48 
4-18-23 
curlew. 
he j-ast solitary youngster was gone from the Hawaiian Tern colony this 
morning. The whole effort of this colony of a hundred pairs or so has been 
fruitless. Fregata probably got this juv. 
4 
In all there are about 25 Love Terns scattered thru these broken guano 
rocks - 40 or so at the So. end- of the island - 15 or 20 about camp - in 
all fully 100 birds on the island. 
Another beastly day of waiting for sun but made memorable by a bit of 
luck before lunch that I will never forget. I saw finches (T. cantans) 
hop on a certain rock twice in quick succession yesterday so guessed it was 
a regular vantage point. Set up the camera and soon had a Laysan Finch re¬ 
corded on the film (if all goes well and this cursed 100 ‘jo humidity does not 
wreck me.) As I finished I heard a weak but charming song behind me and 
wnirled to find one of our pair of Laysan Honey Eaters singing his heart 
out for me. Whirled the camera, slammed the focus lever, cranked & think 
I have him. And before I had recorded the.footage & "shot" Schlemmer came 
up holding a Laysan Rail in his hand. To get all the footage possible we 
uurned him loose in front of the high speed. Meantime I had held alive & 
- i 
unhurt in my hand one of the two Laysan Rails we know are left on the island, 
noted his red iris and green (basally) bill and depauperate wings., developed 
plumage. To think of getting one of the 3 Hcneyeaters we know to be alive 
V ^ 
and one of the 2 Rails and one of the Finches in lightning succession was 
indeed luck. To compensate a lever on the high speed broke that is 
irreparable in the field. I can get by, but it will add difficulties to 
the already grilling it is game for the rest of the trip. 
.-.etmore thought pernaps this egg - robbing debauchery was to get water, 
but an experiment today would seem to argue against such a hypothesis. I 
