4 
The first section of the trail with its many switch-backs is barren and 
* i * 
1 ‘ j ; ; J 
rough going. The first silver swords appeared about 8,500 feet. 
Vegetation appeared well established in areas below 8,000 feet and 
ferns made up one of the first pockets we located. The later portion 
of the trail after reaching the crater floor was easily coveted. ' • ' 5 
About 1995 we heard the first Dark rumps above us. By 2o30. their 
activities of arriving and calling seemed to reach a peak and therefter 
{until securing at 2200) we noted few calls except from flying birds. 
In an attempt to locate this species we .first examined the slopes of 
.. 
Piiwe Mails across the crater floor without success. We concluded that 
birds heard there were singly flying towards the cliffs of ICapalaloa. 
We then attested a climb of the cliffs behind the cabin. We climbed 
about 3/5 the way (800 feet ?) to the rim before realizing that the 
birds were located in the walls of the cliff another 500 to 600 feet up. 
So we climbed down frustrated, but with the idea that relatively few 
bird® are here (est. 150^ seventy- five pairs) and to get them, on^would 
■jr 
have to hike the rim to this area and climb down from there. 
The call of this petrel is rather Bonin Petrel like with the 
protracted growl, but a 
pitched squeak (squeal) at the end. It 
is given most often in flight Once on the ground, the birds were 
silent. Tills suggests that this colony has mostly eggs now. When 
young are present in petrel colonies, one can hear them begging for 
food. If the birds are Just establishing territories and are mating, 
there are many vociferous fights and bedlem is the yule. Silence after 
landing suggests that one bird is relieving the other during incubation, for 
this process (if similar to albatross as it probably is) likely involves 
