58 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IV, January, 1950 
Fig. 2. Dense jungle growth, 150 feet eleva- 
tion, Dugor, Yap Island. Flabitat of Rhipidma, 
Monarch a, and Myzomela. 
taro in the dense jungle. One was observed 
in an open area of the savanna region. 
Arenaria interpres, Turnstone.* — One 
flock of five and one flock of two were ob- 
served on Yap Island, August 6 and 1 6, 
respectively. 
Crocethia alba, Sanderling.* — Occasional 
individuals were found along the beaches. 
Demigretta sacra, Reef Fieron. — Of 14 
individuals observed on beaches and mudflats 
from July 28 to August 16, 11 were dark 
gray, one was light gray, and two were white 
in color. 
Nycticorax caledonicus, Rufous Night 
Heron. — Two were in the edge of jungle 
adjoining the Nif airfield. 
Ixobrychus sinensis, Chinese Least Bit 
tern.* — These bitterns were most numerous 
around the water-filled bomb craters in the 
Nif airfield; on one occasion, 49 were seen 
in 4 hours. However, individuals were pres- 
ent around permanent and temporary rain- 
filled depressions in all parts of the islands. 
Each taro patch, no matter how small, had 
at least one bittern. They were abundant in 
the mangroves, in places a bird every 100 
yards. Mayr (1945: 285) stated that this 
species was mostly nocturnal. I found it 
usually active in the daytime — feeding, call- 
ing, and flying about from one pond to an- 
other. Its call was not heard at night. 
Anas (superciliosa?). — The "dark, female 
mallard with white line above its eye,” ob- 
served by Levi and me probably was super 
ciliosa. It was on the saltwater lagoon just 
off Yaptown. Captain O. M. Murphy said 
that the birds were frequently seen around 
the craters in the Nif airfield and that they 
were present throughout the year, but I did 
not find them there. 
Gallus gallus, Domestic Chicken. — A few 
semi-domestic fowl were found in the jungle 
near the native villages. I was told that be- 
fore the war such feral chickens nested . in 
many different places. During the naval 
blockade in the latter part of the war the 
Japanese military forces hunted down most 
of them for use as food. 
Poliolimnas cinereus collingwoodi, 
White-browed Rail* — Mathews, in 1939, 
described the subspecies, micronesiae, and 
stated that Micronesian specimens were inter- 
mediate between collingwoodi from the Phil- 
ippines and specimens from Vulcan Island. 
Examination of 32 specimens of "microne 
siae” and a series of collingtuoodi failed to 
substantiate his remarks. Mayr ( in litt. ) 
stated, "To this subspecies ( collingwoodi ) be- 
long also the specimens from Talaut Islands, 
Palau, Guam, and Ruk. There are some 
characters peculiar to each locality but the dif- 
ferences between populations of these islands 
Fig. 3. Grassy swamp, 20 feet elevation, Rumu, 
Yap Island. Habitat of Poliolimnas cinereus. 
