Preliminary Report 
Palmyra Island 
Survey #33 
-November 1966 
Field Party ? 
B. Harrington (Biologist-in-Charge), W, Bulmer, J. Lewis, 
F. Smith. 
Itinerary: 
11 November 
-1800 
Entire field party arrives. 
13 November 
-0900 
Lewis departs. 
13 November 
-1600 
Lewis arrives. 
1$ November 
-0700 
Entire field party departs. 
Man Days: 
13 .k 
Palmyra (an atoll) is a heavily vegetated ring of islets surrounding 
two lagoons. Coconut palms, Messerschmidia and Pisonia trees form the 
dominant vegetation of the island. Several other species of trees and 
a dense undergrowth of flowering plants vines and shrubs comprise the 
tropical flora of most islets. 
Upon arrival at Palmyra a boat (the Pele) was anchored in the 
lagoon* It contained a party of divers from Honolulu who were working 
the reefs for Mollusca and other marine animals. They had evidently not 
disturbed anything on the island and contributed helpful information. 
The first night the POBSP field party surveyed and banded Red-footed 
Boobies on three small islands on the west end of the atoll. A Sooty 
Tern colony that was completing Hits breeding cycle was worked to capacity 
and then emphasis was placed on accurate diurnal and nocturnal survey and 
banding the abundant Red-footed Boobies. 
All islets were surveyed by POBSP personnel or by naval officers. 
The only area not covered was the west end of Cooper Island. A total of 
3,800 birds were banded, 202 returns were recorded, 212 sera samples were 
collected, and 22 birds were collected. 
We were given excellent co-operation from Captain Church, Lt. Dibble 
9 
and the officers and crew of Yag #39 
