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l idler Comments . (to RBC) • p. 2 
„ seems likely that by June chick mortality would have- decreased the 
number present is not dealing with facts. 
Then another thing I’d also like to point out now. Wetmore’s figures 
in June of 1923? then we have this Munter in 1915* On the basis of the 
work which Chan Robbins was doing on Midway for a number of years and my 
association with Chan for several winters there particularly on the Albatross 
program certainly shows that breeding populations vary considerably from 
year to year. A one shot observation may be average, it could be above 
average., and it could be way below average, so unless you have a number of 
observation* you cannot draw valid conclusions as to whether a population 
is going up or down. I suspect very strongly on the basis of my observations 
that the population is relatively stable and if there is any variation up 
or down it ; s purely the natural phenomenon and has nothing to do with the 
steady decrease or steady increase. Then the estimates since 1957 do not 
indicate any recent overall change in population size and suggest that about 
100 birds breed on the island yearly. Here again, you are basing statements 
on a few years and drawing some rather valid conclusions on some rather 
flimsy evidence. 
Just reading the paper it would be my impression that what you are 
saying is that niere has been a large decrease in young or in the number 
of breeding birds there say in the last ko years. The population is 
apparently stabilized since about 1957 to about 100 birds. I’m also 
curious about how Munter estimates? Did he actually count the chicks ^ 
like we have? Did he visit the area, or just what is he basing his Q 
estimate on? Now, we’ve been there since every March except March of 
1966: we’ve been there in 1964, 65 , 67 , and 1968 ; certainly more times 
than anybody else at that time of the year and we haven’t found any 
Black-footed Albatross anywhere but right on the top of North Peak. In 
some Marchs we’ve covered the island rather thoroughly and if any were 
present, undoubtedly we would have seen them. It is very likely, of 
course, that we might have missed one or two, but this I think is not 
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.g down to this last paragraph there about the young present 
in March can be quite variable - this could indicate that the number of 
breeding birds varies from year to year or thate the mortality early in 
the nesting season may be considerably greater in some years. I don’t 
"is ink mortality figures in here at all. I think it’s pretty much a case 
oh a variation in the number of breeding birds. 
. >w in your last sentence on ecology - breeding habitat - all pc\ 
observers who noted the location of the Black-footed Albatross nests C/ 
Staten or Indicated that the species are confined to areas of little 
vegetation on the l 8 #ef '(plateaux. It wasn’t a case of indication, this 
was the fact, so I would strike out the word or indicated. 
Now on banding - correct me if this is strictly going to be a Pacific 
Project paper or is it supposed to be co-authored as was the impression 
.at ' wa , given. You say that no Black-footed Albatross were banded on 
. ..hoa by Pacific Project. This is probably correct, now if we’re going to 
include handing by anybody over here, and I do think it belongs in here on 
eve basis of our work, the following information should be inserted. 
WW • • - -*VT■ .»* ' 
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