Galápagos Mockingbirds

http://oikos.villanova.edu/nesomimus/

Darwin's Mockingbirds:

species descriptions from Zoology of the Beagle

• Nesomimus trifasciatus
• Nesomimus melanotis
• Nesomimus parvulus

4. Mimus trifasciatus. G. R. Gray

Plate XVI.

Orpheus trifasciatus. Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part v. 1837, p. 27

M. vertice, nucha, et dorso nigriscentibus; uropygio rufo pallidè lavato; alis nigriscentibus, tectricibus nota albescente terminali fascias tres transversas facientibus; rectribus caudae duabus intermediis nigriscentibus, reliquis ad apicem pallidioribus; plumis auricularibus, striga superciliari, gula, et corpore subtus albis, laterbibus notis guttisque fuscis ornatis; rostro pedibusque nigris.

Long. tot. 10 5/8 unc.; rost. 1 3/8; alae, 5; caudae, 5 1/2; tarsi, 1 3/4.

The vertex, nape of the neck and the back, blackish; with the lower part of the back tinged with pale rufous; the wings blackish, with tips of the wing coverts white, forming three transverse bands; the tail with two intermediate feathers black, with the tips of the others much paler; the auricular feathers with a streak above the eyes, throat, and beneath the abdomen white; the flanks ornamented with fuscous marks and spots.

Habitat, Charles Island, Galapagos Archipelago. (October).

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5. Mimus melanotis. G. R. Gray

Plate XVII.

Orpheus melanotis. Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part v. 1837, p. 27

M. vertice, nucha, et dorso pallidè fuscus; plumis capitis et dorsi ad medium colore saturatiore; alis intense fuscis, singulis plumis as marginem pallidioribus, secundariis, tectricibusque majoribus nota alba terminali, fascias duas transversas fascientibus; caudae rectricibus nigriscenti-fuscis ad apicem albis, loro, plumisque auricularibus nigriscenti-fuscis; laterum plumis nota fusca centrali, abdomine albo; rostro pedibusque nigris.

Long. tot. 9 1/2 unc.; rost. 1 1/4; alae, 4 1/2; caudae, 4 1/2; tarsi, 1 3/8.

The vertex, nape of the neck and the back, plae brown; the feathers of the head and the back, as far as the middle, or a darker colour; the wings intensely brown, with the margins of each of the feathers paler; the secondaries and the greater wing-coverts terminated with white marks, giving the appearance of two transverse bands; the feathers of the tail blackish brown, with the tips white; the lores and the feathers of the ears blackish brown, the feathers of the sides with a central brown mark, the abdomen white; the bill and feet black.

Habitat, Chatham and James's Island, Galapagos Archipelago. (October).

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6. Mimus parvulus. G. R. Gray

Plate XVIII.

Orpheus parvulus. Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc. Part v. 1837, p. 27

M. vertice, nucha caudaque intensè fuscis, hujus rectribus ad apicem albo notatis; alis fuscis secundariis tectricibusque nota alba apicali fascias duas transversas facientibus; loro plumisque auricularibus nigriscentibus; gula, colli lateribus, pectore, et abdomine albescentibus; plumis laterum notis fuscis per medium longitudinaliter excorrentibus.

Long. tot. 8 1/8 unc.; rost. 1 ; alae, 3 3/8; caudae, 3 3/4; tarsi, 1 1/4.

The vertex, the nape of the neck, and the tail intensely black; with tips of the tail feathers marked with white; the wings brown with the secondaries and coverts tipped with white marks, giving the appearance of two transverse bands; the lores and feathers of theears black; the throat, the side sof the neck, breast, and the abdomen white; the flanks marked longitudinally with brown.

Habitat, Albemarle Island, Galapagos Archipelago. (October).

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In the Bird volume of the Zoology, species descriptions above were followed by Darwin's notes about the geographic distribution and habits of the endemic mockingbirds.