Soaring activity, and frequency of strikes, reaches a peak 
during the last half of November, after the birds have returned, and 
before they are occupied with nesting duties. This is followed by a 
marked drop in strike frequencies, which then slowly taper off during 
the remainder of the season. Data for the 1956-57 season (Kenyon, 
et al. 1958) showed a similar picture. 
Table 4.--Number of Aircraft Landings and Takeoffs, and 
Number of Albatross Strikes, at Sand Island, 
Midway Atoll, 30 October 1957 to 17 eo 1958. 
:Str ikes per 
‘Landings aad takeoffs LAlbatrose strikes :daylight 
Period : : landing or 
: Total : : Daylight : Layson: Blackfoot: Total: takeoff 
30 Oct-15 Nov 268 169* 8 4 12 0.07 
16-30 Nov. 212 134* 52 1 53 -40 
1-15 Dec .** 440 277* 52 1 53 .19 
16-31 Dec. 171 102 23 2 25 25 
1-15 Jan. 183 116 18 1 19 .16 
16-31 Jan. 255 139 19 2 21 15 
1-15 Feb. 265 195 25 1 26 13 
16-28 Feb. 154 106 10 2 12 11 
1-15 Mar. 306 192 32 5 37 .19 
16-31 Mar. 357 223 28 1 29 13 
1-17 Apr. 322 206 19 4 23 11 
Total 2,933 1,859 286 24 310 17 

*Estimated 
*k This period included intensive refueling activity by Air Corps 
tankers over Midway, also the period of takeoff of more than 50 
Naval aircraft evacuated from Oahu on November 30 because of 
hurricane Nina. 
As pointed out in the previous report (Kenyon, et al. 1958), 
black~footed albatrosses are relatively unimportant as far as the air- 
craft problem is concerned. They accounted for only 24, or 8 percent, 
of the 310 strikes recorded during this period. However, this propor- 
tion is higher than the 1 percent of strikes contributed by black- 
footed albatross recorded in the 1956-57 season. 
21 
