crowd round the small and scanty wells, which are found on some of the islands. I seldom, however, saw these birds in the upper and damp region, which supports a thriving vegetation; excepting on the cleared and cultivated fields near the houses in Charles Island, where, as I was informed by the colonists, they do much injury by digging up roots and seeds from a depth of even six inches. 1. GEOSPIZA MAGNIROSTRIS. _Gould._ PLATE XXXVI. _G. fuliginosa, crisso cinerascenti-albo; rostro nigro-brunnescente lavato; pedibus nigris._ Long. tot. 6 unc.; _alæ_, 3½; _caudæ_, 2; _tarsi_, 1; _rostri_, ⅞; alt. _rost._ 1. Fœm. vel Mas jun.; _corpore intensè fusco singulis plumis olivaceo cinctis; abdomine pallidiore; crisso cinerascenti-albo; pedibus el rostro, ut in mare adulto._ Sooty black; with the vent cinereous white, the bill black, washed with brownish, and the feet black. Female, or young male: Deep fuscous, with each feather margined with olive, the abdomen much paler, with the under tail-coverts cinereous white, the feet and bill like those of the male. Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago. (Charles and Chatham Islands.) I have strong reasons for believing this species is not found in James’s Island. Mr. Gould considers the _G. magnirostris_ as the type of the genus. 2. GEOSPIZA STRENUA. _Gould._ PLATE XXXVII. _G. fuliginosa, crisso albo, rostro fusco et nigro tincto; pedibus nigris._ Long. tot. 5½ unc.; _alæ_, 3; _caudæ_, 1⅜; _tarsi_, ¾; _rostri_, ⅝; alt. _rost._ ⅜. Fœm. _Summo corpore fusco singulis plumis alarum caudæque plumis exceptis, pallidè cinerascenti-olivaceo cinctis; gulâ et pectore fuscis; abdomine lateribus et crisso pallidè cinerascenti-fuscis; rostro brunnescente._ Sooty black, with the under tail coverts white; the bill brown, tinged with black, and the feet black. Female: Upper part of the body fuscous, with the margins of each feather, except those of the wings and tail, pale cinereous olive; the throat and breast fuscous: the abdomen, sides, and under tail-coverts pale cinereous-fuscous; the bill brownish. [Illustration: _Birds. Pl. 36._ _Geospiza magnirostris_ ] [Illustration: _Birds. Pl. 37._ _Geospiza strenua_ ] [Illustration: _Birds. Pl. 38._ _Geospiza fortis_ ] Habitat, Galapagos Archipelago (James and Chatham Islands.) GEOSPIZA FORTIS. _Gould._ PLATE XXVIII. _G. intense fuliginosa, crisso albo; rostro rufescenti-brunneo, tincto nigro; pedibus nigris._ Fœm. (vel Mas jun.) _Corpore suprà pectore et gutture intensè fuscis, singulis plumis cinerascenti-olivaceo marginatis; abdomine crissoque pallidè cinerascenti-brunneis; rostro rufescenti-fusco ad apicem flavescente; pedibus ut in mare._