320 SNODGRASS AND HELLER 



or the southeast part of Albemarle, for these are the only localities that 

 collectors up to that time had visited. Specimens from Tagus Cove 

 do not differ from specimens of G. fortis fortis of the other islands. 

 Some of those from southeast Albemarle have rather longer and deeper 

 bills, but they grade into G. fortis flatyrhyncha of Iguana Cove at 

 the southwest end of Albemarle. Hence there are two varieties on 

 Albemarle, but these are G. f. fortis and G. f. flatycephala. If 

 the type of G. albemarlei had come from Iguana Cove, then this 

 name could be retained. 



Our specimens of this species are from Charles, Chatham, James, 

 Indefatigable, Seymour, Albemarle and Narboro. The species was 

 found most abundant on Charles, James, Albemarle and Narboro. 



We have twenty two specimens of adult males taken at Tagus 

 Cove in January, February and March. They are in Stages III to 

 VI. There are two in Stage III, taken in March; two in Stage IV, 

 taken in January and one taken in March ; four in Stage V, taken in 

 March and one taken in January ; and six in Stage VI, taken in Janu- 

 ary, one taken in February and four taken in March. 



Adult Males. — Coloration almost exactly the same as in Geospiza 

 fuliginosa parvula. Deep black everywhere except on the wings 

 and tail, which have a brownish tone. Under tail coverts bordered 

 with white. In some there is a varying amount of grayish color on 

 the posterior part of the belly and on the flanks as pale edgings to the 

 feathers ; in such cases the entire exposed parts of the under tail 

 coverts are gray. This pale color generally lacks the buffy tinge 

 present in G. fuliginosa. Bill black. Feet brown. 



The same plumage stages are distinguishable as in G. fuliginosa^ 

 but all the specimens except one, even down to those in Stage III, 

 have the bill entirely black. One specimen intermediate between 

 Stages V and VI, however, has the lower mandible yellow with black 

 only on the sides of the base and at the base of the gonys. There is 

 in no stage any buffy tinge to the pale parts of the plumage, a mark 

 distinguishing the species from G. fuliginosa. There are only three 

 young males in the collection taken in January ; two of these are in 

 Stage IV, one has yellow on the lower mandible ; the other is in 

 Stage V. March birds are in Stages III to VI. The yellow-billed 

 January bird has a few new feathers coming in on the back and breast ; 

 the other January specimens are not moulting. None of the March 

 birds are moulting. 



The males of this species apparently are longer in acquiring the 

 black plumage than are the males of G. fuliginosa. The bill becomes 



