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17 
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\ The Tanager Expedition landed on Lisianski on 15 May 1923 and remained 
Until the 20th. Dr. Alexander Wetmore, in charge of the expedition, described 
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the island (unpub. notes, 1923 ) as a parallelogram a nautical mile long by 
slightly less than a half mile vide. It vas highest on the north and vest 
vhere a rounded ridge rose to about 40 feet above sea level. Near the 
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southern end of the island vas a rounded central basin encircled on all sides 
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by a lov rim vhich separated it from the beach. This depression vas dry, 
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but vas thought to be the site of an old lagoon similar to the one still found 
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on Laysan. The soil vas sandy, but vith a high guano concentration that 
compacted it and stained it brovn in places. On higher slopes the guano formed 
a firm crust that vas either smooth or eroded in pits. A lov ledge of limestone 
rock vas found along the eastern shore. At the southern end of the depression 
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Wetmore found the remains of an old Japanese camp. A shed about 30 by 
12 feet had blown over, and only the corner posts marked the former sites of 
smaller buildings. About 30 rusted out five gallon coal oil tins lay about 
the camp. The frame of an old whale boat was found on the beach at the south- 
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west corner of the island. A wrecked sampan and a dinghy were found south of 
the rocky ledge on the east beach. The sole vegetation of the island consisted 
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of a grass plot of about three acres in a semicircle along the northern ridge, 
in which a few other plant Species were also found. ■ 
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The expedition surveyed the flora and fauna of the island, collected 
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specimens, and planted several species of seeds and seedlings. 
Personnel of the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife made aerial 
surveys of Lisianski in December 1956, January, April, May, October and 
December 1957, and January,. April, May, and June 1958. Personnel of the 
Division of Fish and Game of the State of Hawaii Visited the island on 9 March 
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