45 
Wetmore—Journal 
We found several beautiful Cypraea tigris in holes in the outer reef and 
a few Tonna. Spiny libsters were caramon. When speared they amde a squeaking noise 
July 1£—Sand Island lies a mile north of east of the main island. It is abut 
300 yards wide by 400 yards long with a small peninsula projecting toward the 
northeast. It rises fifteen feet above high water at the highest point. The island 
rests in a shelf of sand rock that is laid bare at several points on the beach. 
lOn the east the exposure is about 4 feet high. On the north at one point it is 8 
feet above the water. As on the main island there is a soft layer of rock 
* l 
covering a harder one. The soil of the island is sand with a small mixture 
» 
♦ 
of humus. It supports an abundant growth of grass, Tribulus and Boerhaavia. 
1 . 
I found the skink, and collected one. The bird tick was abundant. 
Bird Life was estimated as follows: 
Gray-backed Tern 25 
Sooty Tern 2000 birds 
Noddy 800 birds 
Wedge-tailed Shearwater 500 birds 
Christmas Island Shearwater 100 birds 
V 
Blue-faced Booby 20 birds 
Tropicbird 4 bird 
Frigatebird 100 birds 
A few common boobies and red-footed Boobies rested on rocks off shrre. Two 
turnstones and two Golden Plover were noted. The sooty and Gray-backed Tern 
» 
had young on the wing. Blue-faced Boobies and Christmas Is. Shearwaters were 
well grown about half the noddies were ( 
not now nesting. 
). Frigatebirds and tropicbirds were 
On the western half of the islqnd were deposits of guano part soft and a part 
consolidated. Someone had excavated some of the solid rock and made a pile of it. 
