238 SNODGRASS AMD HELLER 



Range. — Galapagos Archipelago: Chatham, Hood, Seymour, 

 James, Albemarle, Narboro, Tower, Wenman and Culpepper. Coast 

 of Peru and Malpelo Island. 



This species was first reported by the Venus from Monterey, Cali- 

 fornia. Presumably this is a mistake through confusion of labels, for 

 on the same cruise the Venus collected at the Galapagos and should 

 have gotten the gull there where it is abundant. 



It is a common bird of the Galapagos, frequenting nearly all the 

 islands. We found it in December specially abundant at Wenman and 

 Culpepper. Large numbers of these birds were nesting on the cliffs 

 of the small islet lying near the main island of Wenman. Apparently 

 they nest only on the cliffs, for none was found on the upper surface of 

 the island where many boobies and frigate birds were nesting. It 

 is an extremely noisy species. As the birds sit on the cliffs they 

 utter shrill elongated notes having a sort of weary tone to them. They 

 often vary this sound by breaking up the first or the last part into a 

 series of closely connected chattering notes. At other times they open 

 the mouth widely and make a harsh guttural sound, consisting of one 

 note repeated several times in quick succession. This sound differs 

 from the reiterated one accompanying the continuous notes in 

 being much less guttural and in having a flatter tone and a pitch 

 about the same as the continuous shrill part. The birds utter some or 

 all of these sounds almost continually, and when many are together they 

 make a great deal of noise. They utter the same notes while 

 flying. 



The bird lays a single ^^^ on a ledge of the cliff, constructing no 

 nest. Two specimens of eggs have a light yellowish-brown ground 

 color, and are blotched with a few large purplish-brown paler spots, 

 and darker, smaller ones of dark brown. The markings are evenly 

 scattered about over the surface, and are much more numerous on one 

 than on the other. In shape they are ovate and measure 65 x 48 and 

 68x45. 



We were at Albemarle Island from January i till January 20 be- 

 fore we saw any individuals of this species. On the latter date we 

 took one at Tagus Cove ; after this we saw several here every day, and 

 in February they became common. 



We have four specimens from Culpepper, Wenman and Albemarle. 



Genus Sterna Linnseus. 



Sterna Linn^us, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 137, 1758. 



Range. — Cosmopolitan. Galapagos Archipelago. 



