A Monograph of Marcus Island. 



I5v William Alansox Krvan, li.Sc. 



PREFATORY NOTE. 



The Trustees havin;;^ been nleased to accept the offer of trans- 

 portation tendered by Mr. W. C. Peacock in behalf of the Marcus 

 Island Guano Company, authorized the writer, in the absence of 

 the field collecftor, to undertake an expedition to Marcus Island in 

 the interest of the Bishop Museum, to make a thorough investiga- 

 tion of the geology, zoology and botany of that remote island. The 

 following paper contains the scientific results of the investigations 

 made in the vicinity of and during a week's sojourn on the island. 

 Owing to the presence of a party of Japanese, and the international 

 complications resulting from both Japan and the United States 

 claiming possession of the island, our stay was much more limited 

 than had at first been planned. As a result, work on the marine 

 zoolog}' was curtailed to a considerable extent, and the collecflions 

 made in all departments must be regarded as representative only. 

 It has been thought advisable to restrict the present paper to the 

 information gathered concerning Marcus Island, though much 

 additional material was collecfted which will appear in the form of 

 an account of our visit to Midway Island. 



Grateful acknowledgments are due to the gentlemen inter- 

 ested in the commercial enterprise which made this expedition 

 possible. Their never failing courtesy and generous assistance have 

 done much to facilitate the work undertaken by this institution. 

 In the proper conne(5lion I shall hope to acknowledge the kindly 

 assistance of such distinguished- specialists as Doctors Stejneger, 

 Dall, Gilbert, Smith, Miss Rathbun and others to whom, as final 

 authorities, I have referred various questions in nomenclature. 

 Thanks are due Direclor Brigham for much assistance and kindl}' 

 suggestions with the proof sheets; and to Mr. Sedgwick, who, 

 as chemist of the Compau}-, was my companion on the voyage, 

 and who has added much to the accuracy and detail of the fol- 



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