing three eggs. The nest was exactly
like that of Geospiza fuliginosa and the eggs were identical in size
and coloration with those of the same species (see p. 310). Hence,
since we have no other examples we hesitate in ascribing this nest to
Certhidea.
The Certhideg are insectivorous, differing thus from most of the
Geospize which live on seeds, but the lowest member of the latter
genus, G. heliobates, feeds entirely on insects.
The song in some cases resembles the ordinary songs of Geosfiza,
and there is nothing distinctive in their habits. The birds are to be
found from the shore to the tops of the highest mountains.
The color of the young is very similar to that of the adult, the only
particular specialization of the adults is the rufous or chestnut throat in
the males of C. olivacea. The following is a description of a typical
immature bird. The characters apply to any variety of C. ol/vacea.
Immature Male and Female (C. olivacea).— Above almost uni-
form dull olivaceous, the feathers of the head with dusky centers.
Wing and tail feathers dusky brown, both remiges and rectrices edged
with the color of the back, tipped with gray. The middle and greater
wing coverts broadly edged in most cases with bright rufous. Below
pale buffy whitish with a slight olive tinge, brownish-buff along the
sides. Bill brownish above, pale below.
By a comparison of this description with the descriptions of the
young in the first plumage of the subgenera Cactospiza and Cama-
rhynchus of the genus Geosfizza, it will be seen that the two almost
duplicate each other (see pp. 277; 284). Furthermore, the rufous
wing bands are characteristic of the first plumage of all the Geospzze.
This general resemblance in color between the young of these two
genera is, in fact, so striking that it is very suggestive of an actual
relationship existing between them. If such should be the case,
Certhidea would be lower than any of the Geosfzze, since the adults
350 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
do not go beyond the condition of ‘‘ Stage I” in Geosfiza (see p.
276), being thus nearest to the lowest member of the Geospzza series,
G. (Cactospiza) pallida.
73. THE CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA SERIES.
73a. CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA OLIVACEA (Gould).
Certhidea olivacea GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 7, 1837; Zool. Voy.
Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 106, 1841. —RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.,
XIX, p. 498, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 1, p. 763, 1902.
Certhidea salvint RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvii, p. 358, 1894, and
XIX, p. 500, 1896 (Indefatigable Island).
Certhidea albemarlet RrpGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xvII, p. 360, 1894,
and XIX, p. 500, 1896 (Albemarle Island).
Certhidea olivacea olivacea ROTHSCHILD AND HAaARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p.
148, 1899.
fRange. — Indefatigable, Duncan, Jervis, James, Albemarle and
Narboro.
Our collection contains of this species twenty two specimens taken
in January, February and March at Tagus Cove and Iguana Cove on
Albemarle; two from Narboro in March and April; two from James
in April; and seven taken in April on Duncan. There are in the lot
males with rufous throats from all the islands except Duncan.
The following good description of an adult male in full dress is
given by Rothschild and Hartert: ‘* Upper side pale olive, pileum
and hind neck more olive gray, rump and upper tail coverts lighter
and more yellowish-brownish; wings and tail dusky brown, outwardly
edged with light olive, inner webs of remiges edged with whitish-gray ;
upper wing coverts broadly bordered with light reddish-brown, under
wing coverts white, strongly washed with buff and yellowish-cinna-
mon; short superciliary line, extending to about four millimeters
beyond the eye; chin, throat and fore neck bright rufous cinnamon;
remainder of under surface creamy buff, with an olive tinge; sides
washed with olive brown; breast with more or less concealed spots of
bright rufous cinnamon; under tail coverts washed with rufous cin-
namon.” (Novit. Zool., v1, p. 148, 1899.)
The species was not abundant on Albemarle at either Tagus Cove
or at Iguana Cove, but was more numerous at the latter place than at
the former. The birds are generally rather quiet. At Iguana Cove
they sang a song resembling ¢w’2l-ee, tw’dl-ee, generally uttering two
sets in succession as one song. They uttered also a sound like fwee-
twee. At Tagus Cove the species was rare everywhere but was found
in the thick brush at the base and on the side of the mountain back of
BIRDS a5
the cove, and also in the mangrove swamp at Turtle Point. On Nar-
boro it was scarce also, although a few individuals were found in the
small areas of vegetation on the sides of the central mountain, and
others were seen frequently in the mangrove swamps along the east
shore. On Narboro they were heard to sing a song resembling ¢wist’-
té-twee...€...8.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Certhidea olivacea
olivacea.
q
Cat. No BS | to fi Ea | ¢
Stan. Univ. Locality. a 4 a3 g sk 5
Mus. oO & Bea 3 iy, é
a
4014 Narboro. 3 Ito |55/37; 11 7.3 |18
4423 ki ue “e Ilo |51/35| 10.5 | 7.5 | 20.5
4447 oe es III | 51} 36) 11 7.7 | 20.5
4153 Albemarle, Tagus Cove. % 1og |51|35| It 7.3 | 19.5
4169 a bi oe a III |52)40, II 7.5 |20
4214 et ie “ es 108 | 54|40| Ir 7.7 | 20
4247 a 2 . IIo |55|39) 10-5 | 7-5 | 19.5
4258 ‘ re oa . 104 | 53/35] 10 7-5 | 20.5
4921 ss #e te 112 | 53/40] II fi 20
4068 ne Iguana Cove.| ‘ 105 |52|36) I0 7 19.5
4065 ae ae os os Io5 | 52!/41} It 7.5 | 21
4098 a - ee Io6 | 52)38| 11 7-7 | 20
4102 si * oe ee TIO | 50/34! 10.5 7 20
4315 a i ee SG Ir2 |54/36| 10.5 7.5 \18
4334 i - i g 14 |52)37| 11.5 | 7.5 | 22
4085 | se ee re TOI | 50|33) I1 8 20
4312 < ie - _ TI5 |52)34} 105) 7 19
4321 | a o ns es 117 |54/35| 10.5 | 7.5 | 18.5
4612 Duncan. é II2 |52|36; I1 7.5 | 20
4711 te “6 106 | 52/35} Io 7:3. |20
4634 fe = 109 | 51/39) 105 | 7-5 | 19
4669 - 2 98 | 52/32] IL 7 18
4517 | James. g 99 |52}34, 10 7-5 | 21
736. CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA LUTEOLA (Ridgway).
Certhidea luteola RrpoGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xv, p. 360, 1894, and
XIX, p. §01, 1896 (Chatham Island); Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50,
Pt. I, p. 764, 1902.
Certhidea olivacea luteola ROTHSCHILD AND HArRTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p.
149, 1899.
Range. — Chatham.
There are only four specimens in the collection from Chatham.
One adult male hasa slight amount of rufous on the throat. The form
is very similar to C. 0. oldvacea, differing from it mainly in being a
little darker. The length of the bill from the nostril may be slightly
longer.
352 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Certhidea olrvacea
luteola.
Cat.
No. Maxilla
Stan. Locality. Sex. | Length. | Wing. Tail. Culmen.| from Tarsus.
Univ. Nostril.
Mus
4887 Chatham. é 113 51 39 Il 8 19
4896 ue a 114 53 38 II 8 21
4797 oe 2 121 55 36 20
73c. CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA RIDGWAYI Rothschild and
Hartert.
Certhidea olivacea ridgwayt ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 149, 1899 (Charles Island).
Certhidea ridgwayt RipGway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 01, p. 765,
1902,
Range.—Charles.
We did not procure any specimens of this species. It is rare on
Charles and has been taken only by the Harris expedition. According
to Rothschild and Hartert it ‘* differs much from C. olzvacea olivacea
and C. olcvacea luteola in the much lighter under surface, which
wants the olive tinge.”
73d. CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA FUSCA (Sclater and Salvin).
Certhidea fusca SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 323, 1870
(Abingdon and Bindloe Islands).—RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus.,
XIX, p. 502, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 11, p. 766, Igo02.
Certhidea olivacea fusca ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 151,
1899.
Range.—Abingdon and Bindloe.
Slightly darker above and less olivaceous than C. ol¢vacea olivacea
or C. o. luteola, distinguished from these forms by the conspicuous
buffy brown wash along the sides and on the flanks. Throat of the
male tinged with rufous, and superciliary line of same color present.
We have five specimens of this form, including one male with the bill
entirely black, taken in June.
The buffy brown color of the sides of the body and the flanks
characterizes all the specimens from Abingdon, Bindloe, Tower,
Wenman and Culpepper; thus uniting C. olévacea fusca, mentalts
and éeckz as a group inhabiting the northern islands of the archipelago
and separating them from C. ol¢vacea olzvacea of the central islands.
The brownish-buff color, however, grades into the less pronounced
olivaceous-buff of the same parts in C. ol¢vacea olivacea and C. o.
BIRDS 353
luteola. The grouping together of the forms of the more northern
islands of the archipelago is similar to what obtains in the genus
Nesomimus. 5
MEASUREMENTS OF SPECIMENS OF Certhidea olivacea fusca.
Cat. No. a ba a g cE 3
Stan. Univ. Locality. g bb C) & ::| & % a
Mus. hay B 5 Ss g 5
4
5238 Bindloe. II5 53 34 Liz 8 18.7
5181 - a 109 | 53 43 | II 7-7 | 19
5167 Be 2 I12 54 36 II 8 18
5193 Abingdon. é Iil 51 36 Il.5 8 19.7
5266 fs ey III 52 36 IL.7 8.5 19.5
73e. CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA MENTALIS (Ridgway).
Certhidea mentalis RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XvIl, p. 359, 1894
(Tower Island), and x1x, p. 504, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50,
Pt. 11, p. 766, 1902.
Certhidea drowne? ROTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, vir, p. 53, 1898
(Culpepper Island). — Ripcway, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 11,
p- 767, 1902.
Certhidea olivacea drownet ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p.
150, 1899. |
he ee mentalis ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p.
150, 1899.
Range. — Tower and Culpepper.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Certhidea olivacea
mentalis.
|
a Bd QO
Cat. No. ey 3 ba a o pes 3
Stan. Univ. Locality. & ee & & & a8 &
Mus. ’ a B 5 EE é
Pe
5086 Tower. o 116 52 38 11.3 7 18
5230 ae . 108 53 38 IL.5 8.3 19
5132 ee at II4 55 41 IL.5 8 20
5130 as ss 10g 53 37 11.5 8 20
5199 on i 113 54 39 12 8 19
5186 se 2 114 55 4o 12 8.5 19
5123 es us 105 52 37 I2 8.5 19.5
3855 Culpepper. IIo 55 39 115 8.3 19.7
3852 He 8 IIo 51 38 IL.5 8 19
3854 Rs 50 | 33 II 8 19
3853 me a 113 50 36 II 8 19
354 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
We have nine specimens from Tower Island taken in June and four
from Culpepper taken in December. We can discover no difference
whatever between the two sets of specimens either in color or in pro-
portion. The series as a whole can be distinguished from the six
Abingdon-Bindloe specimens of C. 0. fusca by the slightly darker,
more brownish and less olivaceous upper parts. The distinction, how-
ever, is very slight. Hence, we combine C. 0. mentalis (Ridgway)
and C. 0. drownei (Rothschild) into one variety.
73 f. CERTHIDEA OLIVACEA BECKI (Rothschild).
Certhidea beckt ROTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, vir, p. 53, 1898
(Wenman Island). — RipGway, Bull.-U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 11,
p- 767, 1902.
Certhidea olivacea becki ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p. 149,
1899.
Range. — Wenman Island.
This form does not differ in color from C. olévacea mentalts of
Tower and Culpepper. According to Rothschild it should be lighter
below than C. ol¢vacea drowne? (Rothschild) of Culpepper, but our
specimens from these two islands show absolutely no difference and,
as before stated, do not differ in color from the Tower specimen.
The bill of the two Wenman specimens, however, is shorter than the
bill of C. ol’vacea mentalis, and apparently the subspecies may be
retained on this character. Males have a distinct rufous tinge on the
throat, a pale superciliary stripe and an entirely black bill.
We have only two specimens, taken in December on Wenman.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Certhidea olivacea
beckt.
Cat.
No. Maxilla
Stan. Locality. Sex. | Length. | Wing. Tail. Culmen. from Tarsus.
Univ. Nostril.
Mus.
3876 | Wenman. | & | 107 | 52 | 39 | Io 73 18
3866 fe a 109 53 36 10.5 7.5 18
74. THE CERTHIDEA CINERASCENS SERIES.
vga. CERTHIDEA CINERASCENS CINERASCENS
(Ridgway).
Certhidea cinerascens RiDGway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., x1, p. 105, 1889
(Hood Island), and xx, p. 503, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50,
Pt. 11, p. 768, 1902.
BIRDS 355
Certhidea cinerascens cinerascens ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 151, 1899.
Range. — Hood Island.
Almost no olivaceous shade anywhere. Upper parts, including the
wings and the tail, brown, sometimes with an almost inperceptible
shade of olive on the rump and upper tail coverts. Feathers of the head
and back with grayish shafts. Wing feathers all edged with grayish.
Below dull, dirty grayish, tinged with buff on the throat and middle
of the breast, slightly washed with brownish along the sides and on
the flanks. Auriculars light brown. Superciliary stripe gray. Bill
of adults entirely black.
This variety, together with the next, form a well marked species
distinguished from C. olzvacea by the pallid grayish color.
We have fourteen adult males and three immature males of this form
taken on Hood and the neighboring small Gardner Island in May.
We did not obtain a female. The birds were very abundant about
Gardner Bay on Hood. The young associated with one another
in small flocks, much resembling thus in habits and appearance
the Bush Tits (Psaltrparus) of California. Although the breeding
season was over, the adults were still singing a great deal. Their or-
dinary notes consisted of monosyllabic ¢wits. The adult males were
generally found solitary, not associating with the flocks of young.
One song that they sang resembled ¢weet’¢?’ti-tweet! . . tweet. .
Zweet, the second and third syllables being short and but briefly sepa-
rated from the one before. The first and fourth syllables were ac-
cented, while the fifth and sixth were separated by successively longer
intervals. Another song resembled ‘weed’ ti-tweé-iz.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Certhidea cineras-
ceéns crnerascens.
g
: (ou
; i $ bo a 3 ap 3
stan’ iniv. Locality. 3 a 3 & | s 8 a
Mus. s B & Hm, s
a
4861 Hood. é 108 53 41 10.7 8 18
4873 es e 1o9 | 54 | 37 II 7-7 19
4904. ag ee 108 51 39 IL.5 8 18.7
4846 ee te 104 53 38 II 8 19
4848 es wy 108 52 4I 10.7 7.5 18.7
4835 “ a 105 51 36 10.5 8 18
4804 st ss 108 51 39 II 8 19
4901 et ee 106 50 38 Il 8 19.5
4836 ee st 107 51 a7 II 8.3 18.7
356 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
746. CERTHIDEA CINERASCENS BIFASCIATA (Ridgway).
Certhidea bifasciata RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvII, p. 359, 1894
(Barrington Island), and x1x, p. 304, 1896; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No.
50, Pt. 11, p. 768, 1902.
Certhidea cinerascens btfasciata ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 151, 1899.
Range. — Barrington.
This form is similar to the last but is paler above and below, almost
whitish below with a faint tinge of buff, and with a distinct olive tone
above. The tips of the middle and greater wing coverts are specially
pale in some specimens forming two fairly well marked bands on the
wing.
This form was very numerous on Barrington in May. The young
birds, as did those on Hood, remained banded together in small flocks,
flying about in troops from one bush to another, continually uttering
short chiZ-like notes.
We have two adult males and two adult females taken on Barring-
ton in May.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Certhidea
ctnerascens btfasciata.
|
: 3 bb a 5 as 3
gin, Dav. Locality. g a 5 ‘S E 83 a
Mus. & E a z i 2 é
P=
4992 Barrington. 108 51 32 12 8.3 20
4998 aE se III 53 38 II 8 19
4987 ii 108 52 37 II 8.3 18.5
4996 = 7 113 | 50 35 II 8 17.5
Genus Dendroica Gould.
Dendroica Gray, List Gen. Birds, App. III, p. 8, 1842.
45. DENDROICA PETECHIA AUREOLA (Gould).
Sylvicola aureola GOULD, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 86, pl. 28, 1841.
Dendroica aureola SCLATER AND SALVIN, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 323,
1870. — RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 493, 1896. — RoTHS-
CHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p. 147, 1899.
Dendroica petechia aureola RipGway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 50, Pt. 11,
Pp. 521, 1902.
Range. — Coast of Ecuador and Peru, Cocos and Gorgona Islands
and every island of the Galapagos Archipelago.
We found this species generally distributed on all the islands from
sea level to the tops of the highest mountains. It was most abundant
BIRDS 357
in the mangrove swamps of Albemarle and Narboro. On March 4a
nest was obtained at Iguana Cove, Albemarle, situated a few feet
above the ground in the horizontal fork of a small bush. It contained
four slightly incubated eggs. The nest is very compactly made and
well shaped. The outside is composed of dead, grayish plant stems,
green grass and a considerable quantity of cotton (Gossypium). The
interior is lined with fine brownish rootlets and a few feathers. The
dimensions are as follows: height 55, diameter 10, depth of cavity 33,
diameter of interior 45.
The eggs are broadly oval in shape, resembling those of Helmith-
erus vermivorus, which they equal in size. The ground color of
two of the specimens is light buff; this is heavily spotted and blotched,
chiefly in the form of a wreath about the larger end, with umber,
chestnut, lavender gray and black. The other specimen (one was
broken) is more finely spotted with the same colors on a creamy white
ground. They all measure 17 x 14.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF Dendroica
petechia aureola.
§
2 9°
4 Aq Bore] é
. No. : oo : u ve, 7
stan Univ. Locality. 3 ES £ E a 23 é
Mus. 4 GF i g 5
a
4200 Albemarle. & 144 67 52 12.5 9.3 21
4070 ee ve 142 69 54.5 12.5 8.5 20.5
3970 a ie) 140 62 51 13 9.3 20
4053 “ s 135 | 63 49 12.3 9 21
4148 “ af 144 66 54 12.3 9 20.5
4305 fe He 142 63 49 12.5 8.7 20
4329 ss ae 126 64 50 12.5 9 20
3869 Wenman. es 132 63 48 12.5 8.7 20.5
3868 “se & 136 67 52 12.7 9.3 20.7
4088 Narboro. ee 148 67 55 I2 9 21
3920 Ke es 145 66 50 12.5 9 20
3904 ee 9 144 | 64 51 13 9 20.5
4487 James. é 133 66 49 13 9.5 21.5
4560 # re 137 65 50 12.5 9 21
4637 Seymour. “se 136 64 48 13 9.3 20.5
4736 Charles. es 146 63 48 12 9] 20
4765 Chatham. es 153 68 547 I2 9 21
5084 Bindloe. fe 145 62 50 12.5 9 2
Another nest was found on June 27 near Tagus Cove, Albemarle.
This nest contained two incubated eggs, only one of which was pre-
served. The nest was situated ona horizontal limb of a mangrove
tree (Avicennia) about twelve feet above the water of the swamp.
Proc. Wash. Acad. Sci., January, 1904.
358 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
It is more solidly constructed than the last, being composed outwardly
of closely woven plant fibers, stems, cotton and egg cocoons of spiders.
The interior is deep and lined with fine grass, and feathers of the
Galapagos duck (Pecilonetta).
The one egg preserved is much like those of the other set in shape
and coloration. It has a creamy ground color and is blotched,
mostly in the form of a wreath about the larger end with chestnut,
umber and lavender-gray. The specimen measures 17 x 14.
The notes of this bird are much like those of any other Dezdrozca.
One common song resembled ¢#-weé, ti-weé, ti-weé-i, uttered rather
rapidly. Another sounded like t#/-twee-twee-twee. The first syllable
of this was somewhat prolonged and separated from the second by a
space greater than that between the others.
We have eighteen adult specimens of this species from Albemarle,
Narboro, James, Seymour, Charles, Chatham, Bindloe and Wenman.
We observed it on all the other islands except Jervis which we did not
visit.
Family TROGLODYTIDZA.
Genus Nesomimus Ridgway.
Nesomimus RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x11, p. 102, 1890, footnote.
(Lype, Orpheus melanotis Gould.)
Generic Characters. — (From Ridgway.) ‘‘Similar to AZémus
Boie, but bill longer and more compressed basally, and tarsus much
longer (nearly twice as long as middle toe instead of only about one
third longer).”
Whether these characters may be considered sufficient for generic
distinction or not, the group is certainly a natural one and it is most
convenient to recognize it as such by a generic name.
Nesomimus is peculiar to the Galapagos Archipelago where it has
been taken on every island except Duncan. Itis now apparently extinct
on Charles, but specimens were taken on this island by Darwin. .
76. NESOMIMUS TRIFASCIATUS (Gould).
Orpheus trifasciatus GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 27, 1837 (Charles
Island).
Mimus ea Gray, Zool. Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 62, pl. 16, 1841
(Charles Island).
Nesomimus trifasciatus RipGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 483, 1896.
— ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., vi, p. 143, 1899 (Gardner
Island, near Charles).
Range. — Gardner (near Charles). Extinct on Charles.
This species was taken on Charles by Darwin, but has not been seen
BIRDS 359
by any subsequent collectors on this island. It was taken on the small
Gardner Island, near Charles, by the Harris expedition in 1897.
Rothschild and Hartert give the following description of WV. trifas-
ctatus: ‘* This species is easily recognizable by its large size and
broad blackish-brown band across the chest, interrupted and concealed
in the middle. There are, however, not two bands, as one might ex-
pect from Ridgway’s ‘key.’ The wing coverts have very conspicuous
large white spots. The wing of the male is 128-130 mm. long, the
tail 123 (about — most specimens being in worn plumage with the
tails much abraded), tarsus 40, exposed culmen 26-27 mm. The
same measurements in the female are: Wing 116-120, tail 115 (ap-
proximately), culmen 25-26, tarsus 38-4o mm. ‘Iris seal-brown,
tarsi, feet and bill blackish.’” (Novit. Zool., v1, p. 143, 1899.)
We obtained no specimens of this species, but we did not visit the
Gardner Island in the neighborhood of Charles.
77. NESOMIMUS MACDONALDI Ridgway.
Nesomimus macdonaldi RipGWAY, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., XII, p. 103, 1890,
fig. 1 (Hood Island), and x1x, p. 484, 1896. — ROTHSCHILD AND Har-
TERT, Novit. Zool., vI, p. 143, 1899.
Range. — Hood and the neighboring Gardner Island.
This species departs widely from all the other species of Vesomimus
in the great size and curvature of the bill. The culmen varies from
33 to 37 in length, an excess of 6 over the culmen of WV. ¢trzfasctatus.
Otherwise its closest relationship is with this species on account of the
brownish-buff band that crosses the breast. It is also related to WV.
adamsi of Chatham through the spots on the sides of the breast, and,
in fact, stands intermediate between WV. tr¢fasczatus and WV. adams.
Description of a Typical Specimen. — (No. 5308, adult male,
Leland Stanford Jr. University Museum.: Hood, May 15, 1899.)
Above dusky brown and brownish-gray, the former color occupying
the central areas of the feathers, the latter the margins; palest on the
rump where the dark central areas of the feathers are the least promi-
nent. Wings and tail blackish-brown, the quills narrowly edged
with buffy grayish, the coverts with wide whitish margins, forming
three poorly definéd bands across the wing. The rectrices with very
indistinct pale areas on the inner margins of the tips of the inner webs.
Postocular region of head grayish-buff, continuous with an indistinct
superciliary line of the same color. Auriculars blackish anteriorly,
buffy posteriorly. Lores black. An indistinct blackish subocular
line from the lores and a similar maxillary stripe on the side of the
360 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
throat, inclosing a buffy space between them. Sides of neck buffy.
Lower parts buffy whitish, tinged with brownish across the breast,
with a few brown spots on the sides of the breast, and darker brown
spots along the sides of the abdomen and on the flanks. Under tail
coverts whitish, under wing coverts whitish with dark brown centers.
Under surface of primaries, secondaries and rectrices paler than above,
the primaries and secondaries fading into buffy gray on their inner
margins.
Female. — Like the male.
Immature. —Similar to the adults, but whiter below and thickly
spotted across the breast; under tail coverts buffy; wing coverts and
tertials widely bordered with bright buff and white; terminal spots on
rectrices larger, paler and much more conspicuous.
We found the species abundant in May about Gardner Bay on Hood
and on the adjoining Gardner Island. The Gardner Island on which
NV. trifasctatus was taken by the Harris expedition is another island of
the same name lying near Charles. Our collection contains five adult
males, five adult females and several immature birds of both sexes.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus
macdonaldt.
, g
: ' 3 bo a a Bates a
Stan. Univ. Locality. 3 b 4 & & 2a z
Mus. a e a * z 6
=
4882 Hood. é 280 | 120 | 108 34.5 24 38
4832 ce 274 | 123 | 107 | 34 23.5 39
4900 te ef 280 | 123 | 145 36.5 25.5 40
4888 is ss 280 124 IIo 35 24.5 40
5308 “e es 280 | 123 | III 35 26 39
4872 ee ce) 250 | 108 97 33.5 21 38
4816 tie st 275 115 105 34 23.5 38
4813 oe a 256 ; II2 107 33.5 23 37.5
4808 “ 7 260 | Ilo | Io2 33 21 39
4826 oS ey 262 I12 100 33 22.5 38
78. NESOMIMUS ADAMSI Ridgway.
Nesomimus adamst Ripeway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xvil, p. 358, 1894
(Chatham Island); Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xx, p. 485, 1896.— ROTHS-
CHILD AND HaARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p. 145, 1899.
Range. — Chatham.
Description of a Typical Adult.— Back and scapulars light brown,
in some specimens almost rusty brown, the feathers with darker cen-
BIRDS 361
ters. Rump paler brownish, with indistinct darker central areas to
the feathers. Feathers of top of head with wide grayish-brown mar-
gins, narrow, elongate, dusky central parts. Hind neck with a light
brownish-gray collar. A pale supraorbital stripe of the same color
as the nuchal collar reaching to the latter from back of the nostril.
Lesser and middle wing coverts light brown with pale brownish-
gray edgings. Greater wing coverts darker brown with narrow buffy
edgings and wider ashy tips. Primaries dusky brown with narrow
edgings of pale grayish-brown ;tips with slightly wider edgings of
ashy. Secondaries lighter brown with narrow pale brown edgings.
Tail dusky brown, feathers with very narrow pale brownish borders,
ashy toward the bases. Under surface of feathers paler, slaty. All
the rectrices except the middle pair with a terminal spot of white on
the inner web; spots of outermost feathers largest, about twenty
millimeters in length, decreasing successively in size on the other feath-
ers toward the middle; spots of feathers next the middle pair always
very small, gone entirely when these feathers are much worn.
Lores, suborbital and auricular regions brownish-black. A white
line just below edge of under eyelid. A narrow dusky malar stripe.
Entire under parts dull whitish. Sides and flanks with dark brown
streaks. Sides of lower breast with a few rather large spots of brown
on the centers of the feathers; these spots rounded in outline behind,
emarginate anteriorly. A slight brownish tone on feathers of lower
part of breast, forming an indistinct band connecting the spotted
areas of each side.
In coloration, especially in the presence of the spots of the sides of
the breast, this form resembles the Hood race WV. macdonaldi more
than it does any other. The spots in the Chatham form, however,
are not invariably present; in one specimen that we have they are en-
tirely absent. The species is separated specifically from VV. macdon-
aldd by the smaller size of the bill.
This species is very closely related also to the form inhabiting Inde-
fatigable, but is always distinguishable from the latter by the pres-
ence of the maxillary stripes. In the color of the back WV. adamsi
is paler than any other form of Mesomimus on the archipelago, but
in this respect it intergrades with WV. melanotis déerythrus. It is in-
termediate between the forms having spotted breasts and those whose
breasts are plain, and thus has given rise to two lines of differentia-
tion. Along one line the dark maxillary stripes have been retained
and the back has taken on a dusky rather than a brown tone; along
the other the brown tone of the back has been retained but the maxil-
362 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
lary stripes are lost. The first branch includes the races inhabiting
Tower, Abingdon, Bindloe and Culpepper; the second those races in-
habiting Indefatigable, Barrington, Wenman, James, Albemarle and
Narboro.
We have four adult specimens from Chatham taken May 23.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus adamsz7.
g
# 9
Cat. No. io to 3 g as g
Stan, Univ. Locality. by EY E} & EI Sg z
Mus. 4 BE 3 HZ, a
a
4854 Chatham. & 240 | III 105 25 17 37
4858 He ee 254 | 114 | 104 25.7 18 36.5
4806 cf # 253 Tir 105 25 17.5 39
5705 ne 9 102 93 | 23.5 16.5 36
Average. 249 | Iog | Io2 24.8 17.5 37.6
49. THE NESOMIMUS PERSONATUS SERIES.
Rothschild and Hartert have grouped all the forms of Vesomdmus ex-
cept IV. trifasctatus, N. macdonaldi and NV. adamsi under one species
LV. melanotis. We think, however, that two groups instead of one
can be distinguished, of which one, WV. fersonatus, inhabits the more
northern islands of the archipelago — Tower, Abingdon, Bindloe and
Culpepper; while the other, WV. selanot?s, inhabits the central islands
— Barrington, Indefatigable, Jervis, James, Albemarle and Narboro,
and also Wenman, lying to the north.
The differences between JV. personatus and NV. melanotts are slight,
but the former is characterized by a blackish tone to the central areas
of the feathers rather than a brownish. In some cases the general
shade of the upper parts in WV. personatus may be even lighter than
in WV. melanotis, but the light color is due to the marginal areas of the
feathers, the central parts in such cases being blackish.
NV. personatus is represented by a different subspecies on each
island where it occurs. Of these the one on Abingdon was described
first and hence must give its name to the group. The Tower sub-
species, however, resembles the Chatham species, V. adamsz, more than
does any of the others, so with it we begin the species.
79a. NESOMIMUS PERSONATUS BAURI (Ridgway).
Nesomimus baurt RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XvIlI, p. 357, 1894
(Tower Island) ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIx, p. 492, 1896.
Nesomimus melanotis baurt ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p.
145, 1899.
Range. — Tower.
BIRDS 363
This species has been regarded by Rothschild and Hartert as a sub-
species of V. melanotis. It cannot, however, be made a variety of
this form because all the specimens possess well developed black
maxillary stripes, a character not recorded on any specimen from
James or Albemarle. The same character relates the form to WV.
adamsi of Chatham but it is separable from this species by the color
of the back and by the slightly longer bill.
LV. bauri differs from NM. adams? as follows: color of central parts
of feathers of head blackish rather than brown, edges of some feathers
grayish rather than brownish; central areas of feathers of back dusky
brown instead of reddish-brown ; wing and tail feathers decidedly more
blackish and the pale edgings of the same wider and whiter; lores,
suborbital and auricular regions black instead of brownish-dusky ;
sides of lower part of breast distinctly clouded with buff but not form-
ing an entire band across the breast; no spots on the breast in any
adult specimens.
In the collection are seven adult specimens from Tower, taken
June, 1899.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus
personatus baurt.
| Z
Cat 3 ba g és 3
. No. 3 a a
Stan. Univ. | tocality. 3 be a = # 23 2
Mus. iw = 2 EE é
a
5217 Tower. 3 277 | 118 116 28 19.7 35-3
5263 ee Q 262 | IIo 108 28 20 35
5119 sf ne 256 | 104 100 28 20 34.7
5049 es ie 247 | I10 98 26.3 20 34.5
5198 as 263 | 109 110 27:7 19.5 35-3
5253 ee a 260 | 109.5) IIO 28 20 33.5
5162 ae ag 245 | IIo 102 27 18.7 | 34
Averages. 258 | IIo 106 27.5 20 34.6
796. NESOMIMUS PERSONATUS PERSONATUS
(Ridgway).
Nesomimus personatus RipDGWay, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., xt, p. 104, 1890
(Abingdon Island) ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XIX, p. 488, 1896. _
Nesomimus melanotis personatus ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 144, 1899.
Range. — Abingdon.
This form intergrades through the next — WV. personatus bindloet—
with WV. personatus bauri of Tower. It is probable, however, that
364 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
the order of derivation has been the other way, @. ¢., that the Abing-
don form has been derived from the Tower race, for the latter is in-
termediate between it and the Chatham species. Hence, if the Ab-
ingdon form were named according to its zodlogical relationship it
would be called ‘‘ Vesomimus bauri personatus”; but, since the Abing-
don race was described first, the names, according to the present canons
of nomenclature, must stand as given above.
Color of upper parts still darker than in the Tower race, the black-
ish color of the head pervading also on the back, the whole dor-
sum being very dark and the lighter margins of the feathers inconspic-
uous. The nuchal collar is well marked only on the sides of the
neck; across the nape it is almost obsolete. The sides of the breast
are strongly shaded with buff as in the Tower form. AQ faint trace of
a dark maxillary stripe is present in several specimens.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus
personaius personatus.
|
. 5 Oo.
Cat. No. ‘ a ' - g ae 3
Stan’ Univ. Locality. 3 bo 2 & zg 2 2
Mus. & Ee 3 We &
a
4973 Abingdon. 265 IIo | 107 26.5 18.7 36.5
5059 £6 ee 108 | 104 26.5 18.7 36.5
5277 te 244 | I10 I1o 26 18 34
5055 ss ef 246 | IOI 96 24 17.3 36.5
5227 ae as 256 109 102 26.5 18.7 37
5114 £9 252 98 96 26 19.3 34.5
Averages. 253 | ,105 | 102 26 18.4 36
The color of the back of the Abingdon specimens does not directly
grade into that of the Tower specimens, but it does do so through
those from Bindloe. The latter, however, lack all traces of the maxil-
lary stripe. The bills of the Tower specimens average slightly
larger than those from Abingdon, while the latter have bills a little
larger than those of the Bindloe specimens. The bills of the Bindloe
and Tower specimens intergrade in length only through the Abingdon
specimens. Since these different sets of characters do not grade in
the same direction, it is perhaps most probable that the Abingdon
and the Bindloe races have been derived separately from the Tower
form, yet they all intergrade in such a manner that we cannot name
them as distinct species, although both the Abingdon and the Bindloe
forms have characters that do not directly grade into those of the
BIRDS 365
Tower birds; from which we assume that they are independently
derived. Actually they should probably be regarded as Spectes; ac-
cording to A. O. U. rules of nomenclature as vardetdes.
We have one adult male and three adult females of this subspecies,
taken on Abingdon in June.
79c. NESOMIMUS PERSONATUS BINDLOEI (Ridgway).
Nesomimus bindloed RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvIt, p- 358, 1894
(Bindloe Island) ; Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 492, 1896.
Nesomimus melanotis bindloei ROTHSCHILD AND HaRTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
p. 146, 1899.
fange.—Bindloe.
In the color of the back this form is intermediate between WV. p.
personatus of Abingdon and WV. £. daurz of Tower. The central areas
of the feathers of the head and back have the same blackish tone, but
the pale edgings are wider than on the Abingdon specimens though not
so wide as on those from Tower. The intensity of the nuchal collar is
likewise intermediate between those of the other two forms. None of
the specimens has any trace of a maxillary stripe, but this mark is
absent on one of the Tower specimens.
The collection contains three adult males and three adult females
from Bindloe taken in June.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus
personatus bindloet.
| F
. °
a 8 ad 8
Cat. No. : Wd = be I ¢ “5 3
Stan. Univ. Locality. v i] I & a7 4
eMaer ocality. b & ES fay 3 ae 3
a
5124 Bindloe. & 247 103, 101 24 17 34
4919 es ie 246 | 106 | I02 25 17.5 34.5
5186 eg < 248 | I07 | 102 24 17 35
5144 et 2 232 | I02 | I00 23 16.5 33.5
5143 e . 240 99 96 23.5 16.5 35
5156 sal ae 240 | IOI 103 23 16.5 34
Averages. 242 103 | Io2 23.7 16.7 34
79d. NESOMIMUS PERSONATUS HULLI (Rothschild).
Nesomimus hulli ROTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, p. 52, May, 1898.
Nesomimus melanotis hulli ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool., VI, p.
145, 1899.
Range.—Culpepper.
366 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
This form is scarcely distinguishable in color from JV. personatus
baurt of Tower. The specimens average slightly darker in color of
the back than do the Tower specimens and the maxillary stripe is
somewhat more strongly developed. The bill, however, is consider-
ably shorter, averaging in our Culpepper specimens, 26 and in the
Tower specimens 27.5 millimeters in length. The measurements,
however, in the two cases overlap, so that we can separate the Cul-
pepper form only subspecifically from the Tower race.
Rothschild and Hartert make the Culpepper form a variety of WV.
melanotis. It differs, however, specifically from true varieties of JV.
melanotés in the blackish color of the back and the presence of the
dark maxillary stripes.
The collection contains three adult males and two adult females
taken on Culpepper in December.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus
personatus hullt.
|
: °
Cat. No. 2 bi a g ae g
Stan, Univ. Locality. 3 Cy iS} & 3 Sg &
Mus. & 5 a Re a
a
5311 Culpepper.| ¢ 108 98 27 19 35-5
5308 ee a II2 IIo 26.5 19.3 34
5310 ae ae 250 113 IIo 26 19 35
5307 a 105 } 98 | 25 185 | 34.5
530 ae 230 | 106 | Ioo 26.5 19.3 33-5
Averages. 240 | I09 | 103 26 19 34.5
From the preceding descriptions it will be seen that the mocking-
birds inhabiting the most northern islands of the archipelago, with the
exception of Wenman, viz. Tower, Culpepper, Abingdon and Bindloe,
are interrelated to one another in such a manner that they form four
varieties of one species. They are all characterized by a melanistic
tone to the feathers of the head and generally of the back, being thus
distinguishable from those forms inhabiting the central and southern
islands of the archipelago, which have a brownish tone pervading the
upper parts. These northern forms must be named as varieties of the
Abingdon race WV. personatus, because this was the first one described ;
but their relationship is probably severally with the Tower race, WV.
personatus hull, since this one most resembles the Chatham race to
which the melanistic forms are probably related on account of the
retention by most of them of the dark maxillary stripes, but from
BIRDS 367
which they are specifically separated by the color of the top of the
head and the back.
80. THE NESOMIMUS MELANOTIS SERIES.
This group, as already stated, differs from the last, V. persona-
tus, in having the central areas of the feathers of the back distinctly
brown and not blackish. It inhabits Barrington, Indefatigable,
Jervis, James, Albemarle, Narboro and Wenman. It has probably
been separately derived from MV. adamsi of Chatham. It comprises
four subspecies. We describe these in the order of their apparent rela-
tionships, rather than according to priority of names. The name
melanotis was first given to specimens of this species from James.
80a. NESOMIMUS MELANOTIS DIERYTHRUS Heller
and Snodgrass.
Nesomimus melanotis (in part) GOULD, Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 62, 1841. —
Ripeway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xIx, p. 489, 1896.
Nesomimus melanotis melanotis (in part) ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit.
Zool., VI, p. 145, 1899.
Nesomimus melanotis dierythrus HELLER AND SNODGRASS, The Condor,
Vol. 11, No. 3, May, 1901 (Indefatigable and Seymour Islands).
Range. — Indefatigable and the Seymours.
This form presents the first departure from the Chatham race along
a line differing from that of the melanistic northern species, V. Zer-
sonatus, in the retention of the brown color of the upper parts of the
Chatham species, and in the loss, from the beginning, of the dark
maxillary stripes.
Subspectfic Characters. — Very similar to V. adamsz of Chatham,
differing from it specifically in never possessing any trace of maxillary
stripes. Color of the back brown, averaging darker than on Chatham
specimens; lores and auricular region blacker; never any spots on
sides of breast; culmen averaging slightly shorter.
If Chatham specimens should be obtained not possessing maxillary
stripes, then it and the Indefatigable form could not be specifically
separated and the Chatham variety would have to be named WV. mela-
notts adamst, since melanotzs was the first name given to any of the
brown-backed forms. Although the color of the back intergrades
between the two forms, yet that of the Indefatigable and Seymour
specimens averages distinctly darker, lacking the almost rusty tone
present on the Chatham specimens.
The collection contains two adult males and two adult females from
Indefatigable Island, taken on the part adjoining the Seymour Islands,
368 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
three adult males and one adult female from the northern Seymour
Island, and three adult males and three adult females from the southern
Seymour Island, besides several immature specimens; all taken during
the last of April and the first of May.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus melanottis
dierythrus.
8
Cat. Ni 3 ba 3 Es 3
at. is 4 = uv ey
Sian, aie Locality. & a a & a3 é
Mus. 4 SB S ‘4 %, 5a
a
4680 Indefatigable. 241 103 IoI 23.5 16.5 35
4694 ee ae 250 108 103 23.7 17 35-5
4664 ue 1 | 238 95 93 | 23 15 34
4693, _ a 243 | 103 | 103 | 22 15.5 34
4659 : 97 | 90 | 23 16 34
4587 North Seymour.! ¢ 238 | I10 | 106 | 22.7] 16 36.5
4565 ae + «6 240 | 109 106 j} 23.5 17 35.5
4568 ss ve 242 113, I08 | 23 16 34.7
4566 2 229 | Io2 | 107 | 22 16 34
4563 ae Ilo ] 113 | 23.5 | 15.5 36
4620 SouthSeymour.,; $ 244 | I0o9 | 103 | 23.5 17 36
4621 ne 2 246 | 107 | 102 | 22.5 | 16.5 36
4635 E oe 228 | 104 95 | 22.5 | 15.5 35-5
4612 He 2 238 | 104 96 | 21.5} 15 34
4629 oe 232 | 103 94 | 22 15 34
4646 ie “ 240 | 103 95 | 23 15.5 35
Averages. 239 | 105 94 | 226} 16 35
806. NESOMIMUS MELANOTIS BARRINGTONI
(Rothschild).
Nesomimus carringtont ROTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Ornith.;Club, Oct., p. 52,
1898 (Barrington Island.) (Name a misprint for darringtonz.)
Nesomimus melanotts carringtont ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT, Novit. Zool.,
VI, p. 145, 1899.
Nesomimus melanotis melanotis ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT (in part), Novit.
Zool., VI, p. 145, 1899 (Wenman).
Range. — Barrington and Wenman.
The Mesomimus of Barrington was separated by Rothschild from
the James WV. melanotzs on the ‘‘ longer and slenderer bill, shorter wing
and generally paler upper surface.” These characters hold in our
specimens. ‘The race is, however, rather related to the Indefatigable
form than to the James race, resembling the former in the color of the
head and back and differing from it in the greater length of the culmen,
the length of the culmen in J. m. darrington? averaging about 22.6
in length.
BIRDS 369
Rothschild and Hartert assign the Vesomimus of Wenman to the
same variety as the James form, JV. melanoti’s melanot?s. Our speci-
mens, however, are identical in every way with the Barrington Island
specimens.
It is rather curious that the Mesomzmus of this island so far to the
north should be related to forms of the central islands rather than to
those of the neighboring islands, Culpepper and Abingdon.
We have five adult males from Barrington taken in May, and two
adult males and two adult females from Wenman taken in December.
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF i/Vesomimus
melanotis barringtont.
|
Cat. No. Fs bo | § éd Ey
Stan. Univ. Locality. 3 be EI & g 43 2
a
3862 Wenman. 240 | 109 | Iog 26 19 34
3861 ss sé 230 | 109 | 109 25.3 18 34
3858 ss 221 102 IoI 24.5 18.3 32.5
3860 ee $6 215 102 95 24.7 17 33
Averages. 226 | 105 | Ioo 25 18 33.4
4961 Barrington.| ¢ 240 104 102 25 18 32
4935 5 245 | I0g | 104 | 25.5 18.5 34
4966 $e oe 257 103, 106 26 18 34
4909 = “© | 233 | 108 | 87 | 26 19 33
4974 “t se 254 | ito 99 27.5 20.3 35
Averages. 246 | 107 | Ioo 26 18.6 33.6
80c. NESOMIMUS MELANOTIS MELANOTIS (Gould).
Orpheus melanotis GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 27, 1837.
Mimus melanotis GOULD, Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 62, 1841 (Chatham and
James Islands), —SALvin, Trans. Zool. Soc., 1x, p. 471, 1876 (Charles ?,
James and Indefatigable Islands).
Nesomimus melanotis RrpGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., x1x, p. 489, 1896.
Nesomimus melanotis melanotis ROTHSCHILD AND HARTERT (in part), Novit.
Zool., VI, p. 145, 1899 (James, Jervis).
Range. — James (and Jervis ?).
This form is very close to the Indefatigable race, but is separable
from it as a variety by the darker tone of coloration on the head and
back, and by the longer bill—the culmen of our specimens from
James averaging 24.6 while that of the Indefatigable and Seymour
specimens averages only 22.6.
The collection contains four adult males, four adult females, and
numerous immature specimens taken on James in April.
370 SNODGRASS AND HELLER
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF JVesomimus mela-
notis melanotis.
|
4 5 Ex a
Cat. No. ‘ yi a u a 4 we 3
Stan. Univ. Locality. g FS) = Cs a ne %
Mus. 5 ie ad 5 az, a
&
4514 James. & 242 108 106 25 17.5 37
4546 es oe 253 | 113 113 24 18 36
4600 fe 250 | 110 | 108 25 18.3 36
4572 fe ae 113 | III 25.7 18 38
4472 m 2 253 | II0 | 105 | 26 19 37
4606 at bi 248 | 106 | 106 23.5 16.5 35
4557 cs te 242 106 108 23 16.3 36
Averages. 248 109 108 24.6 17.6 36.4
80d. NESOMIMUS MELANOTIS PARVULUS (Gould).
Orpheus parvulus GOULD, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., p. 27, 1837.
Mimus parvulus GOULD, Voy. Beagle, 111, Birds, p. 63 1841 (Albemarle
Island). — Savin, Trans. Zool. Soc., 1x, p. 472, 1876. — SHARPE, Cat.
Birds Brit. Mus., vi, p. 350, 1881.
Nesomimus parvulus RipGway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XII, p. 102, 1889.
Nesomimus parvulus parvulis ROTHSCHILD AND HaARTERT, Novit. Zool., v1,
Pp. 146, 1899.
Nesomimus affints ROTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Ornith. Club, p. 53, 1898.
Nesomimus parvulus affints ROTHSCHILD AND HarTERT, Novit. Zool., v1, p.
146, 1899.
Range. — Albemarle and Narboro.
We have a large series of Wesomimus from Tagus Cove, Elizabeth
Bay and Iguana Cove on Albemarle and from the north and east sides
of Narboro, and we cannot discover any character separating the speci-
mens from the two islands into two varieties. Rothschild and Hartert
have described the Narboro birds as a subspecies of ‘* MV. parvulus.”
This variety is most closely related to WV. m. melanot¢s of James,
from which it is distinguishable by the general smaller size, specially
smaller bill and darker coloration of the upper parts. All the char-
acters, however, completely intergrade, so that the form cannot be re-
tained as a separate species.
It is evident that the line of development from the Chatham form
has been through the Indefatigable form to the James and from the
latter to the Albemarle-Narboro form, for all of these are linearly re-
lated to one another in the order given. The general tendency has
been toward a darkening of the color of the upper parts. The Chat-
ham specimens have the lightest shade to the feathers of the top of the
head and the back, and those of Albemarle and Narboro the darkest.
7)
MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF /Vesomimus
BIRDS
melanotis parvulus.
371
q
Cat. No. , 3 r : # |Gd]
Stan. Univ. Locality. 3 # a a E 3 3 b
" STP? | 8 tele
a
5258 Albemarle, Tagus Cove. 243 | 115] 103] 22.5]15 | 34.5
4114 # ee “ es 238| 113] 113] 21.5|15 | 35.5
4010 re a ie me 240| 109] T1I/21 |15 | 37
4212 ue a es ie 236] 106} 108] 23 | 16.7 | 35
4375 iid m Ht ae 243| 108] 104/22 |15 | 34.5
4038 a is Hs 228| 98] 105}22 |15 | 34.7
4025 He . ae a 221} 96) Too] 21.51/15 | 33.5
3936 « ue #y us 230} I05/ 107] 21.3/14 |37
3979 = e - of 228| TOL] 104/21 | 14.3| 34
3932 6c “cc sc “e 232 99 108 22.5 15 33
4231 sd * M i 240| 102} 110/22 |15 | 35
4100 a Iguana Cove. 220| 106] 106| 205/14 | 37
3959 a a BG ae 230] 108! 108 | 21.7| 16.3
3964 oH = Q 225| 99) Iol|2I | 14.3} 35
4221 es Elizabeth Bay. 3& 230) IIIT] 111/2I |15 |35.5
4306 ee Be a 245| 105| 114} 21.7) 15 | 37
4253 ue ss ae ie 238| I10]/ 105/2I |15 | 36.5
4284 ms “8 oe us 231! 107; 105}2I |14 | 35.5
4307 ae ts ve si 240 | 109} 108] 20.5} 15 | 37
4300 = HS “ “ 245 | 115 | 105] 22.5;16 | 36
4256 s es “ 2 226) 102} 98/21 | 14.5 | 35
4254 nt “8 a 235| 109} 118|}21 |15 |36
4229 os i py ns 222} 99} 104/21 |15 | 36.5
4252 # a ue “ 238| 103| 105]2I |15 | 34.5
4227 as ue ae ee 232] 104] 106]22 | 15.3] 36.5
Averages. 230| 105| 107 | 21.5] 15.3 | 35.9
4430 East side of Narboro. g 245 | 109} 105 | 22.5 | 14.7 | 36.5
4165 ee se #6 246| III| 109}22 | 14.7| 35
4131 ae ae us 235| IIL| 114) 22 |16 | 33.5
4126 as a ne 248| I1r| 117/23 |16 |38
4137 ay we us 226| 107] 113/22 |16 | 36.5
4143 es ff 233 | 102] 100] 22 | 15.5 | 34
4172 i a os 235 | IOI} 104} 22 | 14.3 | 36.5
4156 HF ts 226| 100] 98] 21.7| 14.7 | 35
3999 North side of ‘ 248 | 109| 117]| 22.3}15 |36
3990 as “ 232 | log} III | 22.5} 15.7/35 '
3969 Me a 222| 102] 103; 22 |16 | 35.5
3928 ee * es 242) 107| 108/22 |16 |35 -
3967 “ ise 231 | 100] 107| 23.5/15 | 35.5
4044 a “ a 220| 98|/ Ioo|22 |1I5 1/35
4502 a as ie 235| 97] 102] 21 | 14.7] 33
Averages. 235} 105] 107 | 22.2| 15.2] 35
Some of the Narboro specimens are so dark that the color can scarcely
be distinguished from that of the Bindloe birds.
Bindloe specimens also are of the same size as those of the Albemarle
The bills of the
Live Music Archive
Librivox Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Internet Arcade
Console Living Room
Books to Borrow
Open Library
TV News
Understanding 9/11