Table 2.--Age at Return (on Sand Island, Midway Atoll) of 
Albatrosses Banded as Chicks (includes returns 
through 1957). 
Number returned 1/ 
a a a 
Age : Layson albatrosses_: Black-footed albatrosses 
1 0 0 
2 ) ry) 
3 re) 0 
4 1 1 
5 ) 0 
6 2 3 
7 2 3 
8 5 2 
9 2 1 
10 re) 5 
11 5 4 
12 re) 1 
13 1 0 2/ 
14 0 ) 
15 3 ) 
21 1 ) 
1/ The number of each age group retaken should not be considered as 
comparable numerically since the size of the samples banded were 
not the same in the different years, nor was equal effort expended 
each year obtaining return records. 
2/ No black-footed albatross chicks were banded before 1944, 
SSS 
Age At Which Albatrosses First Nest 
The only positive information on the age at which Laysan 
albatrosses first nest is the record of a bird banded as a chick in 
1951 and found incubating an egg in December 1957, 7 seasons after 
hatching. It is almost certain that this bird did not nest the previous 
season, as all nesting birds on that area were thoroughly checked ie 
repeatedly during the incubation period in 1956. 
During the killing program, 14 Laysan albatrosses banded as 
chicks 7 seasons previously were killed. These included 7 males, 5 
females, and 2 of unknown sex. All of them were apparently unemployed 
birds when killed. Three of these birds (2 males, 1 female) had bare 
incubation patches, suggesting that they may have nested that season 
(it remains to be verified how reliable the condition of the incuba- 
tion patch is as an indication of breeding). 
