386 Fisher, B/rcis of Laysau hla fid. [^"I' 



island in large numbers. The droll Frigate Bird {Frcgata aqitila) 

 is here in all the glory of his bright red gular ' balloon,' and the 

 splendid Red -tailed Tropic Bird {Phacthon rulfricaudus) in satiny 

 plumage of the palest rose pink, is a familiar member of the com- 

 munity ; as he nervously flits by in the tropical sunshine his 

 feathers glisten with the lustre of burnished metal. Among the 

 Procellariidae, the Bonin Petrels {y£strelafa hypoleucd) may be 

 mentioned as exceeding even the Laysan Albatross in numbers, but 

 as they live in deep burrows one would hardly think it. Next 

 come the Wedge-tailed and Christmas Island Shearwaters (yPuffinus 

 cuneatus and P. nativitatis)^ which are abundant, and the rare 

 Sooty Petrel {Oceanodroma fuliginosa) nests in some numbers 

 during the winter months. 



We were at once impressed by two striking facts : the great 

 numbers of birds and their surprising tameness. Especially true 

 is this of the sea-fowl. They seemed little put out by our pres- 

 ence and pursued their ordinary duties as if we were an essential 

 part of the landscape. Even the land birds were fearless. 

 While we sat working, not infrequently the little warbler, or 

 Miller Bird, would perch on our table or chair backs, and the 

 Laysan Rail and Finch would scurry about our feet in unobtru- 

 sive search for flies and bits of meat. Each day at meal-time the 

 crimson Honey-eater flew into the room and hunted for millers. 

 As we strolled over the island the Rails scampered hither and 

 thither like tiny barnyard fowls, but soon returned, craning their 

 necks to discover why they had so foolishly retreated. As for the 

 sea-birds there was scarcely a species that seriously objected to 

 our close approach, or at any rate departed when we attempted to 

 photograph them. In fact the albatrosses w^ere astonishingly 

 fearless, and would sometimes walk up and examine some portion 

 of our belongings, as if they had known us always. 



It is far from my intention to speak of the sea-birds in detail 

 but merely to sketch hastily, though perhaps inadequately, the con- 

 ditions and creatures amid which the five peculiar land birds have 

 presumably been evolved. 



