Vot. II, Pr. 11] GIFFORD—BIRDS OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 191 
by its presence on the islets off James and Jervis. We also 
saw this species flying back and forth between Hood and the 
neighboring Gardner. Occasionally birds came out from shore 
and flew around the schooner when anchored. 
This species has a light and a dark phase. Individuals in 
the two phases were about equal in numbers, although birds 
in the light phase were not seen in as many localities as birds 
in the dark phase. Intermediates were not uncommon. Birds 
in the light phase were commonest at Academy Bay, Inde- 
fatigable, which was a great rendezvous for hawks. 
The nests were bulky affairs of sticks usually built in a low 
tree or on a rock in an easily accessible position. On April 8, 
at Tagus Cove, Albemarle, I photographed a nest belonging 
to two birds in the dark phase. It was built in a Bursera tree, 
partly fallen over, growing on a steep hillside. The top of the 
nest was about eight feet from the ground. The nest structure 
was two feet in height and made of sticks. The depression at 
the top was shallow and lined with grass pulled from the 
ground in bunches. It contained two fresh eggs. While Mr. 
Beck and I were examining and photographing the nest, the 
birds stayed close by, calling continually. After making several 
swoops, one of the pair fastened its talons in my hat, while I 
was in the tree with the camera. It carried the hat a short dis- 
tance and dropped it. 
While anchored at northwestern Indefatigable, July 21 to 
23, three nests were examined. One, unoccupied, was built 
in the usual style about 14 feet above the ground in a Bursera 
tree. Another, unoccupied, was about 10 feet above the 
ground in a tree growing on a hillside. It was built of sticks 
and showed signs of use. A hawk made several threatening 
swoops at me while I was examining it. 
The third nest was composed of a mass of sticks resting 
partly on a heap of lava and partly on a bush growing beside 
the heap. It was situated on a plain some distance from any 
rise of ground. The top of the nest was about 12 feet above 
the ground. The part resting on the lava was about four and 
one-half feet in height, the part on the bush only one and one- 
half feet. The owners were much excited, swooping at us 
frequently and calling constantly. There was a third old bird 
with them on the two occasions we visited the nest. It was not 
