A Monograph of Marctis Idajid. 109 



interesting to note that each filament of down was the forerunner 

 of one of the barbs in the web of a feather, and that as the feather 

 came out and assumed proportions the filaments were sloughed off 

 one by one, thus accomplishing the transition from down to feathers 

 b}- a gradual process. The feathers of the back aiad wing coverts 

 first appear ; these are followed by the feathers of the breast and 

 under parts. B}' the time the abdomen is thoroughly covered the 

 wing and tail feathers are an inch or more out of the capsules. 

 At this age the bird presents a very ridiculous appearance, having 

 the head and neck almost bare, the bod}^ covered with short 

 feathers, and the rump and upper and lower tail coverts still retain- 

 ing the down of early youth. The head and neck are the last to 

 feather ; by that time the young bird is able to make short excur- 

 sions on its own account. All during this period of growth the 

 young birds are exceedingh' fat. 



In the adult the sexes are not distinguishable in plumage, and 

 show pra(5lically no variation in color ; how^ever, the female will 

 average a trifle the larger. The feet and toes, as well as the bills, 

 of both old and 3'oung at all stages are black, and never yellow at 

 the base as figured at page 45 in the Avifauna of Laysan. 



Just what their food was I was not able to learn to a certainty, 

 though I believe small squid form a considerable part of it. I never 

 saw one regurgitate fi.sh, though the instant the old ones are caught, 

 or the young ones disturbed, they disgorge the entire contents of 

 their stomachs, which, in addition to having an offensive odor, has 

 the color and consistenc}' of the oil to be commonly seen on open- 

 ing a tin of salmon. It is almost impossible to get a specimen to 

 the skinning table without getting this fluid on the plumage. On 

 Marcus Island this species is less plentiful than the foregoing, 

 though it is to be seen far out at sea, often hundreds of miles from 

 the nearest land. Three adults give the following measurements : 



No. locality. Length. ll'h/g. Tail. Taraus. Toe. Culinen. D.ofB. Sex. 



The male bird, No. 2103, was covered with no less than forty 

 of the sticky seeds from one of the principal trees on the island, 

 an interesting specimen, showing the part these birds take in dis- 

 tributing certain non-edible seeds. 



