Wetmore - Journal 
-8- 
Victor, a filipino mess attendant joined 
p<xrC- 
ashord 
April 18 — "Innumerable rat tracks dot the sand among the hushes and 
for a short distance "below 4m the open, I 1 our traps set last night yielded 
three of the animals, small in size slight in body, large rounded ears, 
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sandy gray color, warmer "brown than ordinary rats with, long tails nearly 
naked of hair. 11 
^haamim 
2hey found it wholly hare of vegetation with ten seals a colony of black— 
footed albatross and little else.” 
* 
n A careful estimate places the seal population at this atoll at 
40 to 50 animals." " I killed this animal with a netk shot.;" " I finally 
managed to get a shot at the youngster without hitting the mother.,.." 
2 A hundred yards beyond a female had just given birth to another 
young as there was blood on the ground and the umbilical cord of the animal 
was just recently severed. Apparently this is one of the regular hauling 
grounds of the animals. A remote sjiot where with protection they may persist 
We skinned the two taken by noon." 
jpa ae < trr r grted~ 
n 
(15c* i VO LJ 
"We forced our way through these i to the protected center of the islad d 
where there were open spaces of irregular form grown with grasses, Ipomea 
an d Tribulus. 
II 
" Common and Blue faced boobies were nesting here and the loose sandy 
soil was absolutely honey combed with petrel burrows. I was continually 
breaking through up to my knees and walking was exceedingly difficult. 
X killed eight common boobies in here and decieded that with a few sets of 
eggs and other birds I had a load before I got out to the beach. 
" In evening Pterodroma hypoleuca were flying. I killed three before 
* , ' * I • 
W 
dark and then shot four more on the wing by the aid of a flashlight after 
expenditure of considerable ammunition# 
K 
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