GEEATER FRIGATE BIRD. 
Madagascar to Australia and the Society Islands, and recognised F. minor 
(Pelecanus minor Gmelin) as given to small specimens of the common large 
species F. aquila (L.). On the other hand Ridgway {lx.) raises the question 
whether F. aquila minor is worthy of recognition as a separate form from 
true F. aquila aquila or not. If so, the small form would be an occasional 
visitor to the Galapagos, while F. aquila aquila would be of regular occurrence 
according to Ridgway. 
“ Our material from the Galapagos proves that the small form is 
resident, and we think it proves also that the large and small form 
completely intergrade in the same colonies, and therefore they are not 
separable as subspecies. 
“ On Culpepper, Wenman, Tower, Gardner and Hood Islands they were 
found breeding. On Indefatigable, Duncan, Jervis, James, Chatham, Bar- 
rington, and Albemarle Islands they were found to be common, and they 
were also seen on Abingdon, Charles, Bindloe, and Narborough Islands. The 
males vary in the two principal measurements as follows : 
“(J ad. Culpepper. Bill from gape to tip in a straight line, 116, 112, 
110 mm. ; wing 580, 580, 548 mm. 
ad. Barrington. Bill, as above 125, wing 645 mm. 
ad. Tower. Bill, as above 130, wing 660 mm. 
“ $ ad. Culpepper. Bill, as before 135, wing 600, 610 mm. 
“ $ ad. Wenman. Bill, as before 158, wing 690 mm. 
“It is evident, and known, that the females are, as a rule, much larger 
than the males, but the Wenman female is a very large specimen. 
“ The following note is on the label of this large female : ‘ Wenman 
Island, $, August 4th, 1897. Length 42.50 in., extent 96 in. Iris dark 
brown, feet madder red, tarsi paler, bill horn-colour, gular-sac and eyelids 
indigo blue. This bird is coloured entirely different from anything seen so 
far.’ We do not find anything extraordinary in these notes, the males only 
having a red gular-sac, this being blue in the females. The differences stated 
by Ridgway to exist in coloration, viz., that in the smaller birds the plumage 
is more glossy and the back brilliant green mixed with purple — instead of 
the reverse — do not hold good, and are merely of an individual character.” 
Later, concerning the same avifauna in the same Journal, Vol. IX., 
1902, the same authors add under the name Fregata aquila L., p. 405 : “ We 
have again received very large intermediate and comparatively very small 
individuals from the Galapagos Islands, and can thus corroborate our former 
statement that the large and small specimens of the Frigate-bird cannot be 
separated as two distinct subspecies. The bills of our Galapagos birds 
measure from 9 to 11 cm., and the wings from 56 to 66 cm. On the other 
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