TAKA ATOLL October 19-23 
Visited each island in the atoll. The ship was able to anchor 
in the lagoon, and the field party spent each night aboard ship. 
No banding was done since the birds were in low numbers, hard to 
obtain, and the moon was full. Bird population estimates and breeding 
status was obtained on each island. Forty-two (42) birds of 9 species 
were collected. Ten (10) Polynesian ^ats were collected also. Two 
blood samples were obtained from the rats. Plants, insects, fish 
and reptiles were collected. 
One adult Brown Booby banded and painted on Bikar Atoll was 
seen on Taka Island. One immature Brown Booby was seen with an 
orange leg streamer. One Puddy Turnstone with a painted red rump 
was also seen, but all efforts to collect it failed. 
Some interesting avifauna facts were learned from a discussion 
with a visiting native from nearby Utirik Atoll. The low bird 
population (boobies especially) can probably be attributed to the 
fact that the natives eat many birds (bones found near old huts) 
and their eggs (especially Sooty Tern eggs). Seventeen (17) species 
of birds were recorded (Table III) from the atoll, eleven of these 
being new records for the atoll. 
JEMO ATOLL October 23-24 
Spent one night on this small island. High vegetation prevented 
our banding operation. Four shorebirds (one species) were banded. 
Bird population estimates and breeding status was obtained. Six 
birds (2 species) and 10 Polynesian Pats were collected. Two blood 
samples were obtained from the rats. Plants and insects were collected. 
Eleven species of birds were recorded from the atoll (Table IV). 
Five of these species were new records for Jemo. 
♦ 
