P- ^ f —Ij— 
/5. /P^IA.- -i-<v—^ 
Pearl and Hermes Reef 
* 
All six islands which support breeding populations 01 birds 
were visited. Camps were set up on Southeast Island, North Island, 
and Grass Island for various lengths of time. No landing made on 
2ir g island or Sand Island but these were viewed at close range. A 
large, sparsely vegetated, island just south of North Island has Deen 
designated as South North Island in tne report. It is shown on 
H. 0. Chart' 4175 as sand awash at frigh water. 
Complete plant collections were made from all islands* Not 
all of theue have been identified but Table 4 gives the distrioution 
in the atoll with unknown plants being.designated by number. There is 
no vegetation on Bird, Sand, or Kittery Islands. South North Island is 
soarsely vegetated. Southeast, North Seal, and Grass Islands have a 
good cover of plants. 
% 
7428 individuals of 14 species were banded on six islands in 
the atoll. Table 5 gives a breakdown of this information by species and 
island. 
Estimates were made of the birds on all islands and counts 
were made of nest and eggs where possible. Bird Island and Sand 
Island serve only as roosting sites for Common Noddies anu boobies. 
Table" 6 presents this information by species and island. 
Turtles were present on all islands, but there was no evi** 
dence of egg laying. 
Seals were present on all islands and most common on Nortn 
Island and Scrath North Island. Young seals were seen only on these last 
two islands. Seal tags recovered indicated considerable movement of 
seals within the atoll. 
