Vol. II, Ft. I] GIFFORD— BIRDS OF THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS 83 



sions in the sand, lined around the edges with a few sticks and 

 seaweed, some of which was fresh. The owners held their 

 ground resolutely, opening their mouths at us menacingly and 

 uttering harsh guttural croaks. The voices of both males and 

 females seemed to be alike. 



On northeastern Narborough on April 17, 18, and 19, two 

 colonies were found nesting — three pairs in one colony, and 

 four or five in the other. In the first colony, two sets of three 

 eggs each were taken; and in the second, one set of two. In 

 each set there were one or two fresh eggs, and one or two with 

 incubation begun. The nests were of sticks and seaweed, 

 mostly fresh, and were placed on the bare black lava about ten 

 feet above the water. In both instances the nesting-place 

 seemed also to be the haunt of sea iguanas. The nests were 

 five or six inches high at the rim, with a depression an inch 

 deep in the center. 



Parasitic worms were found in the alimentary tracts of sev- 

 eral birds. 



The colors of the naked parts of breeding adults were as 

 follows : Iris bluish green ; feet black ; lower mandible drab- 

 gray; upper mandible slate-color, drab-gray at tip; gular sac 

 drab-gray, with whitish dots; lores dusky with parallel longi- 

 tudinal ridges of pale dots. 



All of the Academy's skins, which were taken in March and 

 xA.pril, are in fresh body-plumage, and many — particularly 

 birds taken in March — show pin-feathers and newly expanded 

 feathers. The wings and tails of all are more or less worn, 

 and in almost every case new rectrices are appearing; new 

 remiges, however, are not so common. With one exception, 

 all of the specimens have filoplumes on the sides of the head, 

 and similar white filoplumes are to be found hidden among the 

 body feathers, particularly those of the under parts. 



One specimen was found with a white feather in the tibia, 

 another with one in the back, and still another with two in 

 the back. 



A dark-brown specimen. No. 2358, without filoplumes, was 

 taken on Narborough on March 22. The middle rectrices are 

 fresh, the others much worn. The wings are also worn, but 

 the body-plumage has been pretty well renewed. The old 

 feathers still remaining in the breast are very soft and downy. 



