Report, on a: Trip to Marcus Island with Notes on the Birds

NAGAHISA KURODAl

MARCUS ISLAND, situated about midway be­ alternating with a summer wind from S.­ tweet;! the Bonin Islands and Wake Island in S.S.W. which calmed the sea and brought hot the western Pacific, is a small, remote ·island' atmosphere. Navigating southward through which belonged to Japan until World War latitudes of about 28-33° N., far east by II and is known to the Japanese as Minami south of Hachijo Island, the change of tem­ Torishima, the South Bird Island. It is now perature and the color of the sea showed the in the possession of the United States, but a demarcation between temperate and semi­ Japanese weather station, constructed after the tropical waters. The southerly rear-guards of war, is the only establishment on the island. the Black-footed Albatross, Puffinus carneipes, A zoological survey of this island was Storm-Petrels, and Skuas, which were migrat­ planned by Hokkaido University, which sent ing to the temperate zone, were already in Mr. M. Yamada (for the litoral invertebrata) the cooler area north of the aforementioned and Mr. S. Sakagami (for the insects). I latitudes. To the south, tropical species such joined them to make bird investigations, as Puffimls nativitatis and Pterodroma were en­ through the kindness of Professor T. Uchida, countered. Sea birds in general, however, Hokkaido University, Dr. S. Wadachi, head, were scarce, the main group of oceanic mi­ of the Centr,al Weather Station, and other grants having passed north already, and the gentlemen of the Station-Mr. N. Yamada, tropical species were probably concentrated the Chief Secretary, Mr. Y. Nakada, head of around the breeding islands. Only the follow­ the Marcus Island Section, Mr. T. Doi, the ing species were seen en route: head, and Mr. S. Kitada, the secretary, of the Oceanodroma tristrami (or matsudairae) Supply Section, and other people concerned. A few were seen scattered over the ocean My cordial,thanks are due these gentlemen and followed the ship but were distributed and also Dr. H. E. McClure of the 406th north of about 27-28° N. Medical General Laboratory in Tokyo. Oceanodroma castro (or leucorhoa) Taking advantage of the supply ship, "Ku- ' Two were observed closely on May 10 at roshio-maru" (450 tons), in charge of the about 33° N. Central Weather Station of Tokyo, we left Puffinus leucomelas Tokyo Harbor on April 25,1952, arrived at Many were observed near the mouth' of Marcus Island on April 30, and stayed for Tokyo Bay on April 26, and a few were seen a week until we embarked on May 7 to north of 30° N. on May 10. return to Tokyo. It was an intergrading sea­ Pu11inus carneipes son, the weather ranging from winter to sum­ Six birds in all were seen north of about mer type, and the sea was rough with N.N.E. 33° N. on May 10. winds which prevailed in about 4-day cycles, Puffinus tenuirostris 1 Yamashina Museum ofBirds, 49 Nanpeidai-machi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Manuscript received Jan­ Two or three were seen as far south as uary 29, 1953. about 26-27° N. on April 29. They were late 84 Marcus Island Birds - KURODA 85

individuals, as the early birds can be seen Temperature along northern Japan in late April. Date Maximum Minimum Putiinus oativitatis 0c. 0c. Small compact flocks and a few individuals April 30...... 25.5 20.0 were occasionally encountered south of about May 1...... 27.5 21.2 27° N. and also around Marcus Island.. May 2...... 25.9 19.8 Pterodroma brevipes hypoleuca May 3...... 24.6 20.9 Occasional individuals were seen sailing May 4 : .. 25.5 20.7_ over the sea south of 27-29° N. May 5...... 26.7 22.0 Diomedea oigripes It was, however, very hot indoors, and the A few were always seen, sometimes floating sunshine was strong and glaring against white on the water, and they followed the ship coral gravel, the earth temperature reaching south to about 28° N., but none was observed about 45-50° C. The brooding terns and nod­ to the southward. D. immutabilis was not seen; dies seemed to sit on their eggs to protect its occurrence in Japanese waters is earlier them from being overheated, as the eggs were than nigripes. cooler than the gravel. The weather was fine, Stercorarius pomarious and the only precipitation was on the night Two birds were seen in Tokyo Bay on April of May 2. Rainfall is rare, and, as fresh water 26, and a bird followed the ship for a while is lacking, the drinking water is said to be on April 28 at about 28° N. obtained mainly during the rainy season in Stercorarius longicaudus (?) August. Three birds, probably of this species, were The whole island is formed of coral gravel seen at a distance on April 27. and is flat, being only a few meters above On arriving at Marcus early in the morning sea level. It has a triangular litoralline, a little on April 30, Sterna fuscata and Anous stolidus over 4 miles in extent, the white beach being were seen flying about the island but were particularly extended at the western point. The never observed offshore. coastal reefs are to be found along the north­ ern and northeastern beaches, and the island GENERAL FEATURES OF MARCUS ISLAND is surrounded by scattered coral rockS about 200 meters offshore, especially on the north­ The island is situated over 1,000 miles from ern coast. Formerly, the island must have had Tokyo, 600 miles S.E. by E. of the Bonin some elevated parts, as Bryan reports that Islands (Chichijima) and 790 miles N.W. of "Near the north end the land attains a height Wake Island at 24°14' N. and 154° E.,2 in of seventy-five feet which was the highest the same latitude as the north point of point found," and, "In the middle of the Formosa. island along this side the highest point is not According to Yoshida, the former Japanese to exceed forty feet, while at the southeast garrison (crew of "Kasagi") recorded a sum­ point an elevation of sixty-five or seventy feet mer temperature of 87-88° F., rarely over is attained." However, at present the whole 100° F. The colonists recorded over 130° F. island is almost entirely flat as the result of outdoors, at the most 92-93° F. indoors, and war destruction, and the central planted part in winter never lower than 60° F. Bryan, dur­ ing a week's stay in August, noted a low of is low, reminding us offormer lagoons, which he mentioned. At these places he found "four 12° F. and a high of 82° F. The spring tem­ separate deposits ofloose black alluvial soil," perature during our stay was as shown below: which were a few feet deep according to Y0­ s~ch 2 Various orher records' have been made of irs posi­ shida, but we found soil to be entirely rion. Cf. Bryan, 1903: 78-79; Yoshida, 1902: 674. lacking at present, and there was no sign of 86 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VIII, January, 1954

M t

/~ " ~;. ~;. I ',,. J." ;' f .!. /./ r:ifj

• 6u.~lcUI'l9 A Toc.h. kd.. • tCL.n.k '-" Wrec:.ked,. snip

FIG. 1. Map of Marcus Island. A, weather station; B, a rochka on which noddies' are breeding; c, main breeding place of the Sooty Tern, which also breeds on the outer coral rocks and flocks on the coastal reef.

the Cocos nucifera, which is said to have been eral other plants, to the Japanese colonists to thickly planted at these lagoons in an area of plant. Bananas were also introduced formerly, about three acres. according to him, but have never fruited, and The central cover consists chiefly of Messer- ' tobacco was then cultivated to be smoked by schmidia argentea CMonpanoki'), a brushy the colonists. Small land crabs, locusts, skinks, plant, mixed with a few Pisonia grandis CTo­ and geckos as well as Oedemeridae were par­ gemi Udonoki'), with a dense creeping ticularly abundant, and we saw a dragonfly undergrowth of Ipomoea Pes-caprae CGunbai­ of Sympetrum type, said to be common in hirugao') and a few grasses. There were a few summer. We also obtained a young specimen poorly grown papayas and five bananas, the of Rattus rattus alexandrinus, an unhealthy latter having recently been brought from the animal, found wild among the Ipomoea. Bonin Islands. It is interesting that Bryan 'the above general features of the island, reports no natural papaya, but states that he however, are now in a devastated state as the gave some seeds, together with those of sev- result of the recent war. Marcus Island Birds - KURODA 87

. BRIEF HISTORY OF MARCUS ISLAND on the bird life of the island, reporting many species which are not found on the island It is said that an American priest discovered now, including Micranous marcusi, which he the island first, naming it Marcus, or Weeks, described as a new species. Yoshida, a geolo­ Island (whether Weeks is identical with Mar­ gist, only reports some birds in vernacular cus is not clear). In November, 1883, Tsune­ names used on the island. According to him, taro Shinzaki landed on the island as the first there were 29 colonists (including four wo­ Japanese, coming on board the British ship men) making their living by catching the "Eta" of the Yokohama Konshiro Company. birds which 'they stuffed for exportation. The Another Japanese, an offshore fisherman of birds, about 20 species in all, were all sea Kinkazan (N. Honshu), reached the island birds crowding all over the island and were accidentally. In 1889, Captain Rosehill of the exceedingly tame. They were caught with a United States. visited the island and suggested bamboo pole with a round net at the end and its commercial value to his government, and were stuffed in fast procedure. This regrettable in pecember, 1896, Shinroku Mizutani, the slaughter, chiefly of Sterna fuscata, which was chiefofthe South Pacific section ofthe Tokyo the most numerous species, is further de­ Bird and Mammal Company, explored the scribed in detail in Bryan's report. Most re­ island, followed by Haruzo Kobayashi, a grettable is the fact that the albatrosses, former navy officer. They emigrated the na­ Diomedea immutabi/is and D. nigripes, for whose tives of the Bonin Islands and Hachijo Island feathers the colonists first settled on this to Marcus, to engage in collecting feathers island, were already all gone by that time. ofthe albatross which was then very abundant. The sad history of their disappearance is also This trade was assisted by Shichigoro Ka­ recorded in detail in his report. mitaki, a trader merchant of Yokohama, and the trade patent for bird-feather collecting, PRESENT CONDITION OF THE ISLAND fishing, and salt production was given to Until how recently the colonization existed Mizutani by the Tokyo Prefectural Govern­ is not certain. However, World War II was ment, which, onJuly 24,1898, declared Mar­ undoubtedly the second and decisive crisis cus Island to be in ·the Bonin Islands section for many species of birds, as the physical under the name Minami Torishima. topography was entirely changed. Abo~t InJuly, 1902, a Japanese cruiser, "Kasagi," 5,000 Japanese troops were garrisoned on the commanded by Lt. Akimoto, was dispatched island, and after severe bombardment by to the island to receive the expedition party United States planes they retreated from the ofDr. Bryan ofthe Bishop Museum ofHono­ island before the end ofthe war to be replaced lulu, who stayed on the island the week of by American troops. The· newly constructed July 30. On August 28 of the same year, an­ camps and materiel of the latter were then otherJapanese cruiser, "Takachiho," with Dr. all destroyed (a few trucks and jeeps have Shinpo, Mr. Yoshida, newspapermen, a law­ been. repaired and are now in use on the is­ yer, and others on board, visited Marcus On land) by a violent typhoon, accompanied by around-trip cruise from Yokosuka-Torishima­ storm waves which washed out almost one Marcus-Bonin Islands. third of the island. (Bryan reports typhoons Both Bryan and Yoshida reported on the of particular violence in October, 1901, and . history, geology, climate, fauna, and flora, September, 1902.) Subsequently, a w~ather and the more scientific and detailed report by station was constructed on the eastern coast Bryan is of particular importance in ornithol­ by the Japanese under the supervision of ogy. As curator of ornithology at the Bernice American occupation forces (construction P. Bishop Museum, he gives valuable data was begun in December, 1950). About 30 88 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VIII, January, 1954

persons are now working at this station, sup­ of both Bryan's trip and mine was a week, plied every 3 months with foods and materials and, although my visit was seasonally earlier, from the Tokyo Central Weather Station. I was told by the workmen of the station that Now being totally disfigured, Marcus Is­ none of the other species come to breed in land, which lies peacefully and beautifully the summer. with green cover and white beach surrounded The Sooty Tern (Sterna fuscata), which I by deep-colored semitropical ocean, im­ estimated at about 1,000, should have been pressed us as a disappointment as soon as at least several times as many formerly. They we landed on it. Everywhere on the island are are unfortunate survivors, because, to my r<';~ to be fouild residues of war. All along the gret, their breeding is still being disturbed. coast are trenches, with tochkas here and Their whole Rock was gathering at the west­ there on which rusted anti-aircraft guns are ern beach when I landed on April 30, but it still pointing to the sky. On the northern was a surprise that only three eggs were found coast, from the eastern end to the western, left and few females were about to lay eggs. a broad runway was constructed for ocq.­ At this beach many eggs were said to have sional visits of airplanes, and almost all the been taken until just a few days prior to our southwesterly one third of the island is left visit. Two days after, I noticed that the whole as it was devastated by the typhoon, the ruins .Rock had given up this beach, scattering to of United States camps and trucks scattered the outer coral rocks of the northern side everywhere. Thus, the brushy jungle which where wading is necessary to reach the eggs. formerly occupied four fifths of the island They seemed to have soon laid eggs at these (fide Yoshida) is now restricted to a small new, safer places, and this habit has appar­ central section through which roads pass and ently retained their present number. How­ which in many places is dug up for air-raid ever, if this condition continues, their future shelters, while ruined, rusty gas tanks are decrease to the point of extinction on Marcus conspicuous among the green cover. is quite certain:, and, therefore, I hope that Under such cir.cumstances, with continuous my friends on this remote island will pay human intervention, many sea birds which attention to the future of their birds. formerly bred abundantly on this island have The noddy (Anous sto!idus), on ~he other disappeared completely. The burrow-nesting hand, is a species that has found new egg­ shearwaters (PufJinus pacificus) lost their breed­ laying places on war remnants which are safer ing place in the soily regions, and the ground than their former favorite sites on the trees, and tree nesters such as PufJinus nativitatis, as reported by Bryan, where the eggs were Frigate Bird, Tropic Bird, and Boobies as likely to be disturbed by people. A few of well as the beautiful Fairy Tern have aban­ them still breed on the coral rocks with the donedthe island. Theisland, formerly crowded Sooty Terns, but they now breed principally by these birds, is now nothing but a ruined in small colonies on abandoned gas tanks, coral elevation. In fact, Bryan reports (Aug­ tochkas, and the like, and even high up on ust) 18 species ofsea birds, Including migrant the wireless towers. All these colonies are, waders, of which 9 species were breeding, therefore, inaccessible, or at least hard to and he secured 56 specimens without using reach, and, though their number is only about a shotgun (the use of a shotgun is said to 200 in all, this species may increase in the have been prohibited by the Japanese cruise future until these few safe places become officer) . crowded. However, compared with the for­ On my recent trip (early May) I found but mer population their decrease is evident. eight species, ofwhich only two, Sterna fuscata Only a few other species ofbirds were found and Anous stolidus, were breeding. The length on the island. Two Gygis alba were seen and Marcus island Birds - KURODA 89 obtained, but they were nonbreeding indivi­ spiders, or earthworms. Moreover, the only duals as both were females with small ovaries; trees are two kinds of small, tropical, brushy none of the Anous minutus marcusi originally ones, and, though they make a rather thick described from this island by Bryan was found. jungle, it is too simple a cover without any About 20 Golden Plovers were the only fam­ big trees which will offer a good, cool shelter iliar birds living on the ground, and five for arboreal birds. American Wandering Tattlers were staying Bryan reported 18 species mostly collected on the coastal reef on the northern side. A by himself, and there are a few species to be Turnstone and a Whimbrel showed up for added to his list based on specimens formerly a I-day reston their migration, and a Great preserved in the Tokyo University and in the Skua (probably) was unexpectedly seen. Matsu'daira, Kuroda, Sr., or Takatsukasa Col­ According to the station workmen the is- lection, some of which are now deposited in .land is only occasionally visited by the Frigate the Yamashina Museum but others were de­ Bird, and recently an Ardeapurprea (probably) stroyed during the war. These specimens were and three white Egrets were obtained or noted mostly obtained from stuffed-skin dealers in on the island as stragglers. Tokyo. On the present trip the only species new to the list were sight records of Numenius ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDS phaeopus variegatus and Catharacta skua (not Although the island was formerly crowded definite) and the herons of which I was told with sea birds, the species known from this by the station workmen. island are very few, 32 so far recorded. Situ­ The list of known species are as follows: ated outin the ocean apart from other islands, 1. Fregata minor minor (Gmelin) Marcus seems to be visited by only a few of Bryan reports, under the name Fregata the migrant shore birds in very small numbers, aquila, a full note on nest and chich and but casual migrants or stragglers will be added mentions how it attacks the boobies. in the future. Land birds are entirely lacking, There are three specimens, in the Yama­ and this might be co~related with the history shina Museum, one adult and two juve" of the formation of the island. It was surpris­ niles obtained in 1911, and there were ing that we found skinks and ground insects, six more specimens (1911 andJune, 1910) including ants, on this small coral island. That in the Kuroda and Takatsukasa collec­ land birds can not thrive on this island is tions (all destroyed). A bird is said to easily explained by the lack of fresh water and have appeared in May, 1951, and late foods such as fruits and a variety of insects, April, 1952. 2. Sula leucogaster plotus (Forster) Bryan observed only a few individuals on the rocks but saw a young bird which had been captured and kept alive by the colonists. He reports this gannet under the name S. cyanops. 3. Sula sula rubripes Gould Thousands were breeding in August when Bryan visited the island. A detailed field note on eggs and chicks is given by him. 4. Sula dactylatra personata Gould Under the name Sula piscator, Bryan FIG. 2. Rusty gas tanks on which noddies are breed­ ing. Photograph by author. reports a few observed specimens of this 90 PACIFIC,SCIENCE,Vol. VIII, January, 1954

booby and one specimen given to him 11. Bulweria bulweri bulweri (Jardineand by colonists. ~dby) 5. Phaethon rubricaudus rothschildi Only recorded in the Japanese hand­ (Mathews) list, 1932, 1942. Bryan re.r0rts in detail on its breeding, 12. Diomedea immutabilis Rothschild eggs, and chicks but mentions that it was Only one was seen and another was already. decreasing at that time. Two secured by Bryan, who reports the former specimens are now in the' Yamashina abundance and slaughter by colonists. Museum, one a former Tokyo University 13. Diomedea nigripes Audubon specimen, September, 1902, and the other None of this species was seen or se­ from the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, cured by Bryan, but he reports that he August 5, 1902. was told that it was as abundant as the 6. Phaethon lepturus dorotheae above species. Mathews 14. Tringa incana incana (Gmdin) No record is found in literature except Few of this subspecies probably visit in the Hand-List of the Japanese Birds Marcus Island regularly. Bryan observed (1922, 1932, 1942). The source has ap­ several birds in August and secured a parently been the specimen in the former specimen from the colonists. I 'saw five Kuroda or Takatsukasa Collection, now birds during my stay, obtaining one bird destroyed. ,on May 1. 15. Calidris ferruginea (Pontoppidan) 7. Oceanodroma furcata furcata Only recorded in the Japanese hand­ (Gmdin) list,,1922, 1932, 1942. Also reporred only in the Japanese 16. Pluvialis dominicus fulvus (Gmdin) hand-list, 1932 and 1942. This species is a familiar plover on 8. Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus Marcus ,and is said to be seen in almost Ccuneatus') Lesson any season. About 20 were on the island, Bryan found this species nesting in and I obtained two samples on April 30 burrows at soily places, and many were and May 5. They were seen all the time seen by him resting under bushes or logs. on the hot surface of the runway or on Eggs and chicks are also reported. . the roads through the jungle, only ap­ 9. Puffinus nativitatis Streets pearing on the beach to bathe and drink Young of all stages are reported'by water. Bryan observed a flock of 11 birds Bryan, . who found this species under on August 4. bushes or roots, together with P. pacijicus 17. Thalasseus bergi cristatus (Stephens) and tropic birds, but never in burrows. Only recorded in the Japanese hand­ There is one specimen, dated November, list, 1922, 1932, 1942. 1913, in the Yamashina Museum (former 18. Sterna hitundo longipennis Matsudaira Collection). Nordmann 10. Pterodroma (?brevipes) hypoleuca Only recorded in the Japanese hand­ (Salvin) list, 1932, 1942. [For specific name d. Austin, Jr., 19. Sterna lunata Peale 1952: 393.] There are seven specimens (dated Oc­ Not reported by Bryan, but in the tober, 1910) in the Yamashina Museum Yamashina Museum (former Matsudaira (former Matsudaira Collection) and one Collection) there is one specimen ob­ in the Game Management Bureau, To­ tained in October, 1908. kyo, with the same date. Marcus Island Birds - KURODA 91

FIG. 3. A pair of noddies on a broken wchka near the shore. An egg lies below them. They are also breeding, in company with Sooty Terns, on the r.ocks in the background. Photograph by author.

20. Sterna anaethetus anaethetus Scopoli egg. No chicks were seen. In the early Only recorded in the Japanese hand­ morning they were scattered around the list, 1922, 1932, 1942. island and gathered in a flock on the 21. Sterna fuscata oahuensis Bloxam beach or coral reef. All day'long, almost Bryan reports this tern as by far the always in pairs, they were flying high and most abundant bird and mentions its low, sometimes soaring at a great'height, slaughter by the colonists. During March over the island to and from the coastal to September alone not less than 50,000 breeding place. Their white underparts· birds are said to have been killed. A spec­ and underwing coverts are quite beau­ imen dated September, 1903, is in the tiful when seen from below against the Yamashina Museum (former Tokyo Uni­ background of deep blue sky. Toward versity Collection), and I secured eight the evening and at night they were par­ birds and three eggs. The Marcus spec­ ticularly noisy around the colony. When imens are larger than those of the Bonin the colony is intruded upon, they crowded Islands, Palau Island, or Riukiu Islands. noisily over the intruder with harsh cries, About 1,000 were breeding on the almost attacking his head, and always beach and coral rocks. They are said to from behind. Once a flock was observed have arrived about a week before our fishing a little offshore on the northeast visit on April 30. The female lays a single side of the island where squid (and, con- 92 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. VIII, January, 1954

sequently, big fishes) are abundant. All Their voice is quite characteristic, rather the birds obtained, including also Anous resembling that of a crow though much and Gygis, had small squid in their pro­ weaker, and they make two sounds-a ventriculus. They never seemed to go far call note of one syllable and an alarm from the island. note, translated by Bryan as K-r-uk, 22. Procersterna cerulea saxatilis Fisher K-r-u-k. These voices, heard in hot at­ Only one specimen (purchased in To­ mosphere, are very impressive. kyo) obtained in August, 1911, was in Anous differs from Sterna in various the former Kuroda, Sr., Collection. respects besides external characters and 23. Anous stolidus pileatus (Scopoli) voice. The body fat and yolk of the egg This noddy was found by Bryan breed­ are yellow instead of orange as in Sterna ing in good numbers p~eferably on trees, fuscata; the sternum, which is double and all stages of the young were seen in nQtched posteriorly in Sterna, is single his visit in August. I found about 200 notched in Anous; the syrinx, correlated birds breeding in separate colonies on with the characteristic voice, is peculiarly ruined gas tanks (four in number, about provided with a gelatinous cover; and 10 pairs on each), a small wooden tank, the caeca are long, not being the small and an abandoned tochka, and a few attachment usual in the gulls and terns. birds high up on the top of the wireless 24. Anous minutus marcusi (Bryan) tower. A few isolated pairs were nesting The original description is given in on the beach and coral rocks. Seven ex­ Bryan's report based on two adults and amples and four eggs were obtained. fledged young. He reports that this spe­ Their flight is different from that ofthe cies was much less abundant than the Sooty Tern (slower wing beats), and previous one. The Yamashina Museum their edged, pointed wings often looked has two specimens obtained in 1910 (for­ like those of a falcon; their large tails mer Tokyo University Collection), and are very characteristic. They often skim another is in the Game Management near the water surface which they touch Bureau Collection, dated December 4, with their bills, probably to drink. A pair 1908. None of this species was found was often observed to make a rapid cir­ .during my visit. cling flight, almost touching each other, . 25. Gygis alba candida (Gmelin) with very rapid flapping, then to rise . Bryan reports this species as quite com- higher and higher into the sky. This is mon, breeding in jungles, and he ob­ apparently a kind of pleasure or court­ served many grown chicks. Now it ship flight. Pair after· pair were flying apparently does not breed, for the only rather low over the island between the birds seen, which were obtained, were two colony and the coast and were often ob­ females with reduced ovaries. They were served picking up nest materials-small flying over the wooded parts and resting sticks, dried grasses, etc.-from the in Messerschmidia. The basal half of the ground while fluttering their wings. At bill is a beautiful cobalt blue, the rest their colonies they sat closely on the being bright black; the iris is almost· eggs, and now and then the whole group black; the feet are bluish white with took wing to circle around the colony creamy white webs and black claws; and for a while and then settle again. A few the skin is grayish black. were seen at a great height on the wireless There are two specimens in the Yama­ tower, sitting and bringing back nest shina Museum, dated September, 1902 materials, and flying until after dark. (Tokyo University Collection), and No- Marcus Island Birds - KURODA 93

vember, 1910 (Matsudaira Collection), A bird was caught in mid-April, 1952. and another example with the latter date It was in an. exhausted state and was is in the Game Management Bureau finally caught by hand, apparently a Collection. straggler. 26. Larus argentatus vegae Palmen 32. Egretta sp. A March specimen was given to Bryan Three white egrets stayed on the island by the colonists, who are said to have during the summer of 1951 and disap­ reported to him that it had been obtained peared after a typhoon. four times previously in the winter season. REFERENCES He was told also that another species of gull had sometimes occurred. ANON. 1902., (Historical notes.) Chigaku The following are sight records. Zasshi [Jour. Geo!.] 14(166): 567-568,683­ 2.,. Numenius phaeopus variegatus 690. (Scopoli) AUSTIN, OLIVER 1., JR. 1952. Notes on some I observed one bird on May 6. petrels of the North Pacific. Harvard Univ., Mus. Compar. Zool. 107(7): 391-407. 28. Calidris acuminata (Horsfield) BRYAN, W. A.1903. A monograph ofMarcus Bryan reports a single example ob­ Island. Bernice P. Bishop Mus., Occas. Papers served on August 6. 2(1): 77-126. [With appendix of fish list.] 29. Arenaria interpres interpres (Linne) INOMA. 1904. (Historical note.) Chjgaku Zas­ Bryan observed a flock of 11 birds on shi 16(191): 730.. August 4, and I saw a bird on May 1. KURODA, NAGAMICHI. 1913. (Record of Pro­ 30. ?Catharacta skua cersterna.) Dobutsugaku Zasshi [Jour. Zoo1.] One bird was observed from a distance 25 (298): 419. . in the early morning ofMay 3 (after rain) NAMIE, M. 1905. Animals of Marcus Island. at a pool remaining on the runway. It [Review of Bryan report.] Dobutsugaku Zas­ was preening its feathers and flew off shi 17(201): 218-226. soon so that I could not see it, but Mr. ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN. 1922, Sakagami saw the white part on its wings. 1932, 1942. A hand-list ofthe Japanese birds. In addition to the above, the following two Ornithological Society ofJapan, Tokyo. species are to be added, of which I was told yOSHIDA, O. 1902. Minami-Torishima Shisa­ by the weather station workers. tsu [An Inspection to Marcus Island]. 31. ?Ardea purpurea Chigaku Zasshi 14(166): 674-678.