TOWNSEND AND WETMORE : THE BIRDS. 163 



pigeon {GJobicera pacifica), and a cuckoo {Urodynamis taitensis taiten- 

 sis), said to lay its eggs in the nests of the noddy terns. These are 

 the only land birds known to this group of islands. The water birds 

 were PlimaUs dominicus fiihus, Hctcraditis incanus, Limosa lapponica 

 baueri, and the noddy {Anoiis sfolidus pileatus). 



The Gilbert Islands, having about the same extent as the EUice 

 Islands, are also atolls. Land birds were not obtained, but the follow- 

 ing water birds were taken at Taritari (Butaritari) 6 January: Are- 

 naria interprcs oahucnsis, Phacopus tahiticnsis, Hcteractitis incanus, 

 Plnvialis dominicus fidvus, and Pisobia acuminata. 



The Marshall Islands. The Albatross cruised among the low 

 atolls of the Marshall Islands from 9 January to 5 February. Land 

 birds were not obtained. The water birds were the same species as 

 those taken in the Gilberts with the exception of Sterna sumatrana 

 from Arnho Atoll, 24 January. Two land birds are known to the 

 Marshall Islands, Urodynamis taitensis GJobicera and oceanica. 



The Caroline Islands. The high volcanic islands of the Caroline 

 Archipelago proved to be rich ground for bird collecting after a long 

 cruise among the ornithologically barren atolls. 



The Albatross was at Kusaie (Ualan, Strong) from 7 to 9 Febru- 

 ary. This is a volcanic island twenty -four miles in circumference and 

 over 2,000 feet high. It is heavily forested and well watered. The 

 land birds taken were Ptilopus hernsheimi, Aplonis opaca, Myzomela 

 rubratra nibratra, Zosterops cincrea, and GJobicera oceanica oceanica. 

 The water birds were Demigrctfa sacra, Hcteractitis incanvs and Anous 

 stoJidus piJeatus. About nine species of land birds were previously 

 known to inhabit Kusaie. 



PoNAPE, or Ascension Island, was visited 11 and 12 February. It 

 is a volcanic island which, with its surrounding coral reef, has a diame- 

 ter of about seventeen miles. It has a height of nearly 3,000 feet, is 

 heavily forested and well watered. The land birds taken were 

 Zosterops ponapencnsis, ApJonis opaca, MyzomeJa rubratra dichromata 

 (new), Conopoderas syrinx, Myiagra pJuto, Rhipidura Jcubaryi, Sauro- 

 patis mcdiocris, Eos nihiginosa, and GJobicera oceanica townsendi (new). 

 About eighteen species of land birds were known to Ponape when 

 reported upon by Finsch in ISSO. 



Uala, or Moen, is one of the small but lofty volcanic islands known 

 as the Truk, Ruk or Hogelu Group all lying within a great lagoon. 

 Truk is the largest atoll of the Carolines, the circumference of the 

 lagoon enclosed by the outer barrier reef being 125 miles. L^ala is 

 1,300 feet high and Ruk 1,000, while several of the others are nearly 



