Vor. II, Pt. II] GIFFORD—BIRDS OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 231 
After letting it go it flew off toward Albemarle. On the 
following day in latitude 1° 43’ S. longitude 91° 24’ W. two 
came aboard at different times; they were either immature 
birds or females. 
When at Iguana Cove, Albemarle, I saw a black male 
bathing in a pool of water in a rock at about 250 feet eleva- 
tion; the water was at least of a temperature of 100 degrees 
Fahrenheit. This species proved as tame as the average of 
Galapagos finches. Quite a number of the birds on Chatham, 
both at Wreck Bay and Sappho Cove, had swollen diseased 
feet, as have most of the other passerine birds. Occasionally 
birds with diseased bills were taken. West of Villamil, 
Albemarle, in April, I saw a young Sooty Ground Finch 
trying to induce a large-billed adult Sturdy Ground Finch 
to feed it. 
23. Geospiza fuliginosa: Sooty Grounp FIncH 
Abingdon, Albemarle, Barrington, Bindloe, Brattle, Cham- 
pion, Charles, Chatham, Daphne, Duncan, Enderby, Gardner- 
near-Charles, Gardner-near-Hood, Hood, Indefatigable islands, 
islet off northeast James, James, Jervis, Narborough, Sey- 
mour, Tower, and Wenman islands. 
This species was the commonest of all the Galapagos birds, 
being found on every island and islet visited, except Cul- 
pepper. It was common or abundant on all of the larger 
islands, except perhaps Narborough, into which we did not 
penetrate far. It was scarce on the smaller islands of Cham- 
pion, Daphne, Enderby, islet off northeast James, and Wen- 
man. 
It seemed well adapted to every condition of the islands, 
except the heavy rainfall and dense jungle of parts of the 
humid region. However, as to life zones, this bird seemed to 
be confined to none, although on south Indefatigable it was 
found commonly in the arid region and but very scantily in 
the densely vegetated humid belt. It was seen commonly at 
low tide along the beaches below the high water mark. Its 
greatest stronghold was in the arid belt, however, where it 
was found as commonly about the settlements as are the House 
Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in parts of California, and in 
