No.nie. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 523 



0.35; basal width of mandible, 0.35,- basal depth of bill, 0.42; tarsus, 

 0,81 ; middle toe, 0.58. 



Fifty-six specimens of this form have been examined, of which thirty 

 belong to the National Musenm collection. The localities represented 

 are as follows: Charles Island (15 specimens), James Island (22), 

 Indefatigable Island (12), Albemarle Island (I), Biudloe Island (2), 

 and Duncan Island (1). 



Specimens from Albemarle Island appear to be clearly referable 

 to this species, and agree most closely in form and size of the bill 

 with those from James, Charles, Indefatigable, Abingdon, and Bindloe 

 islands; but in the same locality occur others which I am unable to 

 distinguish satisfactorily from smaller examples of the larger, heavier- 

 billed Chatham Island bird {G. dubia). These I at one time separated 

 as (r. ((Ihemarlei, comparison having been made, through some inad- 

 vertence, with G. dnhia and G. media instead of the former and G. 

 fortis. The name G. alhemarlei is therefore placed as a probable syno- 

 nym of G. fortis, with the reservation that a larger series of specimens 

 may show that its separation can be maintained.' 



' The origiual description of (i. alhemarlei is as follows : 



Geospiza alhemarlei, Ridgway. 



Specific characters. — Intermediate l)etween G. media, of Hood Island, and G. duhia, 

 Gould, of Chatham. 



Habitat. — Alhemaiie Island, Galapagos. 



Measurements of type. — Xo. 11.5977, U.S.N.M., immature male, Tagus Cove, Albemarle 

 Island, April 10, C. H. Towusend. Length (skiu), 5; wing, 2.80; tail, 1.85; culnien, 

 0.70; gonys, 0.35 ; width of lower mandible at base, 0.41 ; depth of bill at base, 0.52; 

 tarsus, 0.85; middle toe, 0.60. 



The plumage of the type specimen is about halfway between that of the young 

 male and the perfectly adult bird, the head and neck being nearly uniform dull 

 blackish, the feathers of the dorsal region black, broadly margined with olive, the 

 under parts (except throat) dull biitl'y whitish (marked with buffy olive laterally) ; the 

 entire breast and fore part of sides heavily spotted (longitudinally) with blackish. 



An adult female (No. 115978, U.S.N.M., same locality, etc.) is exactly like the 

 immature male in coloration, its measurement being as follows: Length (skiu), 5; 

 wing, 2.82; tail, 1.70; culmen, 0.75; gonys, 0.40; width of under mandible at base, 

 0.42; depth of bill at base, 0.55; tarsus, 0.90; middle toe, 0.65. 



Another female (Xo. 11.5975, U.S.X.M., same locality, etc.), evidently not a very 

 young bird, since its bill, like that of the two above-meutioued specimens, is hard 

 and chietiy black in color, has the top of the head grayish olive, broadly streaked with 

 dusky, the cheek, chin, throat, etc., very pale grayish buft'y, obsoletely streaked 

 with darker, and the breast rather indistinctly marked with dusky. Length (skin), 

 4.70; wing, 2.78; tail, 1.70; culmen, 0.70; gonys, 0.38; width of under mandible at 

 base, 0.40; depth of bill at base, 0.52; tarsus, 0.90; middle toe, 0.62. 



