r 174 ) 



1. Coccyzus melanocoryphus N'ieilkit. 



Cnccyzus mdumxuryiiUiis Vieillot in N„m: Dkl. iV flht. Nut. VIII. p. 271 (1817) ; Shelley, Cat. H 

 Brit. ^fHs. XIX. p. 307 (1891) ; Ridgway in Proc. U.S. Xat. ilus. XIX. p. 587. 



We have received specimens from < 'hatliam and Charles Islands, collected by 

 Messrs. Banr & Adams and the Harris' exiiedition in the months of Septemher, 

 October, and November. Dr. Banr (Amer. Naturalist, IsOT, p. 782) obtained it 

 also on Albemarle, but the specimen has been lost in Guayaquil. 



We cannot separate these birds from continental specimens. They have 

 generally a very stout beak and much black about the face, but many continental 

 skins do not difl'er at all. 



Genus BUTEO < 'uv. 



Buffo, Curier, Lee. Aimt. Cnrnpar. I. Ois. (1800). 

 Nearly cosmopolitan. 



1. Buteo galapagoensis (Gould). 



Pohjhorus guhpagnoisU, Gould in Prur. Znol. Sue. 18.'57. p. \>. 



C,;i:nre.r gal, Gould, Zo,,!. V,nj. lirafjle, III. Birds, p. 2.-!. PI. II. (1841), 



Haleii (jaL, Ridgway in Proc. I'.S. Xat. -l/us. XIX. p. 587. 



liiilen galapafjeiish, Sharpe, Cat D. lirit. .l/«s. I. p. 170 (1874). 



lint. gahqjageiisi<, Salvin in Trans. Zonl. Sue. IX. p. 495. 



Biiteu leucops, Gray, Cat. Acrijilti: Brit. Mas. p. 3G (1848). 



Piiecilopteniin infidutun, Kaup, Confr. Orn. p. 70 (1850). 



The buzzard of the Galapagos Islands is apparently closely allied to the North 

 American B. siraimoni, but has much larger feet and bill, and is generally larger. 

 The female is larger than the male. 



We have thirteen specimens in the light phase (ochraceons beneath) and eleven 

 in the dark phase (almost uniform dark sooty brown). According to Mr. Ridgway 

 only dark-coloured adults have hitherto been taken. We do not believe that our 

 light-coloured specimens are all young. They are killed at the same time as the 

 adults, are of both se.xes, all equally coloured, those in fresh plumage are much 

 brighter, those in worn dress paler, and in two moulting specimens the new feathers 

 are of the same colour as the old ones. In none of the dark birds can we find 

 actual remains of the light jdumage, and the series of light ones does not look like 

 beiii" voung birds. We are therefore inclined to believe that this buzzard occurs 

 ill a dark and in a light ]ihase, like IJittco .'iii'ain.soni. 



The buzzard is uow known to occur on the following islands :— (Hiatham, 

 Albemarle, Duncan, Hood, Indefatigable, Barrington, Bindloe, Abingdon, James 

 and Jervis. It seems to bo absent from ('harles Island. 



A well incubated egg, which was not saved, was found on Seiiteraber 1st on 

 Indefatigable, another fresh one on August 13fh on Abingdon Island. The egg is 

 greenish white, very much like that of the goshawk, without gloss and without any 

 markings. It measures 57-2 by 45-3 mm. The nest is composed of sticks and 

 substantially lined with grass. It was placed in a " tree-cactus" 10 feet fmm the 

 ground. 



