Vol. xii.] 46 



as far as he was aware, entirely new, and that they were of 

 the greatest importance to the student of the moulting of 

 birds, especially as they confirmed in so remarkable a manner 

 the change of colour in a bird's plumage in connection with 

 the moult. 



The Hon. Walter Rothschild exhibited nests and eggs 

 of the following land-birds from the Galapagos Islands : — 



CERTHIDEA OL1VACEA FUSCA. 



Nest in a small bush, 2% feet from the ground, evidently 

 built (according to the collector) on the top of a last season's 

 nest. Principally composed of dry grass with a little moss 

 and some cotton-balls. The eggs were three in number, dull 

 white, with a very faint, hardly perceptible, greenish tinge 

 and marked with pale reddish-brown patches and spots, the 

 markings being sparse, excepting near the larger end, where 

 they formed a well-defined ring. They measure : 18" 5 by 

 15-2, 17-5 by 135, and 17*4 by 13*3 mm. 



Obs. The eggs of Certhidea closely resemble those of the 

 smaller Geospizce, but the nests appear to be open at the top, 

 like the nests of ordinary Finches. 



These eggs were taken on Abingdon Island on April 16th 

 by Mr. R. H. Beck. 



Geospiza fuliginosa. 



The nests of the Geospiza are placed in bushes and on 

 cactus-stems, generally at no great height. The present nest 

 was situated in a bush, 5 feet above the ground, and was 

 composed of grass, straw, moss, and cotton. Like all the 

 nests of the Geospiza, it was covered in above, and there 

 was a good-sized opening on one side. 



The eggs were 3 or 4, sometimes even 5, in number. They 

 measured (one of the clutch of three broken) : 20 by 144, 

 195 by 142, and 18 - 6 by 13'6 mm. They were dull white 

 and were marked with a pale reddish-brown patch and spots 

 and a few deeper purple-brown ones, all the markings being 

 more frequent near the larger end, where they form a more 

 or less defined zone. 



The eggs were taken on Chatham Island, March 15th, by 

 Mr. Beck. 



