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June 2U. — Calm this morning. No wind. No birds. At noon \\l~ knots. 

 Making plans to work Clarion Island. 



June :JU. — Still ligbt winds. Making 2 or 3 knots an hour. At noon 

 1187 knots. Saw tropic bird, flying fish, Spanish mackerel. 



./'//// 1. — This morning Beck killed two tropic birds {Phnethon ruhricauda) 

 and two shearwaters.* At noon l^o.S knots. Towards evening Hull shot a tropic 

 bird and I shot two red-footed boobies. 



Jubj 'Z. — To-day we killed several red-footed and blue-faced boobies,t and 

 frigate birds, and one tropic bird. Noon 1344 knots. Breeze freshened towards 

 night. Sighted Clarion Island at 3 p.m. At dusk laid to about fifteen miles to the 

 windward of the island, preparing to land in the morning. 



Juli/ 3 and 4. — Owing to strong current and some wind we drifted to 

 leeward of the island. About lU.30 we anchored in Sulphur Bay, and landed at once. 

 As we approached the island the boobies and frigate birds began to come and alight 

 on the vessel, sometimes lifteeu or twenty at a time; while at times five hundred 

 or so would circle around. In all the trip we did not find birds so fearless ! We 

 could see on the sides of the island great patches of the birds (colonies). Found 

 blue-faced boobies breeding in numbers. They make a small hollow in ground, 

 laying one and two eggs, generally two — in no case were more than two found. 

 Red-footed boobies we found breeding by thousands. J They make a shallow nest 

 of sticks, occasionally a little grass and a few feathers; the nest is placed in the 

 bushes from 3 to 15 feet from the ground. Number of eggs in no case exceeding 

 one! There were young birds in all sizes, from just hatched to fully developed, 

 and eggs from fresh to advanced. 



On this island we only saw two red-footed boobies in a grey plumage, which we 

 got; all the others, old and young, were white. (Later it will be noted that at 

 Tower Island the majority were in grey plumage.) On this island the birds built 

 their nests in compact colonies, while on Tower Island they were spread all over the 

 island. Several species of butterflies, grasshoppers, and a sphinx moth were observed. 

 Some eighteen or twenty snakes were captured. When taken they appeared to vary 

 much in colour, some being brownish, some blackisli, and some greenish. Small 

 wren § abundant; some old nests found. Oval, entrance on side, near top, sort of 

 roofed over; nest placed in crotch or on limb. 



Ravens were fairly abundant, but very shy. Some were shot, but the plumage 

 was 80 poor that we did not save them. They evidently were breeding, as voung 

 birds were shot. Ground owl were abundant. |i Doves were also ]ileiitiful. 



Observed two kinds of lizards : one a light grass-green — one of the most lively 

 and pretty lizards I ever saw ; the other a light brown with stripes ; both kinds 

 collected. Several red land crabs were taken on the tops of the hills. Salt-water 

 crabs were abundant alnng the shores. Saw a small Octopus, arms about 20 in. 

 It went under a big rock ; we poked a pole at it, and it took hold and held on with 

 great strength. 



Small sharks were abundant in the shallow water of bay. The mate harpooned 

 a loU-lb. green turtle, whicli was very good eating. There is a small tree-like bush 

 on this island, that wlien wounded bleeds a milk-like matter very freely. The 

 cactus, like the prickly ]iear-cactus of California, very abundant. It is very 



* Puffiiius auriciilaris and Acetfelata lieraldUa. § Trogloili/trs (aimeri, 



t Snla cyaHojJs. || Speotyto curiUmtaria rust rata. 



J This is Sula 2>itcatrix wehstcri Eothsch. Sec p. 177. ^ Zenaidura "lariunemis. 



