Vol. II, Pt. I] GIFFORD— BIRDS OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 47 



archipelago, and was found in the uplands as well as along- 

 the seashore. Between May 28 and June 23, however, but 

 one individual was seen, and that was at Charles Island on 

 June 1. 



A few were seen at Wafer Bay, Cocos Island, Costa Rica, 

 on September 4 and 13, 1905. 



Of several individuals killed at Tagus Cove, March 29, 

 some were in high plumage, while the majority were in transi- 

 tion. The sexual organs, however, showed only slight en- 

 largement. A male, taken on southeastern Albemarle on 

 May 1, was in high feather. Specimens captured on Hood 

 Island, on June 23, had small reproductive organs, as did three 

 or four obtained at Academy Bay, Indefatigable Island, on 

 July 14. 



Haematopus galapagensis : Frazar's Oyster-catcher 



Hcematopiis frazari Brewster, Auk, v, 1888, 84 (Carmen 

 Island, Gulf of California). 



Albemarle, Barrington, Bindloe, Charles, Chatham, Gard- 

 ner-near-Hood, Hood, Indefatigable, James, Narborough, 

 Seymour, and Tower islands, Delano Rock, and islets east 

 of Jervis Island. 



As suggested^ by Mr. Ridgway, Hcematopus galapagensis 

 and Hcematopus frazari are undoubtedly one and the same 

 species. Mr. Ridgway "reduces the alleged color differences 

 between that bird [HcEniatopus galapagensis] and the Lower 

 Californian form described as H. frazari by Mr. Brewster to 

 two, namely, the smaller amount of dark color on the under 

 surface of the wing and the partially spotted or barred under 

 tail-coverts of the latter."^ 



A thorough examination of the Academy's material, twenty 

 specimens from Baja California and forty- four from the 

 Galapagos Islands, demonstrates that the "greater amount of 

 white on the under primary coverts" of the so-called Hcemato- 

 pus frazari is an absolutely worthless character, as the series 

 from both regions show an almost equal range of variation in 

 respect to the coloration of these coverts. Twelve of the 

 forty-four Galapagos specimens exhibit partial dark edgings 

 on certain of the under tail-coverts; all, however, to a much 



iProc. U. S. N. M., V. 19, p. 623. 

 Hbid., p. 624. 



