Sula sula rubripesGould

Sula personataGould, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1846, p. 21. (Type locality, North and northeast coasts of Australia = Raine Island.)

Sula cyanopsFinsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 219 (Taluit); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 72 (Marshalls); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, p. 430 (Marshalls).

Parasula dactylatra personataKuroda, in Momiyana, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 35 (Marshall Islands); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 232 (Marshall Islands).

Sula dactylatra personataYamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 407 (Medinilla); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 187 (Medinilla, Marshall Islands); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 208 (Medinilla, Marshall Islands).

Geographic range.—Central and western Pacific from the Hawaiian Islands south to Australia, probably also in the Indian Ocean. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Medinilla; Marshall Islands—Jaluit?

Characters.—Adult: A large, white sea bird, with brown wings and tail; face dark blue; bill horn-colored with base orange-yellow in males and pink or light red in females; feet olive in males and lead gray in females.

Immature: Resembles adult, but head, wings, tail, chin and throat dark brown; some white mottling may be present on back and rump; bill dark; feet lead colored.

Nesting.—Yamashina (1932a:407) reports the taking of 12 eggs on February 19, 1931, at Medinilla Island in the Marianas.

Remarks.—No specimen has been examined by me from the area reported upon. Little is known regarding the distribution of the Masked Booby in Micronesia. It is found on the island groups which surround Micronesia and future field observations probably will add to our knowledge of its occurrence in this area. It is known to be resident only in the northern Marianas.

Sula rubripesGould, Syn. Birds Australia, pt. 4, 1838, app., p. 7. (Type locality, New South Wales = Raine Island.)

Pelecanus piscatorKittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 296, 299 (Lougounor = Lukunor);idem, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 351 (Lugunor).

Dysporus piscatorHartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), p. 831 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelews);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 90 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 6, 47 (Palau).

Sula piscatrixWiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 72 (Pelew, Luganor); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 64 (Rota, Palaos, Carolines); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Marianne); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Rota);idem, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 267 (Guam);idem, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam);idem, Guam, 1912, p. 19 (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam).

Sula piscatorOgilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, p. 432 (Pelew); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 24 (Guam).

Piscatrix sula rubripesKuroda, in Momiyana, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 34 (Pelew, Luganor, Rota).

Sula sula rubripesHand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 185 (Medinilla, Saipan, Rota, Palau, Lukunor, Likieb); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 676 (Maug, Bikar); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 208 (Maug, Medinilla, Saipan, Rota, Palau, Lukunor, Bikar, Likieb).

Geographic range.—Indian Ocean east to central Pacific islands. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Maug, Medinilla, Saipan, Rota; Palau Islands—exact locality unknown; Caroline Islands—Lukunor; Marshall Islands—Bikar, Likieb, Bikini, Eniwetok.

Characters.—Adult: A large sea bird with plumage of variable color, mainly white or partly buff with black primaries and black-tipped secondaries, or grayish or brownish with white or grayish tail; throat blackish; face blue or green; bill bluish and lighter at tip; legs and feet red.

Immature: Resembles adult, but often wholly brownish, lighter ventrally; bill blackish; feet yellowish red. Immature resembles that ofS. leucogaster.

Nesting.—Morrison obtained a male nestling at Bikini on May 3, 1946.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 10 (3 males, 7 females) from Marshall Islands, USNM—Bikini (April 28, May 1, 2, 3).

Remarks.—The writer saw several birds approximately 20 miles east of Eniwetok on January 7, 1945. Morrison obtained a series of birds at Bikini in April and May, 1946. Murphy (1936:861-870) presents a wealth of information concerning the bird. He points out the need for a better understanding of the plumages of the adult birds and gives evidence that the birds of different colors may occur within the same population. He describes the Red-footed Booby as nesting in trees and shrubs. This type of nesting environment is present at many of the islands in Micronesia.

Pelecanus PlotusForster, Descr. Anim., ed. Licht., 1844, p. 278. (Type locality Near New Caledonia.)

Dysporus sulaHartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), p. 831 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelew);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 90 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 6, 47 (Palau);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 11 (Ruk).

Sula fuscaFinsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 218 (Taluit).

Sula leucogastraSalvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 423 (Pelew, Carolinis); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 72 (Pelew, Ruk, Marshalls); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 63 (Palaos, Mariannes, Marshalls, Carolines); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Marianne).

Sula sulaOgilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Museum, 26, 1898, p. 436 (Asuncion, Pelew); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 24 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 66 (Mariannas);idem, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 267 (Guam);idem, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam);idem, Guam, 1912, p. 19 (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 100 (Marianen); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 50 (Marianne); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam); Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. 487, 493 (Sea off Mariana Islands).

Sula leucogaster plotusKuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 34 (Pelew, Ruk, West Faiu, Uracas, Saipan, Marshalls); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 407 (Medinilla); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 185 (Uracas, Pagan, Medinilla, Saipan, Truk, West Fayu, Grimes, Marshalls); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 208 (Uracas, Pagan, Medinilla, Saipan, Grimes, West Fayu, Truk, Marshalls); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 41 (Rota, Guam, Truk).

Geographic range.—Throughout tropical Pacific area and south to Australia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Asuncion, Uracas, Pagan, Medinilla, Saipan, Rota, Guam; Palau Islands—exact locality unknown; Caroline Islands—Grimes, West Fayu, Truk, Kusaie; Marshall Islands—Jaluit, Eniwetok.

Characters.—Adult: A heavy sea bird dark brown except for white lower breast, belly, under tail, and auxillars; bill heavy and light bluish; face, gular pouch and feet greenish yellow.

Immature: Resembles adult, but lower breast, belly and under tail mottled with brown; feet light yellow.

Measurements.—Two adult males (Rota, Guam) measure: wing 386, 408; tail 194; exposed culmen 93, 98; tarsus 45, 49; two adult females (Rota, Kusaie): wing 380, 487; tail 193, 217; exposed culmen 94, 99; tarsus 45, 50.

Weights.—The author (1948:41) records one immature female from Rota weighing 1042 grams.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 6 (3 males, 3 females), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM—Rota, 3 (Oct. 24); AMNH—Guam, 1 (July 23); Palau Islands, AMNH—exact locality not given, 1 (Dec. 1); Caroline Islands, AMNH—Kusaie, 1 (April 19).

Nesting.—Few records have been published concerning nesting of the Brown Booby in Micronesia. Yamashina (1932a: 407) reports the taking of 12 eggs at Medinilla in the Mariana Islands on February 19, 1931. At Palau, Coultas (field notes) obtained reports that the bird nests at Kiangat, a small islet north of Babelthuap.

Parasites.—Uchida (1918:487, 493) obtained bird lice (Mallophaga),Menopan brevipalpeandLipeurus potens, from the Brown Booby from the "sea off Mariana Islands."

Remarks.—The Brown Booby has not been found abundantly by observers in the Micronesian area. Coultas and Kubary, who spent considerable time in this region, observed the bird at only a few of the islands. Probably the bird does not nest abundantly in Micronesia, although small colonies may be present. The NAMRU2 party observed a flock of twelve brown boobies on high cliffs at Taipingot Peninsula at Rota on October 24, 1945. Birds were seen also at Guam in May, July and November, 1945, and at Truk in December of the same year. Coultas obtained a single specimen at Kusaie; the natives told him that it was not a resident of the island. The writer observed several Brown Boobies approximately twenty miles east of Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands on January 7, 1945. These were in the company of other sea birds.

Hydrocorax melanoleucosVieillot, Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., 8, 1817, p. 88. (Type locality, "Australasie," restricted to New South Wales.)

Carbo melanoleucusHartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelew);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 90, 114 (Pelew).

Graculus melanoleucusFinsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 48 (Pelew).

Microcarbo melanoleucusSalvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 410 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 72 (Pelew).

Phalacrocorax melanoleucusOgilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, p. 398 (Pelew); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 235 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 50 (Pelew); Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, p. 486 (Palau).

Ph[alacrocorax] melanoleucosReichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 127 (Palauinseln).

Microcarbo melanoleucus melanoleucusKuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 35 (Pelew).

Microcarbo melanoleucus melvillensisMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 228 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 186 (Babelthuap, Koror).

Haliëtor melanoleucos melanoleucosPeters, Check-list Birds World, 1, 1931, p. 93 (Pelew).

Phalacrocorax melanoleucus melanoleucusMayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 486, 1931, p. 5 (Pelew); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1175, 1942, p. 2 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, pp. 50, 284 (Palau, Marianas); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 41 (Palau).

Phalacrocorax melanoleucos melvillensisHand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 207 (Pagan, Babelthuap, Koror, Angaur).

Geographic range.—Tasmania, Australia, Lesser Sunda north through Melanesia to Palau Islands. In Micronesia: Palau Islands—Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Ngabad, Peleliu, Anguar.

Characters.—Adult: A small cormorant with upper parts black with dull greenish gloss; under parts white except vent and under tail-coverts which are sooty-black.

Measurements.—The author (1948: 41) gives the following measurements of two adult females from Peleliu: wing, 220 and 222; tail, 153 and 157; culmen from notch of suture between maxilla and quadratojugal bones, 35 and 36.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 15 (1 male, 12 females, 2 unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM—Peleliu, 6 (Aug. 27, Sept. 7, 10, 16); AMNH—exact locality not given, 9 (Nov. part).

Nesting.—Nehkorn (1899:235) recorded eggs taken at Palau. Some of the specimens obtained by Coultas in November, 1931, had swollen gonads. The author found no evidence of nesting in August and September, 1945, in the southern Palaus.

Food habits.—The author (1948: 41) found small fish in the stomachs of birds taken in August and September. The contents of each stomach averaged approximately 3 cc. in volume.

Parasites.—Uchida (1918:486) found the bird louse (Mallophaga),Lipeurus subsetosus, on the Little Pied Cormorant from Palau.

Remarks.—The Palaus mark the northernmost point of range of the Little Pied Cormorant. It does not occur in the Philippines and must have reached Palau from the New Guinea region. It isunknown at Yap and other "high" islands in the Carolines. A sight record of this species at Pagan in the northern Marianas, made by Orii and reported in the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisukaet al., 1942:207), may be questioned. Amadon (1942:1) has studied the races of this species and points out that there is little geographic variation in the species; it is divisible into three subspecies. One of these is confined to New Zealand. Another occurs only on Rennell Island, Solomons. The six specimens taken by the NAMRU2 party at Peleliu included only two adults, whose measurements are within the range of those studied by Amadon.

The NAMRU2 party found the birds numerously in the southern Palaus in 1945. Birds were concentrated in the areas of mangrove swamp and on the tidal flats. In August and September, they were observed frequently in groups of 10 to 15, either sitting on the ground or perched on low mangroves or dead snags sunning themselves. Coultas (field notes) received reports that they nested at a freshwater lake on the "main island" (Babelthuap?)

Ripley (1948) reports the occurrence of "about a dozen anhingas (presumablyAnhinga melanogaster)" at Babelthuap on 12 November 1946.

Pelecanus minorGmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 572. (No type locality = Christmas Island, Indian Ocean.)

Pelecanus aquila?Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., 1824, p. 154 (Carolines).

Pelecanus aquilus?Lesson, Man. d'Ornith., 2, 1828, p. 354 (Carolines).

Atagen aquilusGray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 61 (Ladrone or Marian Islands).

Tachypetes aquilaFinsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 11 (Ruk); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 100 (Marianen).

Tachypetes aquilusFinsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 333 (Taluit);idem, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 296, 310 (Ponapé, Kuschai);idem, Ibis, 1881, pp. 109, 115 (Kuschai, Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 299, 353 (Mortlock, Ruk).

Fregata aquilaSalvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 403 (Carolines, Marshalls); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, (1890-1891), p. 71 (Ruk, Luganor, Ponapé, Ualan, Marshalls); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, p. 443 (Carolines, Marshalls); Finsch, Deut. Ver. zum Schultze der Vogelwelt, 25, 1900, p. 452 (Ponapé, Kuschai, Marshalls); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 24 (Guam); Safford, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 267 (Guam); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall Inseln); Safford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam).

Fregata aquila palmerstoniKuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 35 (Carolines, Marshalls).

Fregata minor peninsulaeMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 233 (Carolines, Marshalls); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 1, 1931, p. 96 (Carolines?, Marshalls?).

Fregata minor palmerstoniHand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 186 (Yap, Faraulep, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Namu, Likieb); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 676 (Maug, Bikar).

Fregata minor minorHand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 207 (Maug, Yap, Faraulep, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Namu, Bikar, Likieb).

Fregata minorBorror, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 416 (Agrihan).

Geographic range.—Eastern Indian Ocean to western Pacific Ocean. Limits of range not certainly known. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Agrigan, Maug, Saipan, Guam; Caroline Islands—Yap, Faraulep, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie; Marshall Islands—Namu, Bikar, Likieb, Kwajalein, Bikini.

Characters.—Adult male: Large sea bird with deeply forked tail; blackish but wing-coverts paler; head and back glossy purple and blue; breast lighter than belly. Adult female: Resembles adult male, but head blacker; chin and throat grayer; breast more whitish. Immature: Resembles adult, but head and throat whitish washed with buff; breast dark brown; belly whitish.

Measurements.—Two adult males measure: wing, 572; tail, 354, 396; exposed culmen, 98, 103; two adult females; wing, 583, 604; tail, 365; exposed culmen, 119, 127. These four specimens are from Bikini.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 10 (3 males, 7 females), from Marshall Islands, USNM—Bikini (March 11, 22, 29, 30, April 13, 29, May 3, 14).

Remarks.—The systematic position of the subspecies ofFregata minorin the Pacific area is not well established. I am following the committee who prepared the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisukaet al., 1942:207) in using the nameF. m. minor, although a thorough study may show that these birds have closer relationships to one of the other subspecies of the Pacific area.

Fregata minorhas been reported only occasionally in the Marianas and probably is not resident there. Borror (1947:416) reports the bird at Agrihan on August 11, 1945, and Seale (1901:24) mentions one taken at Guam in November, 1889. No records are known from the Palaus. In the Carolines the birds are probably resident, especially in the eastern part. In the Marshalls the species is a conspicuous member of the bird colonies on the coral atolls. Wallace (field notes) observed two birds at Loi Island in Kwajalein Atoll on May 7, 1944. Morrison obtained ten specimens at Bikini in the period from March through May in 1946.

Atagen (sic) ArielGray, Gen. Birds, 3, 1845, col. pl. [185]. (Type locality, Raine Island, Queensland.)

Pelecanus minorLesson, Traite d'Ornith., 1831, p. 607 (Mariannes, Carolines).

Tachypetes minorHartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), p. 831 (Mackenzie Group); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 90 (Uap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 123 (Yap).

Fregata minorSalvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 405 (Mariannes, Mackenzie); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 71 (Uap, Ngoli or Matelotas).

Tachypetes aquilavar.minorOustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 65 (Rota, Carolines, Marshalls); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Marianne).

Fregata arielOgilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, p. 447 (Marianas, Carolines); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 25 (Guam?); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam).

Fregata ariel arielMathews, Birds Australia, 4, 1914-15, p. 285 (Carolines, Marshalls); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 36 (Yap, Ngoli, Rota); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 186 (Rota, Yap, Ngulu, Uluthi); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 208 (Rota, Yap, Ngulu, Uluthi).

Geographic range.—China coast and Philippines south to Australia and east to Pacific islands. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Guam?, Rota; Caroline Islands—Yap, Ngulu, Ulithi.

Characters.—Adult male: ResemblesF. m. minor, but smaller and blacker with upper parts lustrous greenish-blue and white patch on lower flank.

Adult female: Resembles adult male, but browner with paler nape and white breast. Immature: Resembles adult, but with head, chin, throat, and belly white washed with rufous.

Remarks.—LikeF. minor, the Least Man-o'-War has not been observed often in Micronesia. Marche obtained one female at Rota in June, 1888. D. H. Johnson saw a bird thought to be of this species at Agfayan Bay, Guam, on 4 June 1945. Records from the western Carolines are few. There are no reports of this bird from the Palaus and the Marshalls. It may breed on some of the atolls in the Carolines.

The two species of man-o'-war birds may be difficult to distinguish in the field. The smaller size ofFregata arielis perhaps the most useful character although it may be easily recognized also by the presence of the white flank patch, if it can be observed.

Both of the species ofFregatadiscussed in this report have representatives in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. Murphy (1936:920) has shown that the man-o'-war birds are able to cross the Isthmus of Panamá between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. This route may also be the means of dispersal for other species. The irregular distribution of these birds as well as of other sea birds in the oceanic islands of the Pacific may be caused by their remaining over waters which contain preferred foods and their avoidance of waters which lack preferred foods.

Ardea (Butorides) virescensvar.amurensisSchrenck, Reise Amur Lande, 1, pt. 2, 1860, p. 441. (Type locality, Amurland.)

Butorides striatus javanicusHand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 183 (Koror, Babelthuap).

Butorides striatus amurensisHand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 204 (Babelthuap, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau).

Geographic range.—Breeds in northeastern Asia, China, Japan, Bonins. Winters south to Philippines and Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands—Babelthuap, Koror.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 2 females, from Palau Islands, AMNH—exact locality not given (Nov. 13, Dec. 17-18).

Remarks.—The Amur Green Heron has been recorded as a winter visitor to the Palau Islands. Two females taken by Coultas in November and December, 1931, are immature. He comments (field notes) that he saw, in all, three birds in taro patch and mangrove swamp habitat.

Cancroma CoromandaBoddaert, Table Pl. enlum., 1783, p. 54. (Type locality, Coromandel.)

Ardeola ibis coromandaHand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 183 (Koror).

Bubulcus ibis coromandusHand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 204 (Koror, Babelthuap); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau).

Geographic range.—India, Ceylon, east to China and Japan and south to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands—Babelthuap, Koror.

Remarks.—The Japanese ornithologists have recorded the Cattle Egret from Babelthuap and Koror in the Palau Islands. It is a winter migrant.

Ardea intermediaWagler, Isis, 1829, p. 659. (Type locality, Java.)

Egretta intermedia intermediaHand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 183 (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 203 (Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 42 (Rota, Guam, Peleliu, Angaur, Ulithi).

Egretta intermediaWharton and Hardcastle, Journ. Parasitology, 32, 1946, pp. 306, 310 (Ulithi); Baker, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, p. 408 (Guam).

Geographic range.—India and Ceylon east to Malaysia, Philippines, China and Japan. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Saipan, Rota, Guam; Palau Islands—Koror, Peleliu, Angaur; Caroline Islands—Ulithi.

Characters.—Adult: A large white heron with green facial skin; black legs, feet and toes. In breeding plumage: Head with crest; neck and back with ornamental plumes; bill black. Winter plumage: Without crest or plumes; bill yellow with blackish tip. Immature: Resembles adult in winter plumage, but feathers soft and downy.

Measurements.—Five males from Saipan, Rota, Guam, and Angaur measure: wing, 295-321 (308); tail, 112-127 (119); culmen, 85-87 (87); tarsus, 111-118 (114); three females from Saipan, Ulithi, Angaur: wing, 294-301 (297); tail, 101-116 (110); culmen, 77-83 (80); tarsus, 108-115 (107).

Weights.—The author (1948:43) records the weights of two males from Guam as 445 and 463.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 8 (5 males, 3 females), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM—Saipan, 2 (Sept. 29, Oct. 2)—Rota, 1 (Oct. 31)—Guam, 2 (June 13); Palau Islands, USNM—Angaur, 2 (Sept. 21); Caroline Islands, USNM—Ulithi, 1 (Aug. 15).

Food habits.—The NAMRU2 party found grasshoppers, other insects, spiders and lizards in the stomachs of egrets taken at Guam, Ulithi, and Angaur.

Parasites.—Wharton and Hardcastle (1946:306, 310) obtained the chiggers (Acarina),Neoschöngastia egrettaandN. ewingi, from this egret from Ulithi.

Remarks.—The NAMRU2 party obtained Plumed Egrets at Rota, Guam, Ulithi, and Angaur in 1945. Previously, the only known record was from Koror, as reported in the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisukaet al., 1932:183). In addition, in 1945, Joe T. Marshall, Jr., obtained two birds at Saipan, and Gleise (1945:220) reported seeing "white herons" at Tinian, which probably were egrets. Gleise estimated the number of these birds at Tinian to be fifty; he found them in swampy areas. At Rota, the NAMRU2 party found a flock of sixteen birds in a cultivated field on October 31. At Guam, egrets were first observed on February 25, 1945, when a flock of fourteen was found in a fallow rice paddy near Piti. This flock remained in this area and were seen occasionally until as late as June 13, when two were taken as specimens. A short time later (June 30) the entire area was cleared for military use and the birds were seen no more. At Agfayan Bay a flock of sixteen birds was found on the beach on July 24 and on August 6. These birds kept apart from Reef Herons which were also in the area. In June, 1946, M. Dale Arvey observed egrets in swamps along the Ylig River at Guam. At Ulithi Atoll, three egrets were seen on August 15 at Potangeras Island, feeding in grassy areas adjacent to the beach. In the southern Palaus, the NAMRU2 party found egrets in August and September on tidal flats and open grasslands at Peleliu and Angaur. At Peleliu, a flock of twenty-five birds was seen on September 8 and a flock of eight birds on September 16. At Angaur approximately twenty birds were seen in groups of five or more on September 21. These birds, unlike the Reef Herons, preferred grasslands to beach areas for feeding and were usually seen in sizeable flocks.

There was no evidence of breeding; specimens examined were either immatures or adults in winter plumage, since they had yellow bills tipped with black and slight or no development of ornamental plumes. Birds taken at Guam in June and at Angaur in September had no ornamental plumes, while birds taken at Ulithi in August, at Saipan in September and October, and at Rota in late October show some development of the back plumes. Wharton and Hardcastle (1946:306) found the same species of chigger on Plumed Egrets from Ulithi and from Okinawa in the Riu Kiu Islands. TheNAMRU2 party observed the birds in Micronesia from February until October in 1945, and although the Plumed Egret may be considered as merely a visitor to Micronesia, it would not be surprising to find nests there. The fact that several new distributional records were obtained for Micronesia in 1945 may indicate that the birds have been overlooked by ornithologists in the past or that the birds are increasing the breadth of their winter (or breeding?) range.

Ardea sacraGmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 640. (Type locality, Tahiti.)

Ardea jugularisKittlitz, Observ. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 286, 299, 304 (Ualan, Lougounor, Guahan); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 (Mariannen); Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 63 (Ualan); Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, pp. 118, 162, 120, 121 (Puynipet, Ualan).

Ardea (Herodias) atraGray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 48 (Ladrone or Marian Islands, Caroline Islands).

Ardea sacraHartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), p. 831 (Matelotas Islands); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 8, 118 (Pelews); Finsch and Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1870, p. 137 (Pelews, Matelotas); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 3, 1871, p. 28 (Marian, Carolines, Pelews, Matelotas); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 104 (Pelew, Uap, Ualan); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 123 (Yap); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, 32 (Palau);idem, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 18, 38 (Ponapé, Ualan);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 781 (Ponapé);idem, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 294, 306 (Ponapé, Kuschai);idem, Ibis, 1880, pp. 220, 330, 332 (Taluit);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk);idem, Ibis, 1881, pp. 105, 106, 109, 115 (Kushai, Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 299, 353 (Mortlocks, Ruk); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 51 (Jaluit, Kuschai); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 261 (Mariannes); Wiglesworth, Ibis, 1893, p. 211 (Marshalls); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 36 (Guam, Marshalls, Palaos, Carolines); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall-Inseln).

Demiegretta sacraSalvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 348 (Marshalls, Ualan, Ponapé, Ruck, Pelew, Mariannis); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 67 (Marianne, Pelews, Luganor, Ruk, Ponapé, Ualan, Taluit); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 64 (Saipan); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, p. 137 (Pelew, Carolines, Marshalls); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 11 (Ruk); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 29 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 (Marianas);idem, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 266 (Guam); Kuroda, Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, p. 129 (Micronesia); Bryan, Guam, Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); Bequaert, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, p. 266 (Kusaie).

Demigretta sacraSafford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 101 (Saipan, Tinian); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Bequaert, Mushi, 12, 1939, p. 81 (Kusaie); Warton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, p. 175 (Guam); Warton and Hardcastle, Journ. Parasitology, 32, 1946, pp. 306, 316 (Ulithi, Guam).

Demiegretta jugularisTakatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 50 (Truk, Ponapé, Pelew).

Demiegretta jugularis grayiUchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. 484, 488, 490 (Ponapé).

Demiegretta sacra sacraKuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 36 (Guam, Saipan, Angaur, Luganor, Yap, Ngoli, Ruk, Ponapé, Kusaie, Taluit).

Demigretta sacra sacraWetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 171 (Kusaie); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 198 (Carolines); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 406 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 183 (Saipan, Guam, Babelthuap, Peliliu, Angaur, Ngulu, Yap, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Jaluit, Majuro); Mayr and Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1144, 1941, p. 10 (Guam, Saipan, Palau, Ponapé, Kusaie, Ruk, Tah); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 203 (Saipan, Rota, Babelthuap, Peliliu, Angaur, Ngulu, Yap, Ulithi, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Jaluit, Arhno, Majuro, Moloclab, Wotze, Likieb, Ailuk); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, pp. 51, 284 (Micronesia); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 90 (Tinian); Strophlet, Auk, 63, 1946, p. 535 (Guam); Borror, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 417 (Agrihan); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 524 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 42 (Rota, Guam, Peleliu, Ulithi, Truk).

Demigretta sacra micronesiaeMomiyama, Tori, 5, no. 22, 1926, p. 110 (Type locality, Caroline Islands; Pelew, Yap, Truk, Ponapé, Kusaie).

Geographic range.—Coasts of Asia and adjacent islands from Korea and Japan south to Malaysia, Australia, Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Agrigan, Tinian, Saipan, Rota, Guam; Palau Islands—Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Ngesebus, Peleliu, Ngabad, Anguar; Caroline Islands—Ulithi, Yap, Ngulu, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie; Marshall Islands—Jaluit, Arhno, Majuro, Maloclab, Wotze, Likieb, Ailuk, Bikini, Eniwetok, Kwajalein.

Characters.—A medium-sized heron with three color phases: in gray phase color of body varies from "deep blackish-slate" to light bluish-slate, particularly on the breast, with a white gular stripe; wear and fading causes the color of the body to change to brownish-slate; bluish-gray ornamental plumes may be present on adult; in white phase color of body is pure white in adult stage; plumage of immature may be mottled; in mottled phase there may be a variable amount of gray and white (for complete study of plumages ofDemigretta sacrasee Mayr and Amadon, 1941:4).

Measurements.—Mayr and Amadon (1941:1) record the length of the wing of thirty adults from the Marianas and Carolines as 268-309 (284). Seven adult males obtained by the NAMRU2 party at Rota, Guam and Peleliu measure: wing, 287-307 (294); tail, 95-114 (101); culmen, 91-101 (96); tarsus, 78-87 (82); seven adult females, from Rota and Guam: wing, 265-285 (275); tail, 87-96 (91); culmen, 86-92 (89); tarsus, 72-79 (76).

Weights.—The author (1948:42) lists the following weights: four adult males from Guam (gray phase) 590-667 (614); two adult males from Guam (white phase) 600 and 662; five adult females from Guam and Rota (gray phase) 477-553 (506).

Specimens examined.—Total number, 80 (38 males, 40 females, 2 unsexed) as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM—Rota, 3 (Oct. 18, Nov. 2, 5)—Guam, 21 (May 11, June 6, 18, July 6, 8, 16, 24, 27, Aug. 6, 8, 27); AMNH—Saipan, 2 (July 22)—Guam, 9 (Feb. 11, Mar. 6, 7, April 11, Aug. 15, Sept. 14, 16, Nov. 27, Dec. 20); Palau Islands, USNM—Peleliu, 3 (Sept. 10, 16); AMNH—exact locality not given, 5 (Nov. 8, 21, 23); Caroline Islands, USNM—Ulithi, 1 (Aug. 15)—Kusaie, 1 (Feb. 8); AMNH—Truk, 3 (Feb. 18, May 20, Nov. 5)—Tah, 2 (Oct. 18)—Ponapé, 2 (Nov. 21, undated)—Kusaie, 26 (Jan. 25, 26, Feb., Mar. 10-20, 20-30, April 1-10, 18); Marshall Islands, USNM—Bikini, 2 (March 29, April 2).

Nesting.—The Reef Heron apparently nests on most of the islands in Micronesia. The eggs are laid in a nest of grass and twigs on or near the ground. Hartert (1898:64) records a nest found in grass at Saipan on July 28, 1895. Yamashina (1932a:406) reports on one egg taken at Ponapé on July 23, 1931. Marshall (1949:219, fig. 37) found a breeding bird in April at Tinian. Coultas (field notes) learned from the natives at Ponapé that the Reef Heron builds a nest of small sticks near the ground in the mangrove thickets. Two or three eggs are laid, and nests can be found at various times of the year. Mayr and Amadon (1941:4) comment on the prolonged breeding season and report six sets of eggs from Polynesia taken in January, March, April, September, October, and November.

Food habits.—The author (1948:42) found fish and crabs in the stomachs of birds taken at Guam, Ulithi and Peleliu.

Parasites.—Uchida (1918:484, 488, 490) found the following bird lice (Mallophaga) on the Reef Heron at Ponapé:Nirmus orarius,Colpocephalum importunum, andMyrsidea teraokai. Bequaert (1939:81 and 1941:266) found the fly (Hippoboscidae),Ornithoctona plicata, on the heron at Kusaie. Wharton (1946:175) and Wharton and Hardcastle (1946:306, 316) obtained chiggers (Acarina),Neoschöngastia egrettaandN. carveri, from the Reef Heron at Guam and Ulithi.

Remarks.—The speciesDemigretta sacracontains two subspecies, the widespreadD. s. sacraand a larger form,D. s. albolineata(Gray), known from New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands. The latter subspecies is surrounded by the former, a distribution which closely parallels that in each of the speciesPhalacrocorax melanoleucusandGygis albaof Oceania. Recently Delacour (in Delacour and Mayr, 1945b:105) has dropped the nameDemigrettaplacing all of the forms of this genus inEgretta. He says, "We cannot accept the genusDemigretta, which is based on the more extended feathering of the tibia, the different length and texture of the feathers of the trains, the shortness of the tarsus and the presence of a dark gray color phase. The latter exists in the Madagascan and African subspecies ofEgretta garzetta."

The Reef Heron is a conspicuous member of the bird life of Micronesia, being recorded from most of the island groups. It prefers the placid and shallow waters of the lagoons and tidal beaches where it obtains the littoral animal life as food. The birds are seldom seen inland and usually frequent the beaches and rocky coasts. In this respect there is little opportunity for competition with the migratory Plumed Egret, which prefers the grassy upland and marsh areas and inland ponds. The Reef Heron is a quiet, usually solitary, and retiring bird, being exceedingly difficult to approach, especially when found on the open tidal flats.

The problem of plumages and color phases in the Reef Heron has been treated by Mayr and Amadon (1941:4-10). Specimens which they examined from Micronesia were found to be 54 percent gray, 40 percent white, and 6 percent mottled. Of the birds obtained by NAMRU2 field parties, fewer than 40 percent were white. Field counts showed a considerable variation in the ratio of grays towhites: Guam—6 grays to 4 whites; Ulithi—4 grays, 6 whites, 1 mottled; Palau—equal number of grays and whites; Truk—2 whites, 1 gray, 1 mottled. For some unknown reason, the gray birds were more easily approached than the white birds. Gleise and Genelly (1945:221) saw one white Reef Heron at Eniwetok. Wallace (field notes) found white herons more numerous than gray ones at Kwajalein in 1944 and 1945. Borror (1947:417) observed gray birds at Agrigan. Stott (1947:524) saw one blue heron on December 24, at Saipan. The 150 birds seen by him at Lake Susupe in December probably were Plumed Egrets.

In discussing the variation in the color phases of the Reef Heron throughout its range, Mayr (1924b:237) suggests that the reduced variability of small populations may not be due to accidental gene loss, but instead to the population having descended from a single pair or from one fertilized female. The descendents would naturally possess only those characters provided for in the genetic make-up of the parents. Reef Herons on New Zealand and in the Marquesas Islands all are gray, while at other island groups different proportions of gray and white individuals occur; such phenomena may result because of the genetic constitution of the "founders."

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