GREATER FRIGATE BIRD. 
I proposed to name the two subspecies, in the Austral Av. Record^ Vol. II., 
p. 120, 1914 : 
Fregata minor magnificens 
Southern Galapagos Islands (breeding) 
and 
Fregata minor ridgwayi 
Northern Galapagos Islands ; Culpepper and 
Wenman Islands (breeding). 
The description of the most magnificent form of Fregata minor yet 
discovered reads: 
Fregata minor magnificens. 
The adult male is all black, the head and lanceolate back plumes, which 
are narrow, having a pure pm*plish-blue metallic gloss, the wing-coverts 
showing this, the whole being glossy ; the only data provided is : “ Iris 
brownish-black ” and “ Eyes brown.” From the skin the bill is lead blue 
and the feet black. 
The adult female (procured as a wanderer at Wenman Island) is fully 
plumaged with the data ; “ Iris dark brown ; feet madder red, tarsi paler, 
bill horn, gular-sac and eyelid indigo blue.” 
The measurements are : 
^ Culmen 106-113 wing 646-660 tail 470-510 middle toe 51-53 mm. 
? „ 134 „ 704 „ 528 „ 56 
The other subspecies I called 
Fregata minor ridgwayi, 
as Ridgway recognised exactly the differences, though all his specimens came 
from the same island and his only bird of this race was a straggler. 
This subspecies is much smaller than the other, has broader lanceolate 
plumes on the back and these are noticeably oily green in metallic sheen, and 
all show a brownish bar on the wing-coverts. The data given for males is : 
“ Eyes brown, bill black, tarsus flesh, feet black,” and for female : “ Eyes 
brown ; bill horn, greenish-purple ; legs and feet flesh-colour, gula^-sac 
purple ” : the immature female having “ Eyes brown, bill bluish, feet 
bluish-white.” 
The measurements are : 
d Culmen 89-93 wing 550-580 tail 370-400 middle toe 48-50 mm. 
$ ad. „ 108 „ 600+ „ 405 „ 50 
$ imm. „ 105 „ 620 „ 385 „ 50 
For comparison the Laysan figures may be cited : 
(J Culmen 102-110 wing 584-595 tail 375-395 middle toe 50-52 mm. 
$ „ 111-117 „ 595-597 „ 395 „ 52 
This disposes of all the subspecies I can define of Fregata minor at present. 
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