DEPARTMENT OF MARINE BIOLOGY- IO9 



for the yacht would have been unable to remain near the island in the event 

 of any sudden storm, and even moderately rough weather prevented one's 

 landing upon or leaving the rocky shores. Despite these circumstances Mr. 

 Chapman achieved that success which has distinguished his studies of the 

 birds of many other isolated and storm-beaten islands. 



Preliminary Report on the Results of a Trip to Cay Verde, Bahamas, to 

 Secure Material for "Habitat Groups" of Man-o'-zvar Birds (Fregata 

 aqiiila) and Boobies (Sula fiber), by Frank M. Chapman, American 

 Museum of Natural History. 



The American Museum of Natural History has in process of formation 

 a series of groups of North American birds, designed to show the nesting 

 habits of certain species, as well as to illustrate the country which they 

 inhabit. These groups contain the birds, often shown in various stages of 

 development, the nest and its contents, while the immediate surroundings are 

 reproduced in detail. In addition to this representation in facsimile of a 

 portion of the country, a background painted from nature is so joined to the 

 actual group that the whole appears to be continuous. An adequate con- 

 ception is thus conveyed of the breeding habits as well as habitat of the 

 species treated. 



More or less difficulty has been experienced in securing material and 

 making the field studies for some of these "habitat groups," as they have 

 been termed, in localities remote from regular lines of transportation. When, 

 therefore, it was decided to send the writer to Cay Verde, Bahamas, to secure 

 material for groups of man-o'-war birds and boobies, the Museum gladly 

 availed itself of the cooperation of Dr. Alfred G. Mayer, Director of the 

 Marine Biological Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution, who not only con- 

 sented to place the Physalia at the service of the Museum for the trip from 

 Nassau to Cay Verde, but further increased the Museum's indebtedness by 

 taking command of the boat. 



Cay Verde is situated at the eastern extreme of the Columbus Bank, some 

 250 miles southeast of Nassau. After securing permission of the Bahama 

 government to collect specimens of the birds required, we sailed from Nassau 

 on the morning of March 31, adverse weather conditions delaying our 

 arrival at Cay Verde until the afternoon of April 8. 



In the absence of definite information, more or less doubt existed as to 

 the proper season at which to visit this cay in order to secure eggs and the 

 young of the species desired, but we arrived at a time wholly favorable for 

 our purpose. It was estimated that about 3,000 boobies {Sula fiber) were 

 nesting on the cay. Most of the nests contained a single half-grown bird, 

 but in a number of instances freshly laid eggs were found, while a few birds 

 of the year were already on the wing. Between these extremes every inter- 

 mediate stage existed. Similar conditions prevailed among the man-o'-war 

 birds {Fregata aqiiila), which, however, were less numerous than the boobies, 

 it being estimated that not more than 600 were nesting on the cay. 



Mr. George Shiras 3d and the writer were encamped on the Cay Verde 

 from April 8 until the evening of April 11, while the Physalia v/as anchored 

 first on one side of the cay, then on the other, as the wind required. During 

 this period all the needed collections of birds, from those newly hatched to 

 fully adult specimens, nests, eggs, vegetation, and other accessories were 



