3 
ecgs and chicks v/ere observed.Also , Keef Herons (dark, light 
and intermediate phases) and a Christmas island Shearwater 
were collected, the later being the first record for the Atoll 
though not surprising, it was planned (or rather ill-planned) 
that we band from dusk til dav/n, the other alternative being 
the hard comfort of sleeping on a coral beach without sleeping 
bags or tent since all our gear was left at the other island. 
AS predicted it began to rain shortly after midnight and did 
not abate until late the following afternoon, nontheless 
i succeeded in banding until about 3 a.m. having banded a thousand 
Sooty Terns along the inner beach. On returning to camp 1 was 
joined by the others around a fire to weather out the rain til 
dawn-prehaps the worst might on the trip. At daybreak we returned 
to the main island and the 7. of dry clothing only to find 
our camp ravaged by the storm, thus it was decided to pull 
stakes and depart for the ship. vVe got under way for Bikar 
Atoll late in the afternoon. 
October 14, 19^4 
Woke to a sunny sky, it was hard to believe there was any sun 
left after yesterday. We are in the last days of rainy season 
for this area, Which i guess must serve as a justification for 
all that’s past. 
Sighted Atoll around 10 a.m, steamed off reef until noon 
looking for a good passage for our raft. Again three wrecks, 
one right in the passage through the reef. In looking for this 
passage v/e steamed around the reef it being no more than two 
hundred feet from the ship,.yet there is 600 fathoms of water 
h us v/hich is hard to beleive. 
The atoll contains four islands, one well to the south of 
the other three,and it is this one v^e made our first camp 
sight upon. Unlike laonge Atoll the islands of this atoll have 
dense vegetation on the interior. Though i should add that 
none of the four islands are more than half a mile in cir- 
cmmfirence, when walking in the interior my first impression 
reminded me of the rain forests of Panama- damp, dark, lush and 
fertile, wht with a miriade nesting birds high in the canopies 
of the trees and the absence of undergrowth yet on closer 
that there are only nine or ten specie 
observation one realises 
