THE BIRDS OF THE JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS ^ 



older ones, have the whole cap glistening metallic, although their wings are 

 still in moult, and the primaries not yet fully developed. Mr. BackstrOm has 

 observed this variation with regard to the metallic colours of the crown and 

 expresses as his opinion that »the variety described as £. leyboldii Gould was 

 established through a mistake due to the fact that material from different 

 seasons without intermediate links has been examined*. The present material 

 proves, however, that even specimens collected the same day may look diffe- 

 rent, but I am nevertheless inclined to endorse Mr. BackstrOm's view. His 

 opinion appears the more probable as also the metallic green of the female is 

 subjected to the same variation. It is less bluish in some specimens than in 

 others. In one of the fully developed females not even the discal spots of the 

 throat have any bluish lustre. 



Mr. Backstrom states that this species is common in the forests of the 

 island. It builds its nest of fine moss in the montane fern-groves and lays two 

 white eggs. The three nests brought home are comparatively large structures 

 with a total height of about max. 10,5 and min. 7,5 cm. and a thickness of 

 about max, 7,5 and min, 5,5 cm. The cup-shaped nest has an interior diameter 

 of approximately 23 — 25 mm. and a depth of approximately 20 mm. The cup 

 of the nest itself has its walls constructed of the soft reddish wool of Dick- 

 sonia. The exterior is made of green moss (Weymouthia) which constitutes 

 the main part of the bulk. This moss is partly comparatively loosely attached, 

 so that it forms a kind of fringy covering. The nests are attached on one 

 side and partly at the bottom to a fine branch or to the slender climbing 

 rhizomes of Blechnum Schotti, the midrib of a fern frond & ca. The eggs are 

 rather cylindrical in shape, with a length of 14 mm. and a transverse diameter 

 of 9 mm. 



The three nests in the collection have all been taken in the month of 

 December. As not all birds have attained full plumage even in the last days 

 of that month, it is probable that the breeding season is more extended, as it 

 is rather unlikely that the different individuals should begin breeding before 

 they have aquired full nuptial plumage. 



Eustephanus galeritus Molina 

 Masatierra: males, 5 ^^is 1916, i ^Va, i ^V* ipi?; females, 6 "/12 1917. 



All the males are in full plumage with brightly glistening caps. The one 

 collected in April is anomalous in having some feathers of the upper neck 

 white so as to form a transverse band: in addition to this, there is a great 

 white patch occupying the lower rump. 



About its occurrence Mr. Backstrom communicates as follows: »This 

 species seems to be much more common in summer than in winter. The in- 

 habitants of the island argue that it migrates to Chile to pass the winter. 

 Skippers running with schooners between the main land and the island were 

 also fully convinced that they had seen flocks of this bird halfway between 

 the island and the continent*. 



