10 FRINGILI.IDJE. 



3J- inches, wing 2-J, tail 1-|, tarsus £, bill f-, height of bill -|. 

 (Gould.) 



Hah. Chatham Island, Galapagos. 



I have carefully examined all our series of Geospiza? in the hope 

 of finding the type of this species, which is undoubtedly missing 

 from the collection. As the name appears in small print in Gray's 

 ' Hand-list,' it is evident that he considered it to be wanting in 

 1 870, and it is doubtful if it was ever received from the Zoological 

 Society. It is much to be regretted that the types of several birds 

 were not transferred from the old Museum of the Society to 

 the British Museum ; a part of the ' Beagle ' collection was un- 

 doubtedly retained by Mr. Gould, from whom the specimens passed 

 into the possession of other naturalists. Some fell into the hands of 

 Messrs. Salvin and Godman, by whose munificence they have once 

 more become national property. 



4. Geospiza fortis. 



Geospiza fortis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 5 ; Darwin, Zoo!. Voy. 

 ' Beayle,' Birds, p. 101, pi. xxxviii. (1841); Gray, Gen. B. ii. 

 p. 359 (1844); Bp. Consp. i. p. 543 (1850); Sri. $ Salv. P. Z. S. 

 1870, p. 323 ; Gray, Hand-1. B. ii. p. 88, no. 72! >!> ( 1870 1 ; Sundev. 

 P. Z. S. 1871, p. 124; Scl. Sf Salv. Nomencl. Av. Xcutr. p. 27 (1873) ; 

 Salvin, Trans. Z. S. ix. p. 481 (187G). 



Adult male. Similar to G. stroma, but much smaller. Total 

 length 5 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 3, tail 1-65, tarsus 0-85. 



Adult female. Similar to the female of G. strenua, but smaller. 

 Total length 5 inches, culmen 0-75, wing 3, tail 1*75, tarsus 0-^5. 



The descriptions are from a pair of birds from Indefatigable Island 

 in the Salvin-Godman collection. Young males seem to resemble 

 the old females, but to be darker, with blacker mottiings below. 

 Immature birds of both sexes have the edges of the wing-coverts 

 sandy buff. 



Adult males from Indefatigable Island have the wing 2*7-3 inches, 

 and the tarsus 0-8-0-85. 



Adult females from the same island have the wing 2-7-3 inches, 

 the tarsus 0-8-0-85. 



Young males measure : — "Wing 2-65-2-8 inches, tarsus 0-8-0-85. 



Two males, not quite adult, from Abingdon Island, measure : — 

 Wing 2-5-2-55 inches, tarsus 0-75-0-8. 



Adult males from Bindloe Island measure : — "Wing 2-55-2-7 inches, 

 tarsus 0-75-0-8. 



Adult females from Bindloe Island measure: — Wing 2-5-2-55 

 inches, tarsus - 75. 



Young males from Bindloe Island measure : — Wing 2-5-2-55 

 inches, tarsus 0-75. 



The birds from Bindloe Island are decidedly smaller than those 

 from Indefatigable Island, and have somewhat smaller bills than the 

 average of the individuals from the last-named island. The present 

 species is, however, very variable in size of bill, and some specimens 



