Wirtz, W. March 
103 
is sparse, Scaevola . another shrub, some grasses and creeping vines, and 
a creeping succulent making up most of the flora. The island does not 
appear suited to petrels or shearwaters, though the extensive tidal 
areas around the lagoon probably attract shore birds in fmigratlon. 
I am told that frigates and some terns nest here, and also that the 
natives eat the former. 
There are many feral house cats on the island and hermit crabs 
are plentiful. After |dark everyone went to their little club here, and 
we enjoyed a rather festive evening. 
26 March 1963 
Bob worked up the blood samples end Binion the parasites from 
Howland ©a*Baker this morning while I stowed our gear in the bosin 
t 
locker for the trip back to Pearl and packed 3 t"unks for storage. Mr. 
Bushman got his flight arrangements made for the endof the week, and 
left the ship. He will talk to Dr. Sudddth upon his return to DE5EBKT 
♦ ** * *V * , 
and will then advise us if we should come to DISEP-KT on the way home. 
The MOCTQBI got under vray about 1300 and heade d for Pearl Harbor 
at flank speed, ETA Monday morning, April 1. Just abcut dusk (1830) 
the bow, possibly a wedge-tail. 
27 March 1963 
The seas remained calm and the weather generally good, but not 
today. The temperature in our quarters average 95 degrees 3P day and night 
v k 
making it very difficult for me to get much sleep. Early day becomes more 
of a drag than the one proceeding. They are repainting the whole ship now 
so it is hard to find a piece where one is not in come one's way# This 
to my way of thinking is the most miserable existence one can imagine. 
We saw several masked boobies today, and the bosin spotted a 
