AVIFAUNA OF LAYSAN. 



xi 



eyes, so I tried several, but they would even lake young birds out of the nest which were 

 almost fully feathered. 



June 23. — I have spent half the day hunting' For the eggs of the Rail, but although we 

 Pound several nests which I believe were Rails' nests, there were no eggs in any of them. 

 My assistant saw one of the red Honey-eaters holding a moth with its claw, which it pulled 

 to pieces and ate. 



June 2 k — My assistant and I went out again this morning searching for eggs of the 

 land-birds, and I am pleased to state that we found two nests of the Hail. One nest con- 

 tained three eggs, the other an egg and a small chick. Since bringing the eggs home, the 

 one I'ound with the chick has hatched into a young Hail, which I have put in spirits. I now 

 have Hails of every size from the egg upwards. I also found a Pinch's nest with two young 

 in it, which I have put in spirit, also an egg with them. We also found hvo nests of the 

 " Flycatcher " [Acrocephalm fdmiliaris. — W. R.]. 



June 20. — To-day I spent in catching live Rails to take on board with me, and if all is 

 Well we leave to-morrow. I have collected specimens of all birds found on the island, with 

 the exception of those previously obtained on Kauai. Mr. Freeth has done everything he 

 possibly could for me, and I have a nice lot of specimens. A small fly on the island has 

 given me a great deal of trouble with my skins. Almost before the birds were dead they 

 were fly-blown. It is the smallest blowfly I have ever seen, but does quite as much damage 

 as the larger ones. A small beetle also caused me a great deal of anxiety, laying its eggs in 

 the skins. I am now trying some insect-powder Mr. Freeth gave me. 



June 27. — We are leaving to-day for Lisiansky Island. 



June 29. — I have just arrived and am in camp on Lisiansky Island. As yet I have not 

 been round the island, but from what I can see round the tent there is vegetation on the 

 island, but nothing in comparison to that on Laysan. As we before found on all the islands, 

 the Pied Tern (Anons fitlUjinosiis) is in great abundance here, but the young are very small. 

 There are also young White-breasted Albatross [Diomedea immutauilis. — W. R.], large Gannet 

 [Sulci cyanops. — W. R.], Grey-capped Tern [Anous hawaiiensis. — W. R.], and the Petrels. 

 These are all the birds I can see close round the tent. 



June 30. — I have made a thorough inspection of the island to-day, but the only addi- 

 tional species of birds I saw Avas the White and Brown Gannet {Sulci sulci), which I saw when 

 passing Eird Island. This, to distinguish it when writing my diary, I will call the " Brown 

 Gannet." I perceived them flying about on the weather side of the island, and shot all I saw 

 They seem to be rather shy, but that may be because they are not breeding, for I found the 

 other two species of Gannets much more shy when not breeding. This " Brown Gannet" is 

 much the scarcest of the three species on all the islands I have visited hitherto. Another to 

 me strange fact is the large preponderance of males, all those I shot being of this sex. The 

 White-breasted Albatross are here in thousands all over the island, but the dark one [Dio- 

 medea clunensis, Temm. — W. R.] is very scarce. There are only a few on the weather side of 

 t lie island, but, as before mentioned, the Pied Tern is by Air the most numerous of any bird here. 

 On Laysan Island they call it the " Wideawake Tern," which is a very good name for them, 

 for night and day they keep up a continual cry, and some are always to be seen flying about. 

 The large Gannets (Sulci cyanops) are sitting with their young all along the beach, some of the 



