Vol. II, Pt. I] GIFFORD— BIRDS OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 69 



— being faster than those of the Great Blue Heron, but slower 

 than those of the Bahama Pintail. When forced to fly from 

 a lagoon, they usually circled about several times, apparently 

 very reluctant to leave, and often settling again instead of fly- 

 ing off. They were seldom, if ever, seen in flight except when 

 disturbed. Nevertheless they must move about considerably, 

 for the numbers in the respective lagoons varied at different 

 seasons, and in several instances varied overnight. 



These birds were always observed feeding in the water, 

 often standing in it up to and even above the lower edge of 

 the feathered portion of the tibiae. In this position they feed 

 upon the bottom of the lagoon, affording a strange spectacle 

 with neither head nor legs in sight. Specimens were taken 

 with the gullet full of what appeared to be reddish mud. 



Nests of this species were found on Charles and James 

 Islands, at Cormorant Bay on the former island and at James 

 Bay and near Sullivan Bay on the latter. The nests were 

 built of earth and mud scraped together into a pile with steep 

 sides, sometimes being as much as a foot in height and the 

 same in diameter across the top. Usually they were about 

 seven or eight inches high. The depressions in the tops were 

 about an inch or an inch and a half deep. The nests were al- 

 ways built near the water, either on some very low, flat, rocky 

 islet or on a beach. On the east side of the lagoon at James 

 Bay, there were thirty-five nests on the narrow beach at the 

 edge of the brush. Twenty-five were strung along close 

 together, and a few feet to the northward were ten more. When 

 we visited that locality in early August many of them showed 

 signs of recent use, to which the presence of the young birds 

 also testified. Some, however, had not been occupied that 

 year. About a dozen addled eggs were found, one to a nest, 

 while the remaining nests were vacant. On our previous visit 

 in December there were no eggs, so without a doubt these 

 were laid in 1906. Evidently at least a third of the eggs laid 

 in that locality during that year were infertile. 



At Cormorant Bay, on February 25, we found six mounds 

 of earth between four and eight inches high, each with one 

 fresh tgg. They were on a low lava-islet in the northeast cor- 

 ner of the large lagoon. No nests were found with lining 

 other than mud and earth. A seventh fresh ^gg was laid on 



