500 ME. O. SAIiVIN ON THE AVIFAUNA 



Columbi-galline des Gallapagoes, Neboux, Rev. Zool. 1840, p. 290; Prev. et Des Murs, Voy. Venus, 



Ois. p. 370, Atlas, t. 8. 

 Nesopelia galapagensis, Sundev. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. p. 99. 



cJ (Indefatigable Island) vinaceo-chocolatino-cinnamomeus, subtus, praecipue in pectore, 

 clarior : colli lateribus nitente seneo et rosaceo decoratis : oculorum ambitu nudo (in 

 ave viva Isete cseruleo) plumis circumdatis nigricantibus : stria utrinque sub oculis albida 

 nigro marginata : dorso medio et tectricibus alarum albo nigroque variis, harum extemis 

 in pogonio externo nisi apicibus fere albis, remigibus nigris angustissime albo marginatis : 

 rectricum apicibus cinereis fascia subapicali nigra, in rectricibus mediis angustiore: 

 subcaudalibus et tectricibus subalaribus griseis : rostro nigro : pedibus rubris : long, 

 tota 8"5, alae 5-3, caudse 3'0, tarsi 0'9 , rostri a rictu 0*95. 



2 mari similis, coloribus paulo dilutioribus. 



Hob. Galapagos Islands (Darwin) ; Charles Island (NSboux) ; Indefatigable and 

 Bindloe Island [Habel) ; James Island [Sundevall). 



This species was also noticed by Dr. Habel in Albemarle, Tower, and Hood Islands, 

 where, however, no specimens were secured. 



" The female of this species appears to be a little smaller than the male. The iris 

 in both sexes is dark brown, rather darker in the female, and the feet of a pink colour. 

 The eyelids are a beautiful pale blue. Having been accustomed to find the skins of 

 Central-American Doves very tender and difiicult to remove, I was surprised at the 

 toughness of the skin of this species, it being even stronger than the rest of the land- 

 birds of these islands. 



" For some years parties have visited these islands to collect the orchilla (Bocella 

 tinctoria), a kind of moss growing on the bushes, trees, and even rocks on the wind- 

 ward side of the islands. This Dove being considered by these men a delicate morsel, 

 is caught by them in numbers. It is therefore neither so abundant nor so tame as 

 in former years ; nevertheless many were knocked down with switches every morning 

 by our men, as many as three dozen sometimes falling to one man before breakfast, 

 all of which he would devour at one meal ! I met with the species on all the islands 

 I visited." — H. 



Genus Poezana. 



The section of this genus to which P. spilonota belongs has a wide range throughout 

 the continents -of America, being found in P. jamaicensis from the AVest Indies and 

 Central America to Chili. The present bird has some resemblance in colour to P. tabu- 

 ensis, a species ranging extensively over the islands of the South Pacific and Australia. 

 P. tabuensis, however, may easily be recognized by its much longer tail .md red legs. 



PORZANA SPILONOTA. 



Zapornia spilonota, Gould, Zool. Voy. Beagle, iii. p. 132, t. xlLx. 

 Porzana spilonota, Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 456; 1871, p. 333, 



