- 3 - 
single shearwater-petrel was encountered in flocks during the survey* Bird 
numbers (especially in the form of feeding flocks) usually dropped off drastically 
between 30 and I 4 O miles outward from Howland* The species composition, distribution 
of birds within the grid, direction and time of movements, and numerous sightings 
of Howland marked birds all point to an August grid avifauna composed almost 
entirely of Howland-based breeding birds. Although this might be a patently 
obvious and expected conclusion, I know of no other instance during the course 
of the project whereby at-sea operations have been able to determine the exact 
origin of large numbered of Central Pacific breeding birds with any such degree 
of certainty* The importance of color-streamered birds cannot be overemphasized* 
Roughly 38,000 Sooty Terns have been streamered on Howland to date. If segments 
of the tern colony continue to breed as it now appears they will, banding and 
streamering operations should be continued during forthcoming cruises* 
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