100 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES [Proc. 4th Ser. 



to breadth, or in other words, that the eggs vary considerably 

 in shape. The extreme forms are ovate and elliptical-ovate. 



Fregata aquila: Man-o'-war Bird 

 Plates VI and VII 



Abingdon, Albemarle, Barrington, Bindloe, Brattle, Cham- 

 pion, Charles, Chatham, Culpepper, Daphne, Duncan, 

 Enderby, Gardner-near-Charles, Gardner-near-Hood, Hood, 

 Indefatigable, James, Jervis, Kicker, Narborough, Onslow, 

 Seymour, Tower, and Wenman islands. 



The Man-o'-war Bird is present at all times about the coasts 

 and waters of the Galapagos Islands, often being seen flying 

 over the land as well as the sea, usually at a considerable 

 height. At the fresh-water crater-lake, "El Junco," on Chat- 

 ham Island, at an elevation of about twenty-six hundred feet, 

 several were observed bathing, or perhaps drinking,^ by 

 swooping down and letting their feathers touch as they passed 

 over the surface of the water. They frequently came about 

 the vessel in company with the Graceful Petrel, particularly 

 when turtle or tortoise fat was thrown overboard. One taken 

 off southern Albemarle on April 27 had a very small turtle in 

 its stomach. 



I have never seen this species resting voluntarily on the 

 water; in fact, the feathers become wet in a very short time if 

 immersed. It was seldom observed on shore except at the 

 nesting-places, where it was abundant. Outside of these 

 resorts, an occasional bird was seen sitting on the top of some 

 mangrove or on a jutting rock of a sea-cliff. 



The Academy's Expedition found Man-o'-war Birds nest- 

 ing on the following seven islands : Brattle in October ; Cul- 

 pepper in September; Enderby in May; Gardner-near-Hood 

 in September; Hood in February, June, and September; 

 Tower in September; Wenman in September. 



In the latter part of September, 1905, there was quite a 

 large colony nesting near the southeast extremity of Hood 

 Island. The majority of the nests contained well-feathered 

 young, although three fresh eggs were taken on September 



iCf. Fisher, Bull. U. S. Fish Comm., 1903, p. 31; Bonhote, Ibis, 1903, p. 312; 

 Lowe, Ibis, 1909, p. 334. 



