Preliminary Report 
Pelagic Observations 
SIC 19 At-Sea 
During the period 8 June to 20 July 1968 , 111.6 hours of diurnal at- 
sea observations covering 1156 miles were recorded. Observations were 
conducted from Oahu to Fanning Island by Smithsonian personnel Roger B. 
Clapp and C. Douglas Hackman. No observations were made from Fanning 
to Samoa. At Samoa Richard S. Crossin joined the cruise. Observations 
were continuous from Samoa to Sand-Johnston except when island landings 
were being made. 
The cruise was made aboard the U.S.C.G.C. PLANETRFE. Both officers 
and enlisted men aboard the vessel lent support at island landings and 
during other phases of the operation. However, the vessel was fully staffed 
and working quarters were at a premium. Since the Coast Guard personnel 
had their own services to perform and were on a fairly rigid schedule, I 
did not attempt any at-sea collecting. At any rate, we had no small skiff 
aboard and the ship's crew was not equipped to make at-sea pick-ups. 
No exceptionally large concentrations of birds were found anywhere * 
Medium densities (primarily Sooty Terns) were found near the Hawaiian 
Islands and throughout the Phoenix Islands. Breeding colonies now present 
on many of the Phoenix group easily account for higher surrounding at-sea 
densities. Sooty Terns accounted for roughly 60 percent of total birds. 
In the following species accounts, only the major forms are discussed; 
for total avifauna, see Table 2. 
SPECIES ACCOUNTS 
Wedge-tailed Shearwater ( Puffinus pacificus ) lob 
Light phase individuals were encountered on 8 June, the first day 
south of Oahu (to 20° N); thereafter practically all were dark phase south 
to Samoa and north to Johnston Atoll. Wedge-tails were common between 
Oahu and the Line Islands and between the Northern and Southern Grids. 
Newell's Shearwater ( Puffinus puffinus newelli ) 5 
Three were noted near the Hawaiian Islands and singles noted on 11 
and 12 June in the Line Islands. 
