McFarlane, R. W. 
1955 
Wake Island 
7 
constructed for a frigate, possibly an abandoned booby nest. 
Photographed sooty colony and bare area being cleared with bulldozer. 
10 species seen to date: Red-tailed and White-tailed Tnopicbirds, 
Red-footed and Brown Boobies, Sooties and Noddies, Fairy Tern, Frigates, 
Wandering Tattler, and Sadpiper. 
Returned to channel colony about 1900. Collected sperm samples of 
the terns. Found a distinct behaviorial difference between the sexes, when on 
or at egg, at least at this stage. Females abandon egg quite readily. Males 
defend the egg vigorously or remain quietly sitting on it. By, thissdifference, 
I was able to select 24 males from 27 birds, the first female being the one wic 
which caused me to realize the difference, in that I had to chase her down to 
catch her. The other two females were deliberately picked to confirm the 
theory. A fair variation is present in development of vas deferens and 
testes. Some were extremely swollen. 
I checked a number of stomaches. 1 The majority were empty, lined 
with a brillian green color, which also shows up in the feces. More 
"green amorphous." A few contained small (to 7") sardine-type fish. Other 
birds regurgitated the same fish when handled. 
I have started to hand a number of the terns in areas where harassment 
and egg removal will occur. It will be very interesting to see iff any breed 
again at the far end of the island. Can band 100-125/hr. at night. I 
banded 100 tonight. 745-30001 through 100. All bands on right leg. All 
birds from bare ground between spoil bank and pipe line. All birds taken off 
of eggs, all breeding now. 
I drove the scooter to V0R area at 2200. Apparently the entire colony 
is still airborne. The noise was deafening. 
All of the terns dissected were very fat, large globs located around 
and before cloaca! area. I had to remove fat to find distal vas deferens._ 
