BIRDS 



333 



67. GEOSPIZA DEBILIROSTRIS Ridgway. 



Geospiza debilirostris'Ri-DGViKY , Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xvil, p. 363, 1894 and 

 XIX, p. 533, 1896 (James Island); Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. i, p. 

 508, 1901. — Rothschild and Hartert, Novit. Zool. , vi, p. 163, 1899. 



Range. — James Island. 



This species is slightly larger than G. fuliginosa, the wing of 

 adult males measuring, according to Rothschild and Hartert, sev- 

 enty-one to seventy-three millimeters. The basal depth of the bill 

 does not exceed ten and one-half millimeters and is generally less 

 than ten, while the culmen is about sixteen. The bill is, hence, but 

 slightly larger than the bill of G.fuliginosa difficilis. On the other 

 hand, the size of the bill and wing in G. debilirostris is identical with 

 the measurements of smaller specimens of G. seftentrionalis and the 

 two species are separable only by the color of the under tail coverts, 

 which, in the second named species, are of a distinct chestnut tone. 

 Hence, in shape of the bill G. debilirostris is intermediate between G. 

 fuliginosa difficilis and G. septentrionalis, and therefore between the 

 former genera Geospiza and Cactornis. It is probable that if more 

 specimens of G. debilirostris could be examined the size of the bill 

 would be found to intergrade with that of G. f. difficilis. The dif- 

 ference in length of wing, however, is considerable, so that it is pos- 

 sible that this may be found a specific character. 



We have two immature specimens taken in April at James Bay, on 

 James Island, that we refer to this species. 



68. GEOSPIZA SEPTENTRIONALIS (Rothschild and Hartert). 



Geospiza scandens septentrionalis Rothschild and Hartert, Novit. Zool., 

 VI, p. 165, 1899 (Wenman and Culpepper Islands). — Ridgway, Bull. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, Pt. I, p. 510, 1901. 



Range. — Wenman and Culpepper. 



This form is more distinct from those nearly related to it than was in- 

 dicated by its describers. The bill in the smallest billed specimen is not 

 different from that of the last species, G. debilirostris, and on the other 

 hand the bills of the larger specimens intergrade in size with those of 

 the next species, G. scandens. In shape the bill resembles more nearly 

 than does that of any other species the beak of G. conirostris propin- 

 qua. One Culpepper specimen has an unusually large bill, the cul- 

 men measures eighteen milliiTieters, the width at the base is seven 

 and three tenths millimeters, the greatest depth at the base nine and 

 one half millimeters. The smallest billed specimen of G. c. propin- 

 qua has a culmen of eighteen and one half millimeters. The width 



