120 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. II. 



and as the names used by Ridgway are inapplicable, 

 I name the two forms 



Fregata minor magnificens, subsp. n. 



and 

 Frbgata minor ridgwayi, subsp. n. 



The former breeds on Barrington, Indefatigable, 

 Albemarle Islands, etc., and is characterised by its 

 very large size. The largest female (procured as a 

 straggler on Wenman Island) gives culmen 134 mm., 

 wing 704 mm. 



The latter breeds on Culpepper and Wenman Island 

 (but Ridgway's bird was obtained as a straggler at 

 Tower Island), and the female gives culmen 108 mm., 

 wing 620 mm. 



The differences between these two forms in coloration 

 are that F. m. magnificens, in the male, has the breeding 

 plumes on the back with a purple sheen, the feathers 

 very narrow and the wing-coverts uniform black with 

 a purplish sheen. In F. m. ridgwayi the breeding 

 plumes on the back are broader and an oil-green colour 

 prevails, while a brownish band extends along the wing- 

 coverts. 



The measurements of the two subspecies do not 

 overlap in any way. 



The larger Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, bird identi- 

 fied by iSharpe as F. aquila is a very distinct species, 

 characterised by the male having the abdomen white 

 and the female being all wliite underneath from the 

 lower throat to the vent. It is also quite .a large bird, 

 the largest female givmg the bill 136 mm. and the wing 

 635 mm. 



It gives me great pleasure to call this species 



Fregata andrewsi, sp. n., 



as it was due to Dr. C. W. Andrews' gift that this 

 investigation proved so interesting. Fregata ariel is 

 diiferentiated, as is pointed out in the Catalogue of 

 Birds in the British Museum, by the male having a 

 white patch on the flanks. 



