EXPEDITION TO LAYSAN ISLAND IN 1911. 21 



Presumably the plumage hunters killed these birds for food, and 

 thus nearly exterminated them. It would seem that without further 

 molestation they might increase in numbers. 



RALLID.E. 

 Porzanula palmeri Frowhawk. Laysan Rail. 



The Laysan rail (PL IX, fig. 3) is one of the most interesting birds 

 found on the island. Notwithstanding its inability to fly it has no 

 trouble in evading its pursuers. It runs and dodges from one grass 

 tussock to another, down a petrel hole and out again before one can 

 locate it. One of the most laughable things imaginable is a man 

 pursuing one of these bits of bird life, net in hand, continually drop- 

 ping waist-deep down among the burrowing petrels. It was with 

 much difficulty that we secured the specimens we needed for our col- 

 lection. They were everywhere fairly abundant on all parts of the 

 island excepting the beaches. They even visited our kitchen. Their 

 favorite nesting place is among the thick mats of j uncus along the 

 margin of the lagoon. We found many nests but no eggs. On the 

 4th day of June we discovered two coal-black chicks with yellow 

 beaks that gave vent to much noise. There are about 2,000 rails on 



the island. 



SCOLOPACID^). 



Heteractitis incanus (Gmelin) . Wandering Tatler. 



Very few of these birds were seen on Laysan during our stay. Now 



and then one or two would be seen on the reef or among the large 



rocks on the beach, but they were very wild. One specimen only was 



secured. 



Nnmenius tahitiensis (Gmelin) . Bristle-thighed Curlew. 



Just before sunset and early in the morning the bristle-thighed 

 curlews (PL IX, fig. 2) would come up around our camp uttering their 

 peculiar complaining notes. They roosted on the roofs of the old 

 buildings at night, sometimes as many as 20 birds in one flock. We 

 saw them feeding on different parts of the island but usually about the 

 lagoon or along the beaches. They number about 250. 



CHARADRIID^. 

 Charadrius dominicus fulvus (Gmelin) . Pacific Golden Plover. 



The golden plover is only a migrant on Laysan. About 2,000 were 

 present at the time of our visit. 



APHRIZIDJ3. 

 Arenaria interpres (Linn.). Turnstone. 



In the shallow water of the lagoon and about the fresh water pond, 

 large flocks of plover and turnstones were to be seen. Here they spent 

 most of their time feeding on the small flies with which the shore and 

 water are black. 



