1877.) COLLECTION MADE BY H.M.S. ‘ PETEREL,’ 65 
I. Brrps. By R. Bowpier Snapper. 
The specimens were thirteen in number, and preserved in spirits of 
wine. They were obtained on Charles and Albemarle Islands, the 
two of the group of which we appear to know least; indeed, from 
the latter island one species only, Mimus parvulus, is recorded by 
Mr. Salvin in his important memoir recently published (Trans. 
Zool. Soc. vol. ix. pp. 447-510). Commander Cookson obtained 
also a Geospiza on that island. The species of Dendreca is widely 
spread over the archipelago, and was previously known from 
Charles Island ; but the existence of a Pyrocephalus in this locality 
is confirmed for the first. time. 
The exploration of Tower and Hood Islands is still a great desi- 
deratum: their birds are reported to be peculiar ; but not a single 
example of them has as yet reached European collections. 
It is very remarkable that (as Commander Cookson reports) the 
birds continue to be as tame as in former times, especially in Charles 
and Chatham Islands, which have been so long inhabited ; the small 
birds of all kinds are so tame that they are easily knocked down 
with a switch, some of the men being able to kill numbers of doves 
in this manner. 
1. Mrmus pAaRvuLus. 
Mimus parvulus (Gould) ; Salvin, 1. c. p- 472. 
A single specimen from Albemarle Island, measuring as follows— 
total length 8-4 inches, culmen 0:9, wing 3°95, tail 4-0, tarsus 1-3. 
Considerable differences exist between the bird now sent and the 
typical and unique specimen in the British Museum. It is much 
greyer, and the head is varied with ashy-brown margins to the 
feathers ; the hinder neck is conspicuously lighter, the white sides 
of the neck converging and forming a half-collar ; the rufous rump 
is very distinctly indicated, the upper tail-coverts being also shaded 
with rufous, all the feathers mottled and having brown centres ; 
wing-feathers dark brown, all broadly tipped with white, these 
tips somewhat shaded with rufous on the inner secondaries and 
greater coverts; tail-feathers dark brown, edged with grey, the 
feathers all shading off into a white tip, broader on the inner web, 
the outer feather externally edged with whitish; lores and ear- 
coverts dark brown, slightly shaded with grey ; avery distinct white 
eyebrow; cheeks and under surface of body pure white, the fore 
neck and breast distinctly spotted with triangular marks of brown. 
Professor Sundevall is inclined to unite all the Galapagoan Mock- 
ing-Thrushes into one species; but Mr. Salvin points out that MV, 
trifasciatus is a distinct species without doubt. In this I agree 
with him, the large size and very distinct endings to thg wing-coverts 
and tail-feathers, and above all the broad edgings of brown to the 
breast-feathers, serving to separate it. But as regards the distinct- 
ness of M. melanotis and M. parvulus, Mr. Salvin is more in doubt ; 
and I believe, with him, that “a larger series of specimens would 
show that the differences (in size alone) would gradually disappear.”’ 
5 
Proc. Zoo. Soc.—1877, No. V. 
