SOME NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS ON LAYSAN ISLAND FAUNA 
April 28, 1959 to May 1, 1959 
By Raymond. J. Kramer 
On April 25, 1959 at 2000 hours, a party of 4 observers departed 
from Honolulu aboard the U. S. Coast Guard ship "Matagorda*. 
IThe names and addresses through which they can be reached are 
recorded below, so some of these notes refer specifically to 
information which Is in the hands of parties other 'than myself. 
Information desired on these subjects can be obtained by writing 
directly to the person whose name appears in parentheses. 
1. Dr. George Butler, ontomologist, University of Arizona, 
(sabbatical leave to Bd. of Agri. & Forestry, Honolulu 
l4, Hawaii) 
2. Dr. Hubert Caspers, hydrobiologist, Hamburg University, 
Hamburg, Germany (sabbatical leave to Marine Experiment 
Station, U. of Hawaii, Coconut Island, Oahu) 
3. William Smythe, zoologist, Hawaii Sugar Planters Assoc., 
Honolulu, Hawaii 
4. Raymond Kramer, wildlife biologist, Div. of Fish & Game, 
Bd. of Agri. & Forestry, Honolulu l4, Hawaii. 
Unfortunately, our proposed 10 day visit to Laysan was cut 
to 3 days due to conditions beyond our control, and only a super¬ 
ficial examination of the island could be made in so short a stay. 
We were also hampered by stormy weather all the first night ashore 
and the next day due to the passage of a waterspout between 
Laysan and Midway Island. This did however provide an Interesting 
change in climate which had an affect on the routine habits of 
some fauna observed. 
It is hoped that the following commentary on conditions 
observed may help in some small way to start to fill the large 
gaps in the written literature which is at present available.. 
General Notes: 
April 26... Aboard the Matagorda.. .40 to 60 miles south of Nihoa 
Island. A Masked Booby landed on the fahtail at 1000 hours. This 
bird appeared to be immature and upon examination was found to have 
an unidentified species of Mallophaga on the band and neck region. 
I believe Dr. Butler collected several specimens. This landing 
was reported as being extremely unusual in these waters. I also 
received reports of an unknown specimen of owls and "seahawks 
11 
and one bird described as similar to the East ern Cliff Swallow , 
as landing at night when this ship was at "Station Victor" (USCG 
record) on prior trips. The available descriptions were inadequate 
for identification purposes. 
