Report of a Visit to Midivay Island. 45 



FREGATID^. 



Fregata aquila Linn. — Man-o'-war Bird. 



There was quite a large colony of Man-o'-war Birds nesting 

 on the top of the bushes on Eastern. Twenty-eight nests were 

 counted all within a space a few rods square. The clatter of the 

 bills of the downy young birds as one entered the colony was most 

 interesting and curious. 



SCOLOPACID^. 



Numenius tahitiensis (Gmel.). — Bristle-thighed Curlew. 



The Curlew was quite common on the shore of Eastern Island, 

 where I had little difficulty in securing a series of twelve speci- 

 mens. 



Arenaria interpres (Linn.). — Turnstone. 



The Turnstone was met with on both islands at Midway. 



RAEEID^. 



Por^anula palmeri Frowh.— I^aysan Island Rail. 



A number of years ago Captain Walker, of Honolulu, carried 

 a cage of the Eaysan Rails down to Midway and liberated them on 

 Eastern Island. They have multiplied until, at the time of our 

 visit, they were almost as abundant there as they are on Laysan. 

 A single immature specimen was taken, which, when compared 

 with a large series in the Museum from Eaysan, exhibits differences 

 in coloration which would lead one unfamiliar with the circum- 

 stances of its introducftion to separate it by a specific name. 



August 26, 1905. 



[299] 



