VU>rre a 
1 
itebert-Fleret - Manana Island 
1955 
December 19 
Party consisted of Warren King, David Brat ley, and Ron Walker. 
Arrived 1730 hours under ideal conditions, very calm, tide not too 
low, no wind, pleasantly cool, few scattered clouds. I immediately 
struck by greenness of vegetation, all the way up to the summit. 
Saw two rabbits as we landed. Made general survey of burrows up slope 
and dropped into crater for check. Climbed to top of island from 
crater and came back down ridge to boat. Departed 1830 hours. 
In the 2l/2 weeks elapsed time since we were on island there had 
been nine days of rain. As a result at least 95 percent of the burrows 
on the slope leading up to crater were either caved in or obliterated 
In the crater most of the burrows, except for those in 
harder ground or along the ridges between small gullies were similarly 
destroyed. There were a maximum of 200 usable burrows left. Dave 
Bratley found one Wedge-tail, immature in good health, with small 
tuft of down on lower abdomen. When launched, bird fluttered to 
landing without showing any flying ability. The burr grass was green 
and lush, as were all the plants. Ron Walker took plant samples. 
Hippoboscid flies were very common as were a little gnat-like bug. 
Many burrows were chcked but we only found the one Wedge-tail. It 
was unbanded. There were two Noddy Terns found , one immature and rather 
weak, although capable of flight. The other was an adult. 
The reason for Wedge-tails breeding in the summer is obvious: There 
would be probably 75 °/o + mortality of chicks if rains similar to thos e 
