V 
-2- 
over the previous cruise. The percentage representations of species 
groups remained essentially the same as early February, with a slight 
increase in shearwater/petrels during the present cruise* A continual 
increase in total numbers can be expected throughout the following 
months as migrating shearwaters move into the area and greater numbers 
of Sooty Terns congregate on Howland Island for the current breeding 
season. 
SPECIES ACCOUNTS 
Wedge-tailed Shearwater (21 ♦ 3 nocturnal)* 
Numbers of this species approximately doubled over last cruise, but 
density is still far below that recorded during fall 1965* All but 3 
of the birds recorded during the present cruise were dark phase from 
southern hemisphere populations* This has consistently been the case 
except for a preponderance of light phase individuals during early 
February 1966. Numbers were so low, however, that no trends can be 
postulated* One specimen was collected* 
Sooty/Slender-billed Shearwater (1)• 
One individual was sighted on 2 March* This apparently was an early 
straggler proceeding north ahead of the mass spring migration* Neither 
of these species have been recorded in the grid area since early Decem¬ 
ber 1965 at the termination of the fall southward migration* Numbers can 
be expected to increase during the following months* 
Christmas Island Shearwater (1). 
This species has always been recorded in low numbers within the grid. 
A few stragglers from breeding colonies in the Phoenix group are probably 
to be expected irregularly* 
