BIRDS OF LAYSAN AND THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. 
797 
countenances, and on one occasion saw an old bird carefully lay dry sedge over the exposed, and not 
too heavily feathered, hind parts of the young. 
This species was commonly seen about the French Frigate Shoals, where Henry Palmer found a 
large colony in 1891. It is also rather abundant on Necker, nesting among the bushes on the top of 
the island, and also out on the bare rocks. They chose often a jutting crag, where they could obtain 
a good prospect of the surrounding island and sea. The few “ nests ” examined had young somewhat 
larger than the Laysan birds. The species is likewise common on Bird Island, where we saw numbers 
of individuals the first of June, and again in early August. On our last trip numerous birds in juvenal 
plumage flew near the ship. 
Sula piscator. Red-footed Booby. 
Pelecanus piscator Linn., Syst. Nat., ed. 10, I, 1758, p. 134. 
Unlike its relative, the masked gannet, this species always builds in bushes, never on the ground. 
At Laysan it is found in colonies of- scattered individuals On the inner slopes of the island, usually well 
down toward the lagoon. The nest is simple, scarcely more than a slightly hollowed platform 
composed of twigs and sticks of chenopodium, on the tops of which the structure is usually placed. 
In the newer nests a few leaves are scattered under the egg. These leaves were a rude index to the 
age of the egg, for when dry and crisp the bird had been sitting some time, but when fresh, as was 
frequently the case, the egg was only newly laid. 
Both male and female sit on the egg, and occasionally one is seen perched on the side of the nest 
while the other is brooding. The birds are rather loath to leave their egg, and when disturbed ruffle 
their feathers and utter a very harsh cry, making use of their beaks if occasion offers. They are 
singularly beautiful birds despite their vicious yellow eyes, as the white plumage is set off by bright 
blue skin about the bill, and by coral-red feet. (Figs. 37, 38.) 
The species eats squid and also fish. " 
Most of the nests contained a single white egg, and we saw only one or two downy white young 
recently hatched. The eggs, like those of Sula cyanops, are covered with a thick limy coating, which, 
scratched off in numerous places, shows the pale blue under shell. The eggs vary in size and shape, 
being cylindrical ovate, elliptical ovate, short ovate, and ovate, with all gradations between these 
contours. The dimensions vary from 71 by 40 millimeters to 59 by 43, and 69 by 35 to 60 by 39. 
Elliptical ovate is the most prevalent type, measuring 65 by 42 millimeters. A very small egg 
(53 by 34) contained no yolk. 
The species is not uncommon about the French Frigate Shoals, where an immature bird foolishly 
lit on the bow of our steamer and subsequently found its way to the laboratory. It was in the 
immature plumage still. We saw numerous birds on Laysan corresponding to this specimen. 
Whereas the adult is pure white, except' the dark grayish-brown quills and greater wing coverts, this 
immature bird, in much-worn plumage, has the head and neck hair brown, the feathers edged with 
whitish; throat the same; jugulum white; a sepia band across breast; abdomen white; back deep 
bister, the feathers edged with wood brown; wing coverts and tertials sepia edged with light brown; 
rectrices same, tipped with white; remiges brownish black. The immature individuals must belong 
to a late brood of the previous year. 
On Necker we found the red-footed booby abundant. It nests on the top of the island in chenopo- 
dium bushes and has the same habits as on Laysan. Young and eggs were common. 
The species is ljkewise plentiful at Bird Island. From the ship we were able to see the birds sitting 
on their nests in the tops of bushes. In the “ Avifauna of Laysan” a plate is given of a red-footed 
booby nesting in a palm, labeled “Laysan,” and subsequently corrected to “Lehua.” Lehua is a little 
island oif the north end of Niihau, which is as bare as a steep volcanic cone can possibly be, so that the 
palm does not belong there. The picture may possibly have been taken on Bird Island, where there 
are two little bunches of palms ( Pritchardia gaudichaudi) . When we returned to Bird Island in August 
(5th and 6th) I did not see any adults of this species, to be certain, but noted several immature birds. 
Sula sula. Booby. 
Pelecanus sula Linn., Syst. Nat., ed. 12, i, 1766, p.-218. 
This booby was not seen on Laysan, although I looked for it assiduously. It has been reported 
from there by Dr. Schauinsland, who procured a specimen August 29, 1896. The bird certainly does 
not breed on this island, or at least not regularly, for we could not have missed it. 
