OF THE GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO. 481 
i. p. 543), I much doubt the possibility of maintaining G. dubia as a distinct species, based 
as it is on a female specimen whose dimensions are intermediate between G. strenua and 
G. fortis, both Chatham-Island species. 
GEOSPIZA FORTIS. 
Geospiza fortis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 5; Darwin, Zool. Voy. Beagle, iii. p. 101, t. xxxviii.; 
Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 323; Sundev. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 124. 
Species G. strenue@ quoad colores omnino similis, magnitudine solum differens. 
Hab. Charles Island (Darwin, Sundevall); Chatham Island (Darwin); Indefatigable 
Island, Bindloe Island, and Abingdon Island (Habel); James Island (Sundevall). 
Iam in much doubt whether to place a single female skin from Indefatigable Island 
with this species or with G. strenua; but as there seems to be a slight gap as regards 
its bill in the series between it and the specimens of that species where none exists on 
the side of G. fortis, I have placed it with the latter. Its wing measures 2:95 inches, 
and equals in this respect another specimen from Indefatigable ; but in this the bill is a 
little smaller. In the length of its tail it exceeds by ‘05 inch any of the other speci- 
mens attributed to G. fortis; but in the length of its tarsus several others equal it. 
The extent to which individuals of this species vary as regards some of their dimen- 
sions is as follows :— 
Wing varies from . . . ~ 2*5 inches to 2°95 inches, or 0:40 mch. 
Tail varies from. . . . . JS inch to1-85 inch, or 0°35 inch. 
Tarsus varies from. . . . O-S8inch to 0-90 inch, or 0:10 inch. 
The extremes in the size of the bills is shown in the following woodcuts :— 
Geospiza fortis 2 Geospiza fortis 3 
(Indefatigable Island). (Bindloe Island). 
Dr. Habel’s collection contains 23 specimens from Indefatigable Island, 16 from 
Bindloe Island, and 4 from Abingdon Island, the locality of one being unrecorded. 
The Indefatigable-Island specimens are of rather larger average dimensions than those 
from either Bindloe Island or Abingdon Island; and the females from Abingdon Island 
are darker than those from the other two islands. 
Of G. fortis Dr. Habel writes as follows:—*A bold and destructive species, entering 
the tent in numbers, where, not content with picking up the rice that lay scattered 
about, they would make holes in the bag containing it to get at the grains. They paid 
no regard to the presence of man, and when chased away would instantly return again. 
Other allied species would also enter the tent in search of food; but Geospiza fortis 
oT 2 
