238 /. D. Hague on the Guano Islands of the Pacific Ocean. 



They are black birds, somewhat larger than pigeons, with much 

 longer wings. They are very simple and stupid. They burrow 

 holes in the guano in which they live and raise their young, 

 generally inhabiting that part of the deposit which is shallowest 

 and driest. Their numbers seem to be about the same through- 

 out the year. The Gannet and Booby, two closely allied species. 

 (of the genus Sula), are represented by two or three varieties. 

 They are large birds and great devourers of fish which they take 

 very expertlv, not only catching those that leap out of water 

 but diving beneath the surface for them. They are very awk- 

 ward and unwieldy on land, and may be easily overtaken and 

 captured if indeed they attempt to escape at all on the approach 

 of man. They rest on the trees wherever there is opportunitv, 

 but on these islands they collect in great groups on the ground 

 where they lay their eggs and raise their young. One variety, 

 not very numerous, has the habit of building up a pile of twigs 

 and sticks, twenty or thirty inches in height, particularly on 

 Howland's where more material of that sort is at hand, on wmca 

 they make their nest. When frightened these birds disgorge 

 the contents of their stomachs, the capacity of which is some- 

 times very astonishing. They are gross feeders, and I have 

 often seen one disgorge three or four large flying fish fifteen ^^ 

 eighteen inches in length. 



The Frigate Bird (^Tachypetes Aquilus) I have already 

 luded to. It is a large rapacious bird, the tyrant of the K 

 ered communiry. It lives almost entirely by piracy, foJ^; , 

 other birds to contribute to its support. These frigate b"ra» 

 hover over the island constantly, lying in wait for fishing birds 

 returning from sea to whom they give chase, and the pursuea 

 bird only escapes by disgorging its prey, which the pursuer very 

 adroitly catches in the air. They also prey upon flying fi^^ ^ ^ 

 others that leap from sea to sea, but never dive for fish an<l 

 rarely even approach the water. i 



The above are the kinds of birds most numerously representea 

 and to which we owe the existing deposits. When the islan^i^ 

 were first occupied they were very numerous but have since 

 been perceptibly decreasing. 



Besides these are the Tropic Birds which are found in con; 

 siderable numbers on Howland's Island, but seldom on Jaru- 

 or Baker's. They prefer the former because there are JaT-^- 

 blocks or fragments of beach rock, scattered over the isl-- 

 surface, under which they burrow out nests for themselvts 

 service is sometimes required of this bird which may, pe^^ 

 be worthy of notice. A setting bird was taken from her 

 and carried to sea by a vessel just leaving the island. On ••-_ 

 second day, at sea, a rag, on which was written a message, ^-^ 

 att^hed to the bird's feet, who returned to the nest, brings? 

 with It the inteUigence from the departed vessel. This expen- 



