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diff --git a/42537-8.txt b/42537-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index dcd52ca..0000000 --- a/42537-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,22775 +0,0 @@ -Project Gutenberg's The Avifauna of Micronesia, Volume 3, by Rollin H. Baker - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: The Avifauna of Micronesia, Volume 3 - Its Origin, Evolution, and Distribution - -Author: Rollin H. Baker - -Release Date: April 14, 2013 [EBook #42537] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AVIFAUNA OF MICRONESIA *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Matthias Grammel, Joseph Cooper, -The Internet Archive for some images and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS - - MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - - - VOLUME 3 ˇ 1951 - - - EDITORS - - E. RAYMOND HALL, _Chairman_ - A. BYRON LEONARD - EDWARD H. TAYLOR - ROBERT W. WILSON - - - MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS - LAWRENCE - 1951 - - - - - MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS - LAWRENCE - - - - PRINTED BY - FERD VOILAND, JR., STATE PRINTER - TOPEKA, KANSAS - 1951 - -[Illustration] - - 24-1811 - - - - -CONTENTS - - - 1. The Avifauna of Micronesia, Its Origin, Evolution, and Distribution. - By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures in text. June 12, 1951 - - 2. A Quantitative Study of the Nocturnal Migration of Birds. By George - H. Lowery, Jr. Pp. 361-472, 47 figures in text. June 29, 1951 - - 3. Phylogeny of the Waxwings and Allied Birds. By M. Dale Arvey. Pp. - 473-530, 49 figures in text, 13 tables. October 10, 1951 - - 4. Birds from the State of Veracruz, Mexico. By George H. Lowery, Jr. - and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 531-649, 7 figures in text, 2 tables. - October 10, 1951 - - Index, Pp. 651-681. - - - - - The Avifauna of Micronesia, - Its Origin, Evolution, and Distribution - - BY - - ROLLIN H. BAKER - - - University of Kansas Publications - Museum of Natural History - - Volume 3, No. 1, pp. 1-359, 16 figures in text - June 12, 1951 - - - University of Kansas - LAWRENCE - 1951 - - - - - The Avifauna of Micronesia, - Its Origin, Evolution, and Distribution - - BY - - ROLLIN H. BAKER - - - University of Kansas Publications - Museum of Natural History - - Volume 3, No. 1, pp. 1-359, 16 figures in text - June 12, 1951 - - - University of Kansas - LAWRENCE - 1951 - - - - - UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - - Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, A. Byron Leonard, - Edward H. Taylor, Robert W. Wilson - - =Volume 3, No. 1, pp. 1-359, 16 figures in text - Published June 12, 1951= - - - UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS - Lawrence, Kansas - - PRINTED BY - FERD VOILAND, JR., STATE PRINTER - TOPEKA, KANSAS - 1951 - -[Illustration] - - 22-8131 - - - - - The Avifauna of Micronesia, - Its Origin, Evolution, and Distribution - - By - - ROLLIN H. BAKER - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - INTRODUCTION 5 - - DESCRIPTION OF MICRONESIA 5 - Climate 8 - Soils 9 - Surface water 9 - Vegetation 10 - - GAZETTEER OF THE ISLANDS OF MICRONESIA 11 - Mariana Islands 11 - Palau Islands 13 - Caroline Islands 14 - Marshall Islands 15 - - ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATION IN MICRONESIA 16 - - CHECK-LIST OF THE BIRDS OF MICRONESIA 21 - - DISCUSSION OF THE AVIFAUNA 28 - Oceanic Birds 28 - Inshore Oceanic Birds 29 - Offshore and Pelagic Oceanic Birds 30 - Faunal Components 30 - Migratory Shore Birds 32 - Original Homes of the Shore Birds that Visit Micronesia 32 - Routes of Migration 34 - Populations of Shore Birds in Micronesia 37 - Land and Fresh-Water Birds 42 - Polynesian Component 44 - Melanesian Component 44 - Moluccan and Celebesian Components 45 - Philippine Component 45 - Palearctic Component 46 - Speciation 48 - Time of Colonization 50 - Factors Causing Dispersal 52 - Analysis of Speciation 55 - - CONSERVATION OF THE AVIFAUNA OF MICRONESIA 58 - - THE FUTURE OF ORNITHOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN MICRONESIA 60 - - METHODS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 60 - - ACCOUNTS OF THE KINDS OF BIRDS IN MICRONESIA 63 - - SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 340 - - BIBLIOGRAPHY 343 - - - - -FIGURES IN TEXT - - - FIGURE PAGE - - 1. The islands of Micronesia. 6 - - 2. The Mariana Islands. 12 - - 3. The Palau Islands. 13 - - 4. The Caroline Islands. 15 - - 5. The Marshall Islands. 16 - - 6. Routes of migration used by shore birds in the Pacific. 34 - - 7. Avifaunal regions of the central Pacific. 43 - - 8. Faunal areas from which Micronesian birds have been derived. 46 - - 9. Routes of dispersal of rails in the Pacific area. 120 - - 10. Variation in length of culmen of _Sterna s. sumatrana_. 159 - - 11. Geographic distribution of _Thalasseus bergii_. 164 - - 12. Geographic distribution of _Gygis alba_ in the Pacific. 177 - - 13. Distribution and dispersal of _Ptilinopus porphyraceus_. 190 - - 14. Distribution and dispersal of _Gallicolumba_ in the Pacific. 204 - - 15. Distribution and dispersal of _Acrocephalus_ in the Pacific. 260 - - 16. Distribution and dispersal of _Myzomela_ in the Pacific. 316 - - - - -INTRODUCTION - - -Birds in Micronesia comprise the most outstanding animal life of the -islands, as far as vertebrates are concerned. No fewer than 206 kinds, -belonging to 37 families and 91 genera have been found there. Although -this number upon first consideration may seem large, actually any large -land mass in the same latitude has many more kinds of birds than does -Micronesia. In this connection it is pertinent to recall that the -islands of Micronesia are oceanic and have apparently been formed -independently of any continental land mass. Thus, animal life found on -these islands has reached them by overseas migration, either by some -passive means or by individual effort. Zoogeographers have had some -difficulty in explaining the presence of snails and other nonflying -animals on isolated oceanic islands. Crampton, in his studies of the -land snails of the genus _Partula_ at Guam and Saipan (1925:10), writes, -"Despite the geological difficulties, the biological findings strongly -support the view that the dominant process in this part of Oceania has -been one of subsidence and of insular dissection." Although there exists -today some question as to how certain forms of life have reached these -remote dots of land, the ornithologist has not been much in doubt as to -the actual _means_ of arrival of birds. With the exception of six kinds -of birds which are definitely known to have been introduced by man, the -birds have apparently reached these islands by flying there from -somewhere else. The ornithologist is, therefore, concerned with learning -_from where_, _by what route_, _when_, and _why_ the various species of -birds came and _how_ they have become established on these islands of -Micronesia. These birds exist in small populations; often less than 100 -individuals of one kind may be found on a small island. How have such -small numbers had the ability to survive and what environmental -adaptations have occurred, are two additional questions which confront -the student of Micronesian birds. - - - - -DESCRIPTION OF MICRONESIA - - -The vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean is dotted with numerous islands, -most of which are concentrated in the central and western part and are -known collectively as Oceania. Within Oceania three divisions are -popularly recognized: Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. According to -Krieger (1943:6), the Micronesia islands include the Mariana, Palau, -Caroline, Marshall, and Gilbert islands; they may take in also the -Volcano, Bonin, and Ellice islands (from the standpoint of -anthropology). Zoogeographically, according to Wallace (1876), -Micronesia is to be included in the Polynesian Subregion of the -Australian Region. Mayr (1941a:193), on the basis of the distribution of -birds, ranks Micronesia as one of the four subdivisions of the -Polynesian Subregion, and includes within Micronesia the Palau, -Caroline, Mariana, Marshall, and Gilbert islands. Except in the -discussion of distribution, this report does not treat of the avifauna -of the Gilbert Islands, which straddle the equator south of the Marshall -Islands. This report is concerned only with the birds in the Mariana, -Palau, Caroline, and Marshall islands formerly mandated to Japan, and -with the birds of the island of Guam, which is a possession of the -United States. - -[Illustration: FIG. 1. The Islands of Micronesia] - -The word Micronesia is, of course, derived from the Greek words _mikros_ -meaning small and _nesos_ meaning island, and, as shown in figure 1, -this term is appropriate, for the islands of this area are small. For -the most part they are too small even for inclusion on standard-sized -maps of the world. There are thousands of these islands in an area some -2,400 miles long from east to west and some 1,200 miles broad from north -to south. All of the islands of Micronesia are oceanic islands; that is -to say, they have never been connected to the Asiatic continent or to -other land masses by means of land bridges. - -Geologists and oceanographers have shown (see descriptions by Hobbs, -1945), that islands of Micronesia are of two general types: arcuate and -strewn. The Pacific Ocean is surrounded by rising mountain ranges which -are arranged in elongated, near-circular arcs, which form an extended -series of scallops. In the western Pacific these sweeping arcs extend -into the ocean, where the mountain ranges project upward from the bottom -of the sea with only the crests showing above the waves to point out, in -dotted outline, the position of the mountains. The easternmost of these -arcs is marked by the islands of the Aleutians, Kuriles, Japan, Izo, -Bonins, Volcanoes, Marianas, Yap, Palaus, and others continuing -southward into Melanesia. These are characterized by igneous rocks of -andesitic nature. - -To the eastward of the arcuate islands in Micronesia, are numerous and -irregularly distributed islands, making up all of the central and -eastern Carolines and the Marshalls, which are known as strewn islands. -Strewn islands mark the places of former volcanoes or volcanic peaks. If -these volcanic peaks have been completely drowned and are now marked by -a series of low islands edged by a protecting reef formed by coral -growth enclosing a lagoon and with all exposures consisting of coral -rock, the island is known as a coral atoll (example, Ulithi Atoll). Some -of the coral exposures lack lagoons; they are known merely as coral -islands (example, East Fayu). Some atolls become elevated by geologic -activity and the lagoons may dry out or drain. The accumulation of guano -of oceanic birds and the residue of fish and other organisms in the area -of the lagoon remains as a rich phosphate deposit; these raised atolls -have been called phosphate islands (example, Fais). Other strewn islands -consist of igneous rocks which are exposed above the surface of the -ocean. These are known as "high" or volcanic islands and may occur as a -single mountain rising out of the ocean (example, Kusaie), or be partly -drowned and surrounded by a coral reef (example, Truk). The igneous -rocks found on these strewn islands are basaltic in nature. - -The Mariana Islands consist of a chain of volcanic islands approximately -450 miles long. As shown in figure 2, there are 14 single islands and -one group of three islands (Maug), from Uracas in the north to Guam in -the south. The Palau Islands which are situated in the easternmost part -of Micronesia have often been considered from a political standpoint as -part of the Caroline Islands. As shown in figure 3, the Palau Islands -are a chain of islands approximately 120 miles long from north to south. -Sonsorol, Tobi, Merir, Pulo Anna, and Helen Island occur to the -southward of the Palaus and may be considered as part of the Carolines -or as part of the Palaus. The Palaus together with the Carolines, to the -eastward, extend in an east-west direction for approximately 1,700 -miles. The Palaus and Carolines include (as shown in figures 3 and 4) 37 -atolls, 34 banks, 11 coral islands without lagoons, 2 uplifted phosphate -islands, 4 volcanic islands, and the Palau chain. The Marshall Islands -to the extreme eastward extend approximately 700 miles from north to -south and, as shown in figure 5, contain 29 atolls and five coral -islands without lagoons. No volcanic exposures occur in the Marshall -Islands. - -There is a total land surface of approximately 846 square miles in the -islands of Micronesia. The Palaus and Carolines have 525 square miles, -the Marianas 247 square miles, and the Marshalls 74 square miles of land -surface. Guam has the largest land surface of any of the islands of -Micronesia with 225 square miles, Ponapé has 145 square miles, and -Babelthuap has 143 square miles. Asuncion, in the northern Marianas, has -the highest elevation, rising as an almost perfect cone to a height of -2,923 feet; Ponapé reaches a height of 2,579 feet above the sea level. -The volcanic islands are known as "high" islands, and the coral atolls -are known as "low" islands. The coral islands usually rise but a few -feet above sea level. - - -CLIMATE - -In Micronesia there are two seasons: a wet summer and a dryer winter. -Temperatures rarely go above 90° F. and rarely below 70° F. Rainfall in -the Marianas averages approximately 85 inches per year, in the Palaus -approximately 150 inches, in the Carolines it ranges from 129 to 185 -inches, and in the Marshalls it goes up to 160 inches. The humidity is -excessive, the average annual mean of relative humidity for selected -islands in Micronesia being between 82 and 86 percent. The relative -humidity is lower in the western Carolines and the Palaus, than in other -parts of Micronesia. - -The Mariana Islands lie between the area of the Asiatic monsoon and the -belt of the northeast trade winds. At Saipan from November until March -or April, winds usually are easterly or northeasterly and are strong and -steady since the northeast trades and the winter monsoon reinforce each -other. In April and May the directions of the winds shift toward the -southeast, and they become weaker and more variable. In this period -there may be some easterly winds in addition to the predominating -southeasterly winds. Detailed information is not available on the winds -which occur in the Marianas north of Saipan, but at Pagan easterly winds -probably prevail from May to July and westerly winds prevail in the -remainder of the year. The Carolines lie in the belt of alternating -northeast trade winds and southwest monsoons. The northeast trades begin -in October and prevail until May or June. The southwest monsoon occurs -from May to October and may be felt as far east as Truk. To the -eastward, the winds of the summer are usually light and variable. In the -Marshall Islands, the northeast trade winds predominate from about -December to April, especially in the northern part of the Marshalls. In -summer, winds are variable and weak; periods of calm may occur. Typhoons -and squalls occur most frequently in the spring and summer in -Micronesia. Some of the severe typhoons are known to engulf entire -islands, as did the one at Woleai in 1907. - - -SOILS - -The soils of the islands of Micronesia have been derived from volcanic -materials or from depositions of coralline limestone. Volcanic soils -occur on the "high" islands of Micronesia. In many places, especially on -the islands of the northern Marianas there is little soil; there are -large areas of bare igneous rock, because the islands are geologically -of relatively recent origin and little erosion has occurred. On islands -where volcanic rocks have decomposed, the resulting soil may have a top -layer of humus. The richest soils of the islands are along drainage -areas and in alluvial deposits. - -Coralline soils result from the decomposition of limestone, coral -fragments, shells, and sand, and are overlain by some humus. Where the -layer of humus is deep, the fertility is greatest. Coralline-volcanic -soils occur on some "high" islands where coral rock and volcanic rock -have become mixed in the decomposition process which forms soil. In -parts of the Marianas and elsewhere, unwise practices of burning and -overgrazing have allowed extensive erosion to occur, resulting in -reduced fertility of the soil. On the island of Yap certain sedimentary -rocks are exposed which are thought to have been elevated from the ocean -bottom. Soils at Yap which have developed from this rock are considered -more fertile than soils of coralline origin, although the fertility -there also is dependent on the depth of the layer of humus. - - -SURFACE WATER - -There is little fresh water on the coral atolls, but brackish marshes -are present on some islands, and many of these marshes are used for the -cultivation of taro by the natives. Some volcanic islands, on the other -hand, possess small streams and fresh water lakes, producing suitable -habitat for certain rails, gallinules and ducks. On the "low" islands in -the Marshalls, natural surface pools are rare. - - -VEGETATION - -The "high" islands of Micronesia support a heavy cover of vegetation. -Typically the lowlands and stream courses are covered with dense jungle -vegetation, and the slopes and higher hills are covered with grasses and -brush. The vegetation of the "low" coral atolls and islands is, by -comparison, much less dense. Many shorelines are covered with scant -grasses and shrubs and the interior in many places is dominated by -coconut, betel palms, breadfruit, papaya, and pandanus. References to -papers dealing with plants in the islands of the Pacific may be obtained -in Merrill (1945), who (1945:207) writes, "Botanically, the low islands -are very uninteresting and monotonous. The flora of one is usually quite -the same as that of another, although these islands and islets may be -separated by many hundred and in some cases several thousand miles. The -native vegetation may be scanty or reasonably well developed, depending -on the size of the island, the quality of its soil, and whether or not -it is permanently inhabitated." Of the vegetation on the "high" islands -of the Pacific area, Merrill (1945:209) comments that the vegetation "is -well developed, particularly within the forested areas, but for these -high islands within the Pacific basin as a whole, the number of endemic -genera is relatively small and most of them have definite relationships -with those of Malaysia." Concerning the "high" islands of Micronesia, -Merrill (1945:210) remarks that these islands are smaller and more -isolated than some of the others in Oceania and have fewer individual -species "as compared with what one finds on islands of a similar size -located within limits of the Malay Archipelago. Thus with all of the -islands under Japanese mandate, and including a number of high, but at -the same time relatively small islands, less than 1,300 different -species are known, of which 230 manifestly represent purposely or -accidentally introduced ones. This relatively small flora includes -representatives of approximately 620 genera in 192 families.... Specific -endemism is relatively high, for approximately 460 species are confined -to the islands within the area under consideration. The generic endemism -is very low; about seven endemic genera only are involved for the whole -group." The figures for endemism of plants are comparable to those for -birds. Of endemic birds there are 5 genera, 35 species, and 73 -subspecies. The total number of species of birds known from Micronesia -is only 206 as compared with 1,300 plants. Yamada (1926:966) writes that -the number of species of plants that Micronesia has in common with Japan -may be due to the influence of the "Japan Stream." - -Many land birds in Micronesia depend directly on the plant life for -food. Possibly the soil (including its mineral content), upon which the -plants themselves depend for development of fruits and other edible -parts, may offer a limiting factor to the distribution of birds in -Micronesia. Possibly the fruits and other edible parts of plants do not -provide the necessary amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, -vitamins, and other essential food items for species of plant-eating -birds, which have not become established in Micronesia. Possibly some -species of plant-eating birds have reached Micronesia but have failed to -establish themselves because of some dietary deficiency caused by -poverty of the soils on which the plants grow. If a comparison were made -of soils and of the food values of fruits of plants in both the islands -of Micronesia and similarly sized islands in the Malay region, a -difference might be revealed which would partly explain why some -plant-eating birds have not become established in Micronesia. - - - - -GAZETTEER OF ISLANDS OF MICRONESIA - - -In the following list the name in current usage for each island or -island group in Micronesia is followed by other names which have been -used. There is no attempt made to list the names of the small islands of -each atoll or those of the myriads of small islets that lie offshore -from the larger volcanic islands. Collections have not been made on most -of the smaller islands. For the few on which a species has been -collected, the islet is adequately described in the account of the -particular species concerned. The reader may refer to Brigham (1900) for -a listing of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the islands -included in the following list may be located on the map of Micronesia -as shown in figures 2, 3, 4, and 5. These listings follow in order of -arrangement those in the Civil Affairs Handbooks, published by the -United States Navy Department (1943, 1944a, 1944b, and 1944c). - - -MARIANA ISLANDS - -The Mariana Islands (also called Ladrone, Marianne, Marian) consist -of 14 single islands and one group of three islands. The Marianas -are all "high" or volcanic islands. The islands, shown in figure 2, -are listed as follows: - - _Agrihan_ (also called Agrigan, Arijan, Francisco Xavier, Granger, - Gregus, Grigan, San Francisco Javier). - - _Agiguan_ (also called Agaigan, Agiigan, Agiguan, Agigwan, - Aguigan, Aguijan, Aguyan, Guigan, Saint Ange, Santa Angel). - - _Alamagan_ (also called Almagan, Aramagan, Concepcion). - - _Anatahan_ (also called Anatagen, Anatajen, Anataxan, San - Joaquin). - - _Asuncion_ (also called Asonson, Assongsong, Assumption). - - _Guam_ (also called Guaham, Guahan). - - _Guguan_ (also called Guguwan, Guugwan, Piedras, San Felipe, St. - Philippe). - - _Maug_ (also called Mang, Mangs, Mauga, Monjas, Mougu, Saint - Laurent, San Lorenzo, Tunas). - - _Medinilla_ (also called Bade, Bird, Farallon de Medinilla, - Rocher). - - _Pagan_ (also called Pagon, Paygan, St. Ignace, San Ignacio). - - _Rota_ (also called Luta, St. Anne, Santa Ana, Sarpan, Satpana, - Suta, Zarpane). - - _Saipan_ (also called (Saepan, St. Joseph, San José, Saypan, - Siepan, Serpan, Seypan). - - _Sarigan_ (also called St. Charles, San Carlos, Sariguan, - Sarigwan). - - _Tinian_ (also called Bona Vista, Buenavista, Temean, Tenian, - Tiniamou). - - _Uracas_ (also called Guy Rock, Farallon de Pájaros, Pájaros, - Urakasu). - -[Illustration: FIG. 2. The Mariana Islands.] - - -PALAU ISLANDS - -[Illustration: FIG. 3. The Palau Islands.] - -The Palau Islands (also called Arrecifos, Palaos, Paleu, Pally, -Paloc, Pannog, Parao, Pelew) consist of 8 large islands, 18 smaller -islands, and a large number of minute islets, all enclosed in a -single reef system. The northern islands (Babelthuap and Koror) are -of volcanic origin; the southern islands (Peleliu and others) are -of coralline formation. Angaur, to the south of Peleliu, may be -included with the Palau Archipelago. From the standpoint of the -avian zoogeography, the coral islands or atolls of Kayangel, Merir, -Pulo Anna, Sonsorol, and Tobi are also included. The principal -islands, shown in figure 3, are listed below: - - _Arakabesan_ (also called Ngarekobasang). - - _Aurapushekaru_ (also called Aburashokoru, Auluptagel, Oluksakel, - Oropu-shakaru). - - _Babelthuap_ (also called Babeldzuap, Babel Taob, Babelthouap, - Baberthaob, Baberudaobu, Babldaob). - - _Eil Malk_ (also called Amototi, Cogeal, Irakong, Makarakaru). - - _Garakayo_ - - _Koror_ (also called Coror, Goreor, Kororu). - - _Malakal_ (also called Amalakell, Malaccan, Marakaru, Nanalake). - - _Ngabad_ - - _Ngesebus_ (also called Guadokusu). - - _Peleliu_ (also called Pelelew, Periryu, Pililer, Peliliu, Uler). - - _Urukthapel_ (also called Cape, Kuapasungasu, Ngurukdapel, Ulugeang, - Uruk-taaburu, Uruktapi). - -Included with the Palau group because of proximity and relationships of -the avifauna are the following: - - _Angaur_ (also called Angauru, Angyaur, Ngaur, Ngeour, N'Yaur). - - _Kayangel_ (also called Kadjangle, Kajanguru, Kazyanguru, Kianguel, - Kreiangel, Moore, Ngajangel, Ngeiangel). - - _Merir_ (also called Marir, Meliel, Meriel, Meriru, Pulo Marier, Warren - Hastings). - - _Pulo Anna_ (also called Anna, Bul, Bur, Current, Paola, Pul, Puru, - Wull). - - _Sonsorol_ (also called St. Andrew, San Andreas, Sonesor, Songosor, - Sonseron, Sonsol, Sonsoru, Tschontil). - - _Tobi_ (also called Codopuei, Johnstone, Kadogubi, Lectobis, Lord North, - Nevil, Togobei, Tokobei). - - -CAROLINE ISLANDS - -The Caroline Islands consist of 41 island clusters or isolated -islands (exclusive of submerged coral reefs). These are of coral -formation. They are atolls or single islands except for Yap, which -is of sedimentary rock, and Kusaie, Ponapé, and Truk, which are of -volcanic rock. The principal islands are shown in figure 4 and are -listed as follows: - - _East Fayu_ (also called Fajo, Faliao, Lutké, Rukutee). - - _Eauripik_ (also called Aurepik, Eourpyg, Iuripik, Kama, Low, - Yorupikku, Yuripik). - - _Fais_ (also called Astrolabe, Feis, Feys, Fuhaesu, Huhaesu, - Tromelin, Woaje). - - _Faraulep_ (also called Faraulip, Faroilap, Fattoilap, Foroilap, - Furaarappu, Gardner, Huraarappu). - - _Ifalik_ (also called Evalook, Faloc, Furukku, Hurukku, Ifalouk, - Ifelug, Two Sisters, Wilson). - - _Kapingamarangi_ (also called Bakiramarang, Constantine, - Greenwich, Guriinitchi, Kabeneylon, Kapenmailang, Makarama, - Pikiram, Tenuv). - - _Kusaie_ (also called Arao, Armstrong, Experiment, Hope, Kusai, - Kuschai, Kushai, Kuthiu, Oualan, Quollen, Strong, Teyoa, Ualan, - Walang). - - _Lamotrek_ (also called Lamorsu, Lamureck, Lamutrik, Low, Namotik, - Namotikku, Manochikku, Namurrek, Swede). - - _Lukunor_ (also called Lemarafat, Lougoullos, Lougounor, Luganor, - Lugunor, Lugunoz, Mortlock, Namonefeng, Rukunoru, Youngwilliam). - - _Namonuito_ (also called Anonyma, Baxos de San Bartolomeo, Bunkey, - Las Hermanas, Livingstone, Lost Jardines, Lutké, Namenwita, Olol, - Omun, Onon, Ororu, Remp, Ueito, Ulul). - - _Ngulu_ (also called Angegul, Anolul, Goulou, Kurru, Lamoliao, - Lamoliork, Lamuliur, Lamuniur, Matelotas, Ngilu, Ngoli, Ngolog, - Spencer Keys, Ulu). - - _Nukuoro_ (also called Dunkin, Matakema, Menteverde, Nugoru, - Nukor, Nukuor). - - _Pikelot_ (also called Bigali, Biguela, Coquille, Lydia, Pigela, - Pigerotto, Pigouelao, Pik, Pyghella). - - _Pingelap_ (also called Macaskill, Musgrave, Pelelap, Piigerappu, - Punlap, Sailrocks, Tucks Reef). - - _Ponapé_ (also called Ascension, Bonabee, Bonybay, Faloupet, - Faounoupei, Funopet, Niponpei, Painipete, Ponapi, Piunipet, - Puynipet, Quirosa, Seniavin, William IV). Ponapé is the largest - island of the Senyavin Islands. - - _Truk_ (also called Djuk, Hogoleu, Hogolu, Hoguleu, Lugulus, Ola, - Rough, Ruck, Ruk, Torakku, Tuck, Ugulut). The Truk group includes - approximately 100 islands. - - _Ulithi_ (also called Mackenzie, Mogmog, Mogumogu, Mokomok, - Ouluthy, Uluthi, Uluti, Urushi). - - _West Fayu_ (also called Faiyao, Fajahu, Faliau, Huiyao, West - Faiu). - - _Woleai_ (also called Anagai, Mereyon, Oleai, Ouleyai, Thirteen - Islands, Uala, Ulea, Uola, Ulie, Wolea). - - _Yap_ (also called Eap, Guap, Heap, Jap, Ouap, Uap, Wuap, Yappu). - -[Illustration: FIG. 4. The Caroline Islands.] - - -MARSHALL ISLANDS - -The Marshall Islands consist of 29 atolls and 5 coral islands -without lagoons arranged in two chains, the Ralik and the Radak -chains, which extend in a northwesterly to southeasterly direction. -No volcanic rocks are exposed in these islands. The principal -islands shown in figure 5 are as follows: - - _Ailuk_ (also called Ailu, Fisher, Krusenstern, Tindall, Watts). - - _Arhno_ (also called Arno, Aruno, Auru). - - _Bikar_ - - _Bikini_ - - _Ebon_ (also called Boston Atoll). - - _Elmore_ (also called Ailinglap, Ailinglapalap, Iringlob). - - _Eniwetok_ - - _Jaluit_ (also called Bonham, Taluit). - - _Kwajalein_ - - _Likieb_ (also called Likiep). - - _Majuro_ (also called Arrowsmith, Mezyuro). - - _Mejit_ - - _Maloelab_ - - _Mille_ (also called Mulgrave). - - _Namorik_ - - _Namu_ (also called Musquillo, Namo). - - _Rongelap_ - - _Wotje_ (also called Romanzov, Wotze, Wozzie). - -[Illustration: FIG. 5. The Marshall Islands.] - - - - -ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATION IN MICRONESIA - - -The Micronesian islands were first explored and colonized by a a people -who came from Malaysia. It is thought that these people spread into the -Palau, Caroline, Mariana, Marshall, and Gilbert islands as a single wave -of migration. Following this occupation, the people apparently underwent -a normal process of cultural evolution and differentiation. Remains of -stone walls, dikes, fences, pillars, graves, and other structures which -may be found today at various islands in Micronesia were constructed by -the ancestors of the islanders of the present day. It is thought by -archeologists that the Polynesians moved eastward into the Pacific -islands by way of Micronesia. The date of this wave of migration is -thought to have been approximately 1200 A. D. What kinds of birds may -have been exterminated by this earliest of human colonization cannot be -ascertained. Edible species, particularly megapodes, rails, and pigeons, -probably were eliminated or reduced in numbers, as is indicated by later -discussions. - -The first Europeans to visit Micronesia, as far as the present writer -can ascertain, left no accounts of the birds significant for the study -here reported upon. Magellan, on his trip around the world, was the -leader of the first party of Europeans who touched at Guam; this was on -March 6, 1521. Rota, Agiguan, Saipan, and Tinian were also discovered by -this Portuguese sea captain in the service of the king of Spain. Eltano, -one of Magellan's lieutenants, revisited the Pacific and stopped at Rota -in 1524. After the voyage of Magellan, other seafarers, mostly in the -service of Spain, visited the Micronesian islands. The Caroline Islands -were apparently first observed by the Portuguese captain, Diego de -Rocha, in 1526. Loyasa and Saavdera, both Spaniards, visited the -Marshall Islands in 1526 and 1529, respectively. - -One of the first travelers to record observations on the bird life was -Henry Wilson. Wilson was captain of the schooner "Antelope" which became -grounded on a reef in the Palau Islands in August, 1783. He lived with -the islanders while the ship was being repaired and kept a journal of -his observations (Wilson, 1788). Wilson also visited several other -islands in western Micronesia. Adelbert von Chamisso (1821), as -naturalist with the Russian expedition in the ship "Rurick," made -observations of the animal life in Micronesia in 1817 and 1818. Under -the command of Otto von Kotzebue, this Russian expedition made the first -detailed exploration of the Marshall Islands; visits were made also to -Guam and Rota and to Yap, Fais, Ulithi, Palau, and other island groups -in western Micronesia. Freycinet's famous expedition in the ships -"Uranie" and "Physicienne," visited Guam, Rota, and Tinian in 1819. Quoy -and Gaimard, the naturalists of the expedition, obtained birds, which -were among the first to be described from Micronesia. These two -naturalists revisited the Marianas in 1829 on board the ship -"Astrolabe." Scientific results of both of these expeditions (Quoy and -Gaimard, 1824-'26 and 1830-'35) include texts and plates dealing with -the birds obtained. - -The French expedition in the corvette "La Coquille" visited Kusaie in -June, 1824. Lesson (1829) wrote the zoology of this trip. Kittlitz -(1836) of the expedition which sailed in the corvette "Le Seniavine" -commanded by Lutké obtained birds at Kusaie in December and January, -1827-'28, at Guam in March, 1828, and at Lukunor and other islands of -the Carolines. At Kusaie, Kittlitz found a rail (_Aphanolimnas monasa_) -and a starling (_Aplonis corvinus_) which have not been obtained since -his time. His specimens were deposited in St. Petersburg. He was one of -the most competent of the early naturalists; his writings contain -accounts of habits as well as descriptions and are accompanied by -colored plates. The expedition which sailed on the "Astrolabe" and the -"Zélée" in 1827-'40 under the command of Dumont d'Urville visited the -Caroline Islands. The naturalists, Hombron and Jacquinot, obtained birds -at Truk, including the interesting flycatcher, _Metabolus rugensis_, -which they described (1841). The "Novara," in the course of its voyage -around the world (1857-'59) visited the Caroline Islands in 1858. Birds -were recorded from Ponapé, Lukunor and other islands by Pelzeln in his -account of the birds of the expedition (1865). - -In the years following the middle of the Nineteenth Century, Godeffroy -and Sons, of Hamburg, opened branches of its trading firm in Micronesia. -Representatives of the company including Heinsohn and Peters, who were -ship captains, obtained collections of birds at Palau and Yap. These -were deposited in the Godeffroy Museum at Hamburg and reported on by -Hartlaub and Finsch (Hartlaub, 1868; Hartlaub and Finsch, 1868a and -1872). Tetens became representative of Godeffroy and Sons at Yap in 1869 -and obtained birds. Perhaps the most famous collector in this period was -Johann Kubary. He went to Ponapé at the age of nineteen and traveled in -Micronesia for many years for Godeffroy and Sons. He obtained birds at -many of the islands of the Carolines, spending fourteen months at Truk. -In 1873, one of his collections of some 200 birds was lost in a -shipwreck. Hartlaub and Finsch, (Hartlaub and Finsch, 1872; Finsch, -1876a) described much of his material; Nehrkorn (1879) reported on nests -and eggs which he obtained. Hartlaub and Finsch (1868b) also reported on -birds obtained at Palau by Doctor Semper, which were deposited in the -museum at Altona. Otto Finsch (1880b, 1880d, 1881b, 1881c) traveled in -Micronesia about 1880, observing birds in the eastern Carolines and in -the Marshalls. - -One of the largest collections from Micronesia was made by Alfred Marche -in the Marianas. He arrived there on April 22, 1887, and stayed until -May, 1889. He obtained approximately 732 specimens of birds, nests, and -eggs at Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan, and Alamagan, which were -deposited in the Paris Museum and reported on by Oustalet (1895-'96). -Shortly after Marche's visit, Japanese collectors in the hire of Alan -Owston, a professional collector of Yokahama, obtained birds in the -Marianas and at Truk in the years 1894-'97. These went to the Rothschild -collection at Tring and were reported on by Hartert in 1898 and 1900. - -At the turn of the Twentieth Century, several ornithologists were -visiting Micronesia. Alvin Seale (1901) obtained a collection of birds -at Guam in the summer of 1900 which was deposited in the Bernice P. -Bishop Museum in Honolulu. The U. S. Fish Commission steamer "Albatross" -visited Micronesia from August, 1899, to March, 1900; birds obtained by -the expedition were reported on by Townsend and Wetmore (1919). Paul -Schnee (1901) spent approximately one year, 1899-1900, at Jaluit in the -Marshalls and obtained records of birds. In 1899, Brandeis, on board the -German ship "Kaiserland" visited many of the islands in the Marshalls -and recorded birds. William Safford (1905) resided at Guam in the early -part of this century and reported on the bird life in the course of his -studies of the botany and native life. Bartsch (Mearns, 1909) also -obtained a small collection of birds at Guam, this is in the United -States National Museum. - -In the first World War when the Japanese gained a mandated control over -the islands of Micronesia, the Japanese ornithologists promptly visited -the area, obtained collections, and published works concerning the -birds. In 1922, Momiyama and Kuroda prepared a list of the birds of -Micronesia. The work was published under the auspices of the -Ornithological Society of Japan. Subsequent editions appeared in 1932 -and 1942. - -The Whitney South Sea Expedition of the American Museum of Natural -History visited Micronesia from October, 1930, to December, 1931, with -William F. Coultas as collector. Although experiencing some difficulty -and being restricted somewhat in his travels by the Japanese officials, -he managed to obtain collections at Ponapé (October 26, 1930, to January -1, 1931), Kusaie (January 15 to June 11, 1931), Guam (June 24 to August -30, 1931), Saipan and Tinian (September 1 to 26, 1931), and Palau -(October 2 to December, 1931). Many of the species which he obtained are -represented by large series of fine skins. Only part of his collections -have been reported on by Mayr and his associates. - -Other than the work of Coultas and that of the Japanese, there was -little ornithological work done in the period between the two world -wars, probably, at least in part, because of the "iron curtain," which -Japan had thrown about her mandate. Bryan (1936) did visit Guam in the -middle 1930's and published an account of the birds in the newspaper, -Guam Recorder. - -When the Micronesian islands were taken by the American forces in 1944, -personnel attached to various units made observations on the bird life. -The first reports, published or unpublished, were from the Marshalls, -which were taken at the beginning of the campaign. Gleise, Genelly, -Wallace, and others made contributions. In the Marianas considerably -more observing and collecting were done by service personnel including -Marshall, Stott, Borror, Strophlet, Buss, Watson, Arvey, Downs, and -others. Marshall (1949) obtained also a collection of birds in the -Palaus in 1945. The Laboratory of Mammalogy, United States Naval Medical -Research No. 2, to which I was attached, collected at Guam (January to -October, 1945), at Rota (October 17 to November 2, 1945), at Ulithi -(August 11 to 23, 1945), at Palau (August 24 to September 24, 1945), and -at Truk (November 24 to December 18, 1945). Following the end of the -war, Harvey I. Fisher visited Micronesia and obtained a collection of -birds at Yap, which is to be reported on in the near future. Larry P. -Richards obtained 33 birds at Ponapé and 4 at Truk in the period from -August 28, 1947, to February 10, 1948. - -Descriptions of birds in Micronesia began with the naming of _Halcyon c. -cinnamomina_ in 1821; the most recent description is that of _Rhipidura -rufifrons mariae_ in 1946. In all, 131 descriptions have designated type -localities in Micronesia. Table 1 lists the dates (on the basis of -ten-year intervals) when names of birds (synonyms or otherwise) were -proposed. In the period from 1821 to 1860, twenty-five birds were made -known to science by the earliest workers, including Kittlitz, Lesson, -Bonaparte, and Pelzeln. In the period from 1861 to 1880, thirty-four -birds were newly named, mostly by Hartlaub and Finsch, from the -collections which the Godeffroy Museum obtained through the efforts of -Kubary, Tetens, Peters, and Heinsohn. Nineteen original descriptions -were published from 1881 to 1900, principally by Oustalet and Hartert, -who studied the material of Marche and Owston, respectively. From 1901 -to 1910, only four birds were described, but from 1911 to 1940, -forty-seven descriptions were published, mostly by the Japanese -following World War I. From 1931 to 1940, the number of known birds was -increased by the efforts of Mayr, who studied the material of the -Whitney South Sea Expedition. From 1941 to date only two original -descriptions have appeared--only one was postwar. Except for possible -undescribed subspecies in the northern Marianas, I think that the heyday -of the taxonomist in ornithology in Micronesia is over. The field of -avian ecology in Micronesia has barely been scratched. - - -TABLE 1. COMPILATION OF THE DATES (ON THE BASIS OF TEN-YEAR INTERVALS) -WHEN ORIGINAL DESCRIPTIONS OF BIRDS OF MICRONESIA APPEARED. - - ============+==============+============+============== - | No. of | | No. of - YEARS | descriptions | YEARS | descriptions - ------------+--------------+------------+-------------- - 1821-1830 | 8 | 1881-1890 | 9 - 1831-1840 | 8 | 1891-1900 | 10 - 1841-1850 | 4 | 1901-1910 | 4 - 1851-1860 | 5 | 1911-1920 | 10 - 1861-1870 | 11 | 1921-1930 | 15 - 1871-1880 | 23 | 1931-1940 | 22 - | 1941-1949 | 2 - ------------+--------------+------------+-------------- - - - - -CHECK-LIST OF THE BIRDS OF MICRONESIA - - -The 206 kinds of birds of 150 full species known to occur in Micronesia -belong to 91 genera of 37 families of 13 orders. In the following list, -nonresident birds are marked with an *; birds introduced by man are -marked with a [+]. - - - Class AVES--birds - - PAGE - - Order PROCELLARIIFORMES--albatrosses, petrels, and allies - - Family Diomedeidae--albatrosses - - _Diomedia nigripes_ Audubon* Black-footed Albatross 63 - - Family Procellariidae--petrels and shearwaters - - _Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus_ - Lesson Wedge-tailed Shearwater 64 - _Puffinus pacificus cuneatus_ Salvin Wedge-tailed Shearwater 65 - _Puffinus tenuirostris_ (Temminck)* Short tailed Shearwater 66 - _Puffinus nativitatus_ Streets Christmas Shearwater 66 - _Puffinus lherminieri dichrous_ Finsch - and Hartlaub Dusky Shearwater 66 - _Pterodroma rostrata rostrata_ (Peale)* Tahiti Petrel 69 - _Pterodroma hypoleuca hypoleuca_ Salvin Stout-billed Gadfly Petrel 70 - - - Order PELECANIFORMES--tropic birds, boobies, cormorants, frigate - birds and allies - - Family Phaëthontidae--tropic birds - - _Phaëthon aethereus mesonauta_ Peters* Red-billed Tropic Bird 70 - _Phaëthon rubricauda rothschildi_ - (Mathews) Red-tailed Tropic Bird 71 - _Phaëthon lepturus dorotheae_ Mathews White-tailed Tropic Bird 72 - - Family Sulidae--boobies and gannets - - _Sula dactylatra personata_ Gould Masked Booby 75 - _Sula sula rubripes_ Gould Red-footed Booby 75 - _Sula leucogaster plotus_ (Forster) Brown Booby 76 - - Family Phalacrocoracidae--cormorants - - _Phalacrocorax melanoleucus melanoleucus_ - (Vieillot) Little Pied Cormorant 78 - - Family Fregatidae--frigate birds or man-o'-war birds - - _Fregata minor minor_ (Gmelin)* Pacific Man-o'-War 79 - _Fregata ariel ariel_ (Gray) Least Man-o'-War 80 - - - Order CICONIIFORMES--herons, storks, and allies - - Family Ardeidae--herons and bitterns - - _Butorides striatus amurensis_ Schrenck* Amur Green Heron 81 - _Bubulcus ibis coromandus_ (Boddaert)* Cattle Egret 82 - _Egretta intermedia intermedia_ - (Wagler)* Plumed Egret 82 - _Demigretta sacra sacra_ (Gmelin) Reef Heron 84 - _Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax_ - (Linnaeus)* Black-crowned Night Heron 87 - _Nycticorax caledonicus pelewensis_ - Mathew Rufous Night Heron 87 - _Gorsachius goisagi_ (Temminck)* Japanese Bittern 89 - _Gorsachius melanolophus melanolophus_ - (Raffles)* Malay Bittern 90 - _Ixobrychus sinensis_ (Gmelin) Chinese Least Bittern 93 - _Ixobrychus eurhythmus_ (Swinhoe)* Shrenck's Least Bittern 93 - _Dupetor flavicollis flavicollis_ - (Latham)* Black Bittern 94 - - - Order ANSERIFORMES--ducks, geese, swans, and allies - - Family Anatidae--ducks, geese, and swans - - _Anas oustaleti_ Salvadori Marianas Mallard 94 - _Anas poecilorhyncha pelewensis_ - Hartlaub and Finsch Australian Gray Duck 98 - _Anas querquedula_ Linnaeus* Garganey Teal 100 - _Anas crecca crecca_ Linnaeus* European Teal 100 - _Anas crecca carolinensis_ Gmelin* Green-winged Teal 100 - _Anas acuta acuta_ Linnaeus* Pintail 101 - _Anas acuta tzitzihoa_ Vieillot* Pintail 101 - _Anas penelope_ Linnaeus* Widgeon 102 - _Anas clypeata_ Linnaeus* Shoveller 102 - _Aythya fuligula_ (Linnaeus)* Tufted Duck 103 - _Aythya valisineria_ (Wilson)* Canvas-back 103 - - - Order FALCONIFORMES--vultures, hawks, falcons - - Family Accipitridae--hawks, harriers, and allies - - _Accipiter soloënsis_ (Horsfield)* Chinese Goshawk 104 - _Accipiter virgatus gularis_ (Temminck - and Schlegel)* Asiatic Sparrow Hawk 104 - _Pandion haliaetus melvillensis_ - Mathews Osprey 105 - - Family Falconidae--falcons and caracaras - - _Falco peregrinus japonensis_ Gmelin* Peregrine Falcon 105 - - - Order GALLIFORMES--megapodes, pheasants, and allies - - Family Megapodidae--megapodes - - _Megapodius lapérouse senex_ Hartlaub Micronesian Megapode 106 - _Megapodius lapérouse lapérouse_ Gaimard Micronesian Megapode 109 - - Family Phasianidae--quails, pheasants, and allies - - _Coturnix chinensis lineata_ - (Scopoli)[+] Painted Quail 113 - _Gallus gallus_ (Linnaeus)[+] Red Jungle Fowl 114 - _Phasianus colchicus_ Linnaeus[+] Ring-necked Pheasant 115 - - - Order GRUIFORMES--cranes, rails, and allies - - Family Rallidae--rails, gallinules, and coots - - _Rallus philippensis pelewensis_ (Mayr) Banded Rail 116 - _Rallus owstoni_ (Rothschild) Guam Rail 118 - _Rallina fasciata_ (Raffles)* Malay Banded Crake 120 - _Rallina eurizonoďdes eurizonoďdes_ - (Lafresnaye)* Philippine Banded Crake 121 - _Aphanolimnas monasa_ (Kittlitz) Kusaie Black Rail 121 - _Poliolimnas cinereus micronesiae_ - Hachisuka White-browed Rail 123 - _Gallinula chloropus_ subsp. near - _orientalis_ Horsfield Gallinule 126 - _Gallinula chloropus guami_ Hartert Gallinule 127 - _Porphyrio porphyrio pelewensis_ Hartlaub - and Finsch Purple Swamphen 129 - _Fulica atra atra_ Linnaeus* Common Coot 131 - - - Order CHARADRIIFORMES--shorebirds, gulls, and auks - - Family Charadriidae--plovers, turnstones, and allies - - _Squatarola squatarola_ (Linnaeus)* Black-bellied Plover 131 - _Pluvialis dominica fulva_ (Gmelin)* Pacific Golden Plover 132 - _Charadrius hiaticula semipalmatus_ - Bonaparte* Semipalmated Plover 134 - _Charadrius dubius curonicus_ Gmelin* Ring-necked Plover 135 - _Charadrius alexandrinus nihonensis_ - Deignan* Kentish Plover 135 - - _Charadrius mongolus stegmanni_ - Stresemann* Mongolian Dotteral 135 - _Charadrius leschenaultii_ Lesson* Large Sand Dotteral 137 - - Family Scolopacidae--snipe, sandpipers, and allies - - _Numenius phaeopus variegatus_ - (Scopoli)* Whimbrel 137 - _Numenius tahitiensis_ (Gmelin)* Bristle-thighed Curlew 139 - _Numenius madagascariensis_ (Linnaeus)* Long-billed Curlew 140 - _Limosa lapponica baueri_ Naumann* Pacific Godwit 140 - _Tringa nebularia_ (Gunnerus)* Greenshawk 141 - _Tringa melanoleuca_ (Gmelin)* Greater Yellow-legs 142 - _Tringa glareola_ Linnaeus* Wood Sandpiper 142 - _Actitus hypoleucos_ Linnaeus* Common Sandpiper 143 - _Heteroscelus brevipes_ (Vieillot)* Gray-tailed Tattler 144 - _Heteroscelus incanus_ (Gmelin)* Amer. Wandering Tattler 145 - _Arenaria interpres interpres_ (Linnaeus)* Turnstone 147 - _Gallinago megala_ Swinhoe* Marsh Snipe 149 - _Gallinago gallinago gallinago_ (Linnaeus)* Common Snipe 150 - _Crocethia alba_ (Pallas)* Sanderling 150 - _Calidris tenuirostris_ (Horsfield)* Asiatic Knot 151 - _Erolia minuta ruficollis_ (Pallas)* Little Stint 151 - _Erolia subminuta_ (Middendorff)* Least Sandpiper 152 - _Erolia melanotos_ (Vieillot)* Pectoral Sandpiper 152 - _Erolia acuminata_ (Horsfield)* Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 152 - _Erolia ferruginea_ (Pontoppidan)* Curlew Sandpiper 153 - _Limicola falcinellus sibirica_ Dresser* Broad-billed Sandpiper 154 - - Family Phalaropidae--phalaropes - - _Phalaropus lobatus_ (Linnaeus)* Northern Phalarope 154 - - Family Laridae--gulls and terns - - _Larus argentatus vegae_ Palmén* Herring Gull 154 - _Chlidonias leucopterus_ (Temminck)* White-winged Black - Tern 155 - _Sterna hirundo longipennis_ Nordmann* Black-billed Com. Tern 155 - _Sterna sumatrana sumatrana_ Raffles Black-naped Tern 156 - _Sterna lunata_ Peale Spectacled Tern 160 - _Sterna anaetheta anaetheta_ Scopoli Bridled Tern 160 - _Sterna fuscata oahuensis_ Bloxham Sooty Tern 161 - _Sterna albifrons sinensis_ Gmelin* Least Tern 161 - _Thalasseus bergii pelecanoides_ (King) Crested Tern 162 - _Procelsterna cerulea saxatilis_ - W. E. Fisher* Blue-gray Tern 164 - _Anoüs stolidus pileatus_ (Scopoli) Common Noddy 165 - _Anoüs tenuirostris marcusi_ (Bryan) White-capped Noddy 170 - _Gygis alba candida_ (Gmelin) White Tern 174 - _Gygis alba pacifica_ (Lesson) White Tern 180 - - - Order COLUMBIFORMES--pigeons, doves, and allies - - Family Columbidae--pigeons and doves - - _Columba livia_ Gmelin[+] Blue Rock Pigeon 182 - _Ptilinopus porphyraceus ponapensis_ - (Finsch) Crimson-crw'd Fruit - Dove 182 - _Ptilinopus porphyraceus hernsheimi_ - (Finsch) Crimson-crw'd Fruit - Dove 184 - _Ptilinopus porphyraceus pelewensis_ - Hartlaub and Finsch Crimson-crw'd Fruit - Dove 185 - _Ptilinopus roseicapillus_ (Lesson) Marianas Fruit Dove 186 - _Ducula oceanica monacha_ (Momiyama) Micronesian Pigeon 190 - _Ducula oceanica teraokai_ (Momiyama) Micronesian Pigeon 193 - _Ducula oceanica townsendi_ (Wetmore) Micronesian Pigeon 194 - _Ducula oceanica oceanica_ (Lesson and - Garnot) Micronesian Pigeon 195 - _Ducula oceanica ratakensis_ (Takatsukasa - and Yamashina) Micronesian Pigeon 197 - _Streptopelia bitorquata dusumieri_ - (Temminck)[+] Philippine Turtle - Dove 198 - _Gallicolumba canifrons_ (Hartlaub and - Finsch) Palau Ground Dove 201 - _Gallicolumba xanthonura xanthonura_ - (Temminck) White-thrt'd Ground - Dove 203 - _Gallicolumba xanthonura kubaryi_ (Finsch) White-thrt'd Ground - Dove 207 - _Caloenas nicobarica pelewensis_ Finsch Nicobar Pigeon 209 - - - Order PSITTACIFORMES--lories and parrots - - Family Psittacidae--lories, parrots, and allies - - _Trichoglossus rubiginosus_ (Bonaparte) Ponapé Lory 211 - - - Order CUCULIFORMES--cuckoos, plantain-eaters - - Family Cuculidae--cuckoos, anis, and allies - - _Cuculus canorus telephonus_ Heine* Common Cuckoo 213 - _Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi_ Moore* Oriental Cuckoo 214 - _Eudynamis taitensis_ (Sparrman)* Long-tailed New - Zealand Cuckoo 214 - - - Order STRIGIFORMES--owls - - Family Strigidae--owls - - _Otus podarginus_ (Hartlaub and Finsch) Palau Scops Owl 215 - _Asio flammeus flammeus_ (Pontoppidan)* Short-eared Owl 217 - _Asio flammeus ponapensis_ Mayr Short-eared Owl 218 - - - Order CAPRIMULGIFORMES--goatsuckers and allies - - Family Caprimulgidae--goatsuckers - - _Caprimulgus indicus jotaka_ Temminck - and Schlegel* Jungle Nightjar 219 - _Caprimulgus indicus phalaena_ Hartlaub - and Finsch Jungle Nightjar 219 - - - Order APODIFORMES--swifts and hummingbirds - - Family Apodidae--swifts - - _Collocalia inexpectata pelewensis_ Mayr Edible Nest Swiftlet 221 - _Collocalia inexpectata bartschi_ Mearns Edible Nest Swiftlet 222 - _Collocalia inquieta inquieta_ (Kittlitz) Carolines Swiftlet 224 - _Collocalia inquieta rukensis_ Kuroda Carolines Swiftlet 225 - _Collocalia inquieta ponapensis_ Mayr Carolines Swiftlet 226 - - - Order CORACIIFORMES--kingfishers, rollers, and allies - - Family Alcedinidae--kingfishers - - _Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina_ Swainson Micronesian - Kingfisher 227 - _Halcyon cinnamomina pelewensis_ Wiglesworth Micronesian - Kingfisher 229 - _Halcyon cinnamomina reichenbachii_ - (Hartlaub) Micronesian - Kingfisher 230 - _Halcyon chloris teraokai_ Kuroda White-collared - Kingfisher 233 - _Halcyon chloris orii_ Takatsukasa and - Yamashina White-collared - Kingfisher 235 - _Halcyon chloris albicilla_ (Dumont) White-collared - Kingfisher 235 - _Halcyon chloris owstoni_ Rothschild White-collared - Kingfisher 237 - - Family Coraciidae--rollers - - _Eurystomus orientalis connectens_ - Stresemann* Dollar Bird 238 - - - Order PASSERIFORMES--perching birds - - Family Hirundinidae--swallows - - _Hirundo rustica gutteralis_ Scopoli* Eastern Barn Swallow 239 - - Family Campephagidae--cuckoo-shrikes - - _Edolisoma tenuirostre monachum_ - (Hartlaub and Finsch) Cicada Bird 239 - _Edolisoma tenuirostre nesiotis_ - (Hartlaub and Finsch) Cicada Bird 241 - _Edolisoma tenuirostre insperatum_ (Finch) Cicada Bird 242 - - Family Dicruridae--drongos - - _Dicrurus macrocercus harterti_ S. Baker[+] Black Drongo 244 - - Family Corvidae--crows, magpies, and jays - - _Corvus kubaryi_ Reichenow Marianas Crow 244 - - Family Turdidae--thrushes - - _Luscinia calliope calliope_ (Pallas)* Siberian Rubythroat 248 - _Monticola solitaria philippensis_ (Müller)* Chinese Blue Rock - Thrush 248 - _Turdus obscurus obscurus_ Gmelin* Dusky Thrush 248 - - Family Sylviidae--Old World warblers - - _Psamathia annae_ Hartlaub and Finsch Palau Bush-warbler 249 - _Acrocephalus luscinia luscinia_ (Quoy and - Gaimard) Nightingale - Reed-warbler 251 - _Acrocephalus luscinia syrinx_ (Kittlitz) Nightingale - Reed-warbler 254 - _Acrocephalus luscinia yamashinae_ - (Takatsukasa) Nightingale - Reed-warbler 256 - _Acrocephalus luscinia nijoi_ (Yamashina) Nightingale - Reed-warbler 257 - - Family Muscicapidae--Old World flycatchers - - _Rhipidura rufifrons uraniae_ Oustalet Rufous-fronted - Fantail 261 - _Rhipidura rufifrons saipanensis_ Hartert Rufous-fronted - Fantail 262 - _Rhipidura rufifrons mariae_ R. H. Baker Rufous-fronted - Fantail 263 - _Rhipidura rufifrons versicolor_ Hartlaub - and Finsch Rufous-fronted - Fantail 264 - _Rhipidura rufifrons kubaryi_ Finsch Rufous-fronted - Fantail 265 - _Rhipidura lepida_ Hartlaub and Finsch Palau Fantail 266 - _Metabolus rugensis_ (Hombron and Jacquinot) Truk Monarch 269 - _Monarcha godeffroyi_ Hartlaub Yap Monarch 272 - _Monarcha takatsukasae_ (Yamashina) Tinian Monarch 274 - _Myiagra oceanica erythrops_ Hartlaub and - Finch Micronesian Broadbill 275 - _Myiagra oceanica freycineti_ Oustalet Micronesian Broadbill 277 - _Myiagra oceanica oceanica_ Pucheran Micronesian Broadbill 279 - _Myiagra oceanica pluto_ Finsch Micronesian Broadbill 280 - _Muscicapa narcissina narcissina_ Temminck* Narcissus Flycatcher 282 - _Muscicapa griseisticta_ (Swinhoe)* Chinese Gray-spotted - Flycatcher 282 - _Colluricincla tenebrosa_ (Hartlaub and - Finsch) Palau Morning Bird 282 - - Family Artamidae--wood-swallows - - _Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis_ Finsch White-breasted - Wood-swallow 284 - - Family Sturnidae--starlings - - _Aplonis opacus opacus_ (Kittlitz) Micronesian Starling 286 - _Aplonis opacus ponapensis_ Takatsukasa and - Yamashina Micronesian Starling 288 - _Aplonis opacus angus_ Momiyama Micronesian Starling 289 - _Aplonis opacus kurodai_ Momiyama Micronesian Starling 291 - _Aplonis opacus orii_ (Takatsukasa and - Yamashina) Micronesian Starling 292 - _Aplonis opacus guami_ Momiyama Micronesian Starling 293 - _Aplonis opacus aeneus_ (Takatsukasa and - Yamashina) Micronesian Starling 297 - _Aplonis pelzelni_ Finsch Ponapé Mountain - Starling 299 - _Aplonis corvinus_ (Kittlitz) Kusaie Mountain - Starling 301 - _Sturnus philippensis_ (Forster)* Violet-backed - Starling 302 - _Sturnus cineraceus_ Temminck* Ashy Starling 302 - - Family Meliphagidae--honey-eaters - - _Cleptornis marchei_ (Oustalet) Golden Honey-eater 302 - _Myzomela cardinalis rubratra_ (Lesson) Cardinal Honey-eater 304 - _Myzomela cardinalis dichromata_ Wetmore Cardinal Honey-eater 307 - _Myzomela cardinalis major_ Bonaparte Cardinal Honey-eater 307 - _Myzomela cardinalis saffordi_ Wetmore Cardinal Honey-eater 309 - _Myzomela cardinalis kurodai_ Momiyama Cardinal Honey-eater 312 - _Myzomela cardinalis kobayashii_ Momiyama Cardinal Honey-eater 313 - - Family Zosteropidae--white-eyes - - _Zosterops conspicillata conspicillata_ - (Kittlitz) Bridled White-eye 316 - _Zosterops conspicillata saypani_ Dubois Bridled White-eye 318 - _Zosterops conspicillata rotensis_ - Takatsukasa and Yamashina Bridled White-eye 319 - _Zosterops conspicillata semperi_ Hartlaub Bridled White-eye 320 - _Zosterops conspicillata owstoni_ Hartert Bridled White-eye 321 - _Zosterops conspicillata takatsukasai_ - Momiyama Bridled White-eye 322 - _Zosterops conspicillata hypolais_ - Hartlaub and Finsch Bridled White-eye 323 - _Zosterops cinerea cinerea_ (Kittlitz) Micron. Dusky - White-eye 326 - _Zosterops cinerea ponapensis_ Finsch Micron. Dusky - White-eye 327 - _Zosterops cinerea finschii_ (Hartlaub) Micron. Dusky - White-eye 328 - _Rukia palauensis_ (Reichenow) Palau Greater - White-eye 330 - _Rukia oleaginea_ (Hartlaub and Finsch) Yap Greater - White-eye 331 - _Rukia ruki_ (Hartert) Truk Greater - White-eye 332 - _Rukia sanfordi_ (Mayr) Ponapé Greater - White-eye 333 - - Family Ploceidae--weaver-finches - - _Erythrura trichroa trichroa_ (Kittlitz) Blue-faced - Parrot-finch 336 - _Erythrura trichroa clara_ Takatsukasa - and Yamashina Blue-faced - Parrot-finch 337 - _Erythrura trichroa pelewensis_ Kuroda Blue-faced - Parrot-finch 338 - _Lonchura nigerrima minor_ (Yamashina) Black-faced - Weaver-finch 339 - _Lonchura punctulata cabanisi_ (Sharpe)[+] Phil. Nutmeg - Mannikin 340 - - - - -DISCUSSION OF THE BIRDS OF MICRONESIA - -Of the 206 kinds of birds found in Micronesia, 30 kinds are classed as -sea birds, 29 kinds as migratory shore birds, and 147 kinds are classed -as land and fresh-water birds. For purposes of discussion these birds -are arranged in these three categories, following the system used by -Mayr (1945a). - - -OCEANIC BIRDS - -Oceanic birds found in Micronesia belong to the following families: -Diomedeidae, Procellariidae, Phaëthontidae, Pelecanidae, Fregatidae, -and Laridae. Following Wynne-Edwards (1935:240) and Murphy (1936:326), -these birds may be grouped as inshore birds (Laridae and others), -offshore birds (Pelecanidae, Fregatidae and others), and pelagic birds -(Diomedeidae, Procellariidae, Phaëthontidae). As shown in table 2 there -are 30 kinds of oceanic birds in Micronesia, 18 kinds that are resident -and 12 kinds that are regarded as visitors to the area. Records of -nestings are few; field work in the future probably will yield evidence -that more kinds of oceanic birds are actually resident in the -Micronesian islands. - - -TABLE 2. LIST OF RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT OCEANIC BIRDS OF MICRONESIA - - -------------------+----------+------------- - Genera | Resident | Nonresident - | kinds | kinds - -------------------+----------+------------- - _Diomedea_ | 0 | 1 - _Puffinus_ | 4 | 1 - _Pterodroma_ | 1 | 1 - _Phaëthon_ | 2 | 1 - _Sula_ | 3 | 0 - _Fregata_ | 1 | 1 - _Larus_ | 0 | 1 - _Chlidonias_ | 0 | 1 - _Sterna_ | 2 | 4 - _Thalasseus_ | 1 | 0 - _Procelsterna_ | 0 | 1 - _Anoüs_ | 2 | 0 - _Gygis_ | 2 | 0 - -------------------+----------+------------- - - -INSHORE OCEANIC BIRDS - -The inshore zone, according to Wynne-Edwards (1935:240), "extends from -high-water mark to a maximum of four or five miles out to sea, including -islands and reefs within sight of shore." In Micronesia the majority of -the Laridae occur in this zone including such residents as _Sterna -sumatrana_, _S. anaetheta_, _Thalasseus bergii_, _Anoüs stolidus_, _A. -tenuirostris_, _Gygis alba_. These birds, especially _S. anaetheta_, -_Thalasseus_, and _Anoüs_, may venture into the offshore zone. Visitors -to Micronesia include several terns which probably normally range in -the inshore (as well as in offshore) zones, such as _Childonias -leucopterus_ and _Sterna hirundo_. These birds feed to a considerable -extent inside the outer reefs surrounding the lagoons, coming to shore -frequently in small or large groups. _Gygis alba_ probably spends -considerable time on shore; stomachs examined contained fish, -crustaceans and insects, indicating that they obtain some of their food -ashore. - - -OFFSHORE AND PELAGIC OCEANIC BIRDS - -Wynne-Edwards (1935:241) defines the offshore zone as extending to the -continental edge; however, in Micronesia where small islands rise -abruptly out of the ocean's depths, there is no useful way to separate -the offshore zone from the pelagic zone. Since certain species go -farther from the land than others, the two zones may be combined as a -single zone extending beyond the sight of land. Birds which frequent -this area beyond the inshore zone but may not range extensively at sea -include _Fregata_, _Sula_, _Sterna fuscata_, _S. hirundo_, _S. -anaetheta_, and others. The Herring Gull (_Larus argentatus_), which has -been taken in the northern Marianas, may be classed with this group -although it probably ranges widely in the open sea. Birds which spend -considerable time at sea and may seldom approach land include _Diomedea -nigripes_, the petrels (_Puffinus_ and _Pterodroma_), and possibly the -tropic birds (_Phaëthon_). - -In numbers of individuals the birds inhabiting the inshore zones are -relatively more numerous than those preferring the offshore and pelagic -zones, although 12 of the 18 resident kinds of oceanic birds apparently -prefer the offshore zone, while only 6 kinds appear to be restricted -primarily to the inshore areas. - - -FAUNAL COMPONENTS - -The oceanic birds were probably among the earliest birds to reach the -islands of Micronesia. The presence of phosphate deposits on islands -(Fais, Angaur), denoting deposition of guano by oceanic birds (possibly -boobies, noddies, sooty terns), indicates long time residence by these -birds. A person is prone to think that these deposits must have been -made by larger concentrations of oceanic birds than are found in these -islands today. Whether there were actually more individuals present -during the period of deposition of phosphate in the lagoons of these -islands is not known, although the elevation of the lagoons (forming the -raised islands of Fais and Angaur) with the resulting freshening of the -water probably was a great attraction to oceanic birds, especially to -those which prefer to drink fresh water. According to Leonard P. Schultz -(_in litt._), the abundance of fish in the areas about these Pacific -islands has been approximately the same since Pleistocene times, so that -there was apparently no greater concentration of fish near these islands -to attract large populations of fish-eating sea birds. Probably the time -element is of sufficient magnitude to account for such deposition by -birds with a population similar to that found there today. - -The oceanic avifauna of Micronesia contains birds which are apparently -from ancestral homes in the Palearctic Region, in the North and Central -Pacific, in Polynesia, in Melanesia and Malaysia, and from homes the -positions of which are uncertain because of the widespread -circumtropical occurrence of the birds. There are no sea birds that are -endemic in Micronesia. - -Oceanic birds whose range is in the Northern Hemisphere (especially -Palearctica) reach the northern and western edges of Micronesia as -winter visitors. These include _Larus argentatus_, _Chlidonias -leucopterus_, and _Sterna hirundo_. Another northern gull, _Larus -ridibundus_, has been reported in the Marianas. - -One bird of the North and Northcentral Pacific, _Diomedea nigripes_, -reaches the northern Marianas where it has been taken at Agrihan. It is -not unlikely that other birds of the North Pacific reach northern -Micronesia as occasional visitors. - -Species of oceanic birds which are restricted in their distribution to -Polynesia and some adjacent islands and which range to Micronesia, -either as visitors or residents, include _Puffinus tenuirostris_, _P. -nativitatis_, _Pterodroma rostrata_, _P. hypoleuca_, _Sterna lunata_, -and _Procelsterna cerulea_. The islands of the vast Pacific basin offer -havens for many kinds of oceanic birds. Apparently there has been -considerable speciation among sea birds in Polynesia, especially in its -marginal areas. Micronesia has received only a small part of this -avifauna. - -Two terns, _Sterna sumatrana_ and _Thalasseus bergii_, have reached -Micronesia, either directly or indirectly, each from a dispersion point -somewhere in the Melanesian or the Malayan area. These two birds are -restricted in their ranges to the western Pacific and the Indian oceans. - -Many of the species of oceanic birds found in Micronesia have -circumtropical ranges. These include _Puffinus pacificus_, _P. -lherminieri_, _Phaëthon_, _Sula_, _Fregata_, _Sterna anaethetus_, _S. -fuscata_, _Anoüs stolidus_, _A. tenuirostris_, and _Gygis alba_. Some of -these kinds range along continental shores as well as in island -archipelagoes. Others, like _Gygis alba_, are rarely found along the -shores of continents or even at coastal islands. - - -MIGRATORY SHORE BIRDS - -Twenty-eight species of shore birds of the families Charadriidae and -Scolopacidae have been recorded from Micronesia, and one other of the -family Phalaropodidae apparently occurs in the area, making a total of -29 kinds. From the entire Southwest Pacific, Mayr (1945a:28-47) lists 31 -species and subspecies of shore birds and mentions six other species -which may occur there. Thus, of a possible 37 kinds of shore birds in -this large area (which includes Micronesia), 29 are present in the -islands of Micronesia. For purposes of discussion, shore birds are here -placed in one of two groups: regular visitors or uncommon visitors. A -regular visitor is one which has been recorded in the literature or in -unpublished field accounts as being frequently observed in Micronesia in -periods of migration. An uncommon visitor is one which has been -infrequently observed in Micronesia. Of the 28 kinds of shore birds -recorded from Micronesia, 17 are classed as regular visitors and 11 are -classed as uncommon visitors. - - -ORIGINAL HOMES OF THE SHORE BIRDS THAT VISIT MICRONESIA - - -TABLE 3. BREEDING AND WINTERING GROUNDS OF THE SPECIES OF MIGRATORY -SHORE BIRDS IN MICRONESIA - - PART A. Location of breeding grounds - ==================+========+================+=========+========== - CLASS | Number | Circumpolar[A] | Asiatic | American - ------------------+--------+----------------+---------+---------- - Regular visitors | 17 | 5 | 10 | 2 - Uncommon visitors | 11 | 2 | 8 | 1 - +--------+----------------+---------+---------- - Totals | 28 | 7 | 18 | 3 - ------------------+--------+----------------+---------+---------- - - PART B. Location of wintering grounds - ------------------+--------+---------+---------+----------+--------- - CLASS | Number | Circum- | Asiatic | American | Oceanic - |tropical| | | | - ------------------+--------+---------+---------+----------+--------- - Regular visitors | 17 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 - Uncommon visitors | 11 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 - +--------+---------+---------+----------+--------- - Totals | 28 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 1 - ------------------+--------+---------+---------+----------+--------- - - [A] Denotes birds which breed on both American and Asiatic sides of the - Pacific Ocean. - - -The shore birds which are known to visit Micronesia breed in the -Northern Hemisphere. Table 3 summarizes the data concerning the -breeding and wintering areas of these birds. As shown in part A of table -3, 18 of the 28 species which visit Micronesia come from Asiatic -breeding grounds. Seven have circumpolar breeding ranges and three (two -are regular visitors) come from American breeding grounds. As shown in -part B of table 3, 21 of the 28 waders have their winter ranges on the -Asiatic side of the Pacific with eastern extensions to Micronesia and -other parts of Oceania. Of the 7 remaining species, the winter ranges of -three are circumtropical; the winter range of a fourth is restricted to -Oceania; and the winter ranges of the remaining three (two classed as -uncommon visitors) are American. - -Bryan and Greenway (1944:109-115) record 14 species of shore birds from -the Hawaiian Islands. One of these, _Himantopus himantopus knudsoni_, is -a resident, probably of New World origin, according to Mayr (1943:56). -The others, listed in table 7, include three species unknown in -Micronesia. One of these, _Phalaropus fulicarus_, apparently winters at -sea off the west coast of South America. The other two species -(_Charadrius vociferus vociferus_ and _Gallinago delicata_) are -classified by Bryan and Greenway as "accidental" and "occasional" -visitors from North America. The ten species common to both the Hawaiian -Islands and Micronesia include seven whose breeding grounds are -circumpolar, two whose breeding grounds are in Arctic America and one -whose breeding ground is in Arctic Asia. The winter ranges of these ten -species include four which are circumtropical, three which are Asiatic, -one which is restricted to Oceania, and only two which are American. - -The ability of the shore birds to migrate almost as well over water as -over land may explain their spread into Oceania. The likelihood that -shore birds, when migrating may have ventured to Micronesia and -Polynesia initially from the Asiatic side of the Pacific is strongly -suggested by the data given in the paragraph above. Also, on the Asiatic -side of the Pacific there are large numbers of islands, which form -several archipelagoes extending from Kamchatka south to Malaysia. Once -accustomed to migrating along these chains of islands from the Arctic to -Australia, birds would probably have to make only minor adjustments to -extend the breadth of their migratory routes eastward into the islands -of the Pacific Ocean. In contrast, on the Pacific coast of North America -there are few coastal or offshore islands and there is a vast area of -open water separating the Hawaiian Islands from the American mainland. -Probably the vastness of this area of water offers little stimulus to -birds to expand their migratory ranges westward, and in part accounts -for the small North American contingent in the population of shore birds -of the Central Pacific. Some North American shore birds do visit the -Pacific. The brisk trade winds from the northeast might be an aid to the -birds in their flights from Nearctica to Hawaii. - -The long flight now made by shore birds going from the Aleutians to the -Hawaiian Islands may have commenced as a gradual expansion from the -west, or perhaps such a route was initiated by birds flying northward -through the Hawaiian Chain to the Arctic in migrating to their breeding -grounds, and then later returning _via_ the same route to reach their -wintering grounds. - - -ROUTES OF MIGRATION - -[Illustration: FIG. 6. Routes of migration used by shore birds in the -Pacific area. From west to east these are: The Asiatic-Palauan Flyway, -the Japanese-Marianan Flyway, the Nearctic-Hawaiian Flyway.] - -The small and isolated islands of Oceania might, upon first inspection, -seem to offer but little attraction to shore birds. Hesse, Allee and -Schmidt (1937:172, 173) point out that the "open southeastern Pacific" -being least supplied with water from land sources, which is an important -means of fertility, is known to have one of the poorest faunas found -anywhere in the oceans. However, there are extensive tidal flats, -especially on the leeward sides of the islands, and these flats -apparently afford extensive feeding grounds for these birds. Also, the -absence of competition from resident birds as well as the virtual -absence of predatory animals (native man and his domesticated animals -excepted) are other factors which may help to make the islands -attractive wintering grounds for shore birds. - -Only a few birds have been banded in the Pacific, and the knowledge -which comes from the recovery of banded birds gives but little aid to -the student of movements of birds in the Pacific. The probable flyways -for migratory shore birds there have to be deduced from sight records, -data from specimens collected, known stations of breeding and wintering -(summarized by Peters, 1934:234-293), and from a study of maps of the -region. Analysis of information from the above-mentioned sources -indicates that there are three routes taken by shore birds which migrate -from Micronesia to and from their northern breeding grounds (see figure -6): (1) Asiatic-Palauan Flyway; (2) Japanese-Marianan Flyway; (3) -Nearctic-Hawaiian Flyway. - -1. ASIATIC-PALAUAN FLYWAY. For shore birds, there appears to be a -migration route extending almost due south from the Riu Kiu and the -Japanese islands to the Palau Islands. Some birds may migrate _via_ the -Philippines and others may pass to the east of the Philippines. This -route is considered to be distinct from that used by birds which follow -the Asiatic Coast and coastal islands, because the Palau Islands are -situated approximately 600 miles east of the Philippines. Moreover, -there are fewer species--only 20 recorded from the Palaus as compared -with the number recorded from islands closer to the mainland of Asia. -Delacour and Mayr (1946:68-74) list 46 species of shore birds from the -Philippines; the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et al_, 1942) -lists 34 species from the Riu Kiu Islands. - -The information available indicates that migrant shore birds which -utilize this flyway move east into the Carolines (examples, _Tringa -nebularia_, _Charadrius leschenaultii_); however, the recording of 20 -species from the Palaus as compared with only 12 species in the western -Carolines (table 4) indicates that this spread eastward may not be very -pronounced. Migrants in autumn probably move from the Palaus in a -southerly direction toward the New Guinea area. Eight species of shore -birds which reach the Palaus (and adjacent islands in the western -Carolines), are not recorded from other parts of Micronesia. Species -which apparently utilize the Asiatic-Palauan Flyway are listed in table -5. - -2. JAPANESE-MARIANAN FLYWAY. Shore birds from Asiatic, and probably -Aleutian and Alaskan, breeding grounds may follow the Asiatic Coast or -the adjacent island chains southeast to the Japanese Archipelago. From -there some of the birds apparently fly south through the Bonin and -Volcano islands to the Marianas, from where they may spread in fanlike -fashion to the southeast, south and southwest, even reaching to the -Palau Islands (example, _Heteroscelus incanus_). The number of species -of shore birds recorded from the Marianas (see table 4) is greater than -that found in the Carolines, but it must be remembered that more -intensive investigations have been made by ornithologists in the -Marianas, which might account for the recording of more species -(especially stragglers, such as _Gallinago gallinago_). Species which -apparently use this flyway are named in table 6. - -3. NEARCTIC-HAWAIIAN FLYWAY. Shore birds from breeding grounds in -western Canada, Alaska, the Aleutians, the Bering Sea area, and probably -northeastern Asia may fly in a southerly direction along a broad front -to the Hawaiian Islands. This flyway is probably the one which supplies -to central and eastern Oceania the largest wintering populations of -shore birds. From the Hawaiian Islands birds may fly directly south -through the scattered islands to southern Polynesia, or they may fly in -a southwesterly direction and reach the Marshall Islands. The shore -birds which visit the Marshall Islands apparently move south through the -Gilbert, Ellice and other more southern island groups rather than west -into the Carolines as exemplified by the fact that _Numenius -tahitiensis_, a characteristic migrant through the Marshalls from the -Hawaiian Islands, is rarely found west of the Marshall Islands in -Micronesia. Species which apparently use this flyway are listed in table -7. - -Flyways additional to the three suggested above may be utilized by some -shore birds on their southward (and northward) migrations. Species -reaching Wake and the Marcus Islands may fly directly south from the -islands of the North Pacific. Bryan (1903:115, 116) lists four species -of shore birds from Marcus (_Erolia acuminata_, _Heteroscelus incanus_, -_Pluvialis dominica_, _Arenaria interpres_). - - -TABLE 4. LIST OF SPECIES OF SHORE BIRDS KNOWN FROM FIVE GEOGRAPHICAL -AREAS OF MICRONESIA - - Western Central Eastern - Palaus Carolines Marianas Carolines Carolines Marshalls - - Number of species 20 12 17 11 10 10 - - -TABLE 5. SHORE BIRDS WHICH MAY USE THE ASIATIC-PALAUAN FLYWAY - - Regular Visitors Uncommon? Visitors - - _Pluvialis dominica fulva_ _Charadrius dubius curonicus_ - _Charadrius mongolus stegmanni_ _Charadrius alexandrinus_ - _Charadrius leschenaultii_ _Calidris tenuirostris_ - _Numenius phaeopus variegatus_ _Erolia ferruginea_ - _Numenius madagascariensis_ _Erolia subminuta_ - _Limosa lapponica baueri_ _Limicola falcinellus sibirica_ - _Tringa nebularia_ - _Tringa glareola_ - _Actitis hypoleucos_ - _Heteroscelus brevipes_ - _Arenaria i. interpres_ - _Gallinago megala_ - _Erolia minuta ruficollis_ - - -TABLE 6. SHORE BIRDS WHICH MAY USE THE JAPANESE-MARIANAN FLYWAY - - Regular Visitors Uncommon? Visitors - - _Pluvialis dominica fulva_ _Squatarola squatarola_ - _Charadrius mongolus stegmanni_ _Numenius tahitiensis_ - _Numenius phaeopus variegatus_ _Numenius madagascariensis_ - _Limosa lapponica baueri_ _Tringa glareola_ - _Actitis hypoleucos_ _Gallinago gallinago gallinago_ - _Heteroscelus brevipes_ _Erolia minuta ruficollis_ - _Heteroscelus incanus_ - _Arenaria i. interpres_ - _Gallinago megala_ - _Crocethia alba_ - _Erolia acuminata_ - - -TABLE 7. SHORE BIRDS WHICH MAY USE THE NEARCTIC-HAWAIIAN FLYWAY - - Regular Visitors Uncommon? Visitors - - _Pluvialis dominica fulva_* _Squatarola squatarola_* - _Numenius tahitiensis_* _Charadrius hiaticula semipalmatus_[+] - _Heteroscelus incanus_* _Charadrius v. vociferus_ - _Arenaria i. interpres_* _Limosa lapponica baueri_* - _Crocethia alba_* _Tringa melanoleuca_*[+] - _Phalaropus fulicarius_ _Gallinago delicata_ - _Phalaropus lobatus_*? _Erolia melanotos_* - _Erolia acuminata_* - - * Indicates species which are found in Micronesia.] - - [+] Indicates species not recorded from the Hawaiian Islands; see Bryan - and Greenway (1944:109-115).] - - -POPULATIONS OF SHORE BIRDS IN MICRONESIA - -Although shore birds have been observed in Micronesia on many occasions, -actual counts of numbers of individuals of the different birds have -rarely been made. Kubary, Finsch, Marche, Seale and other early -collectors and observers record some data of this kind as have the -Japanese investigators in later times. William Coultas of the Whitney -South Sea Expedition obtained considerable information of this nature at -Guam, Saipan, Kusiae, Ponapé, and the Palaus, but it is unpublished. His -records were made in fall, winter and spring, when migrants were present -in large numbers and these observations offer evidence that many of the -migrants are comparatively numerous, especially in the Carolines, -throughout the winter months. McElroy's observations made on his trip -for NAMRU2 to Truk in December, 1945, offer further evidence of this. - - -TABLE 8. POPULATIONS OF MIGRATORY SHORE BIRDS SEEN AT GUAM IN 1945 - - Column headings: - - A: _Pluvialis dominica_ - B: _Charadrius mongolus_ - C: _Numenius phaeopus_ - D: _Actitis hypoleucos_ - E: _Heteroscelus_ spp. - F: _Heteroscelus incanus_[+] - G: _Heteroscelus brevipes_[+] - H: _Limosa lapponica_ - I: _Arenaria interpres_ - J: Unidentified - K: Total No. of individuals - L: Total No. of species - - =============+====+====+====+====+====+====+====+====+====+====+====+==== - | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L - -------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- - March 11 | x | | | | | | | | | | x | 1 - March 17 | 10 | | 1 | | 2 | | | | | | 13 | 3 - March 19 | x | | x | | x | | | | x | | x | 5 - April 24 | x | | | | | | | | | | x | 1 - April 26 | | | | | | | | 1 | | | 1 | 1 - May 19 | | | | | 3 | 2 | | | | | 5 | 1 - May 21 | | | | | 4 | | | | | | 4 | 1 - May 26 | | | | | x | 2 | | | | | x | 1 - June 1 | | | 1 | | | | | | | | 1 | 1 - June 6* | | 1 | x | | x | | 1 | | | x | x | 4 - June 11 | | | 1 | | | | | | | | 1 | 1 - June 12 | | | 12 | | 2 | | | | | | 14 | 2 - June 22 | | | 2 | | | | | | | 1 | 3 | 2 - June 30 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 2 | 1 - July 7 | | | 2 | | | | | | | | 2 | 1 - July 8 | 3 | | x | | 1 | | | | | | x | 3 - July 16* | 6 | | 3 | 3 | 4 | | 1 | | | | 17 | 4 - July 19 | x | | x | | x | | | | | | x | 3 - July 24* | 10 | | 6 | | 3 | | 2 | | 3 | 5 | 29 | 5 - July 26 | | | 8 | | | | | | | | 8 | 1 - August 2 | | | x | | | | | | | x | x | 2 - August 3 | | | 1 | | | | | | | | 1 | 1 - August 6* | | | 6 | | 12 | | | | | | 18 | 2 - September 29 | x | | x | | | | | | x | | x | 2 - October 3* | x | | | | x | | | | | | x | 2 - October 10 | x | | x | | x | 2 | | | x | | x | 4 - October 11 | | | | | | | | | 2 | | 2 | 1 - October 23* | x | | x | | x | 1 | 1 | | x | | x | 5 - October 24 | x | | | | | | | | | | x | 1 - -------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- - - x Observed but numbers not recorded. - - * Observations made on beach at Agfayan Bay area. - - [+] Figures based on identified skins. - - -None of the above workers, however, obtained very much information on -comparative numbers of species. - -Tables 8, 9, and 10 present the writer's findings on populations of -migratory shore birds in Micronesia in 1945. At Guam, as shown in table -8, the records for March, April and early May are few, owing to a -limited amount of field observation. Beginning in late May and until -October 24 a greater amount of time was spent in the field and more -regular records were obtained. No observations were made by the author -at Guam in the period from August 11 to September 25. The dates marked -with an asterisk are those on which observations were made on the -extensive tidal flats at Agfayan Bay and vicinity. These flats, at low -tide, present excellent feeding grounds for waders and in 1945 were -undisturbed by parties of service personnel, because the area was -"off-limits." - -Table 8 shows that _Pluvialis dominica_, _Numenius phaeopus_, and -_Heteroscelus_ spp. were the shore birds most frequently found at Guam -in this period. _Pluvialis dominica_ was the most numerous of the three -species. Of _Heteroscelus_ there was approximately equal representation -of _H. incanus_ and _H. brevipes_ as indicated by specimens collected. -These birds were not identified to species in the field. - -Although records were made only infrequently in the spring migration, -such information as was obtained indicates that the populations were -largest in March and early April. On April 24, _Pluvialis dominica_ was -the only bird observed on beaches and in upland openings. On April 26, a -single _Limosa lapponica_ was recorded. On May 15, no shore bird was -seen on a trip along several beaches. In late May and early June, single -individuals of _Heteroscelus_ were found. Of this genus, those collected -in May were in nuptial plumage, and those collected in June were in -winter plumage and probably should be classed as non-migrants. _Numenius -phaeopus_ was occasionally recorded beginning in early June, but waders -were totally absent from beaches at Agfayan Bay and vicinity on June 18 -and 19. Few shore birds were seen in early August. In late September, -birds, especially _Pluvialis dominica_, _Numenius phaeopus_, and -_Heteroscelus_ spp., were numerous. These species were numerous until -October 24, when observations were discontinued. - -Of the 17 species of migratory shore birds recorded from the Mariana -Islands, eight were identified. Of these eight, three species, _Limosa -lapponica_, _Actitis hypoleucos_, and _Charadrius mongolus_, were found -on only one occasion. Never more than four species were identified on a -single field trip. These data give an idea of the lack of variety of -species that may be observed on Micronesian islands. - - -TABLE 9. POPULATIONS OF MIGRATORY SHORE BIRDS SEEN AT ULITHI ATOLL IN 1945 - - Column headings: - - Fas.: Fassari - Man.: Mangejang - Los.: Losiep - - ======================+================================================ - | ISLAND AND DATE - +-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+------ - SPECIES | Potangeras | Fas.| Man.| Pau | Los. - +-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+------ - | Aug.| Aug.| Aug.| Aug.| Aug.| Aug.| Aug.| Aug. - | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 - ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+------ - _Pluvialis dominica_ | | | 6 | 5 | 4 | | 10 | 5 - _Charadrius mongolus_ | | | | | | | x | 2 - _Numenius phaeopus_ | 1 | 4 | | 1 | | | 1 | 2 - _Actitus hypoleucos_ | | | | | | | 2 | 2 - _Heteroscelus_ spp. | | | | | 2 | | 6 | 3 - _H. incanus_* | | | | | | 1 | | 2 - _Crocethia alba_ | | | | | | | 30 | 5 - +=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+====== - Total No. | | | | | | | | - of Individuals | 1 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 49 | 21 - Total No. of | | | | | | | | - Species | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 - ----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+------ - - x Observed but numbers not recorded. - - * Figures based on identified skins. - - -Table 9 lists the shore birds seen at Ulithi Atoll, Caroline Islands, on -eight field excursions in the period from August 14 to August 22, 1945. -Of seven species of shore birds known to visit the atoll, six were taken -in this period. As observed at Guam, _Pluvialis dominica_ and _Numenius -phaeopus_ were the species most frequently found. _Heteroscelus_ was -seen on three occasions; those collected were identified as _H. -incanus_. Most of the shore birds were seen at Pau and Losiep, islands -unoccupied by man. Similar tidal flats are present at most of the other -small islands in the atoll, but these islands (Asor, Fallalop, -Potangeras, Fassarai and Mangejang were visited) were occupied by small -detachments of service personnel or by natives, which may have tended to -keep many of the shore birds away. At the more populated islands of Asor -and Fallalop, no shore birds were seen. Almost as many species were -recorded at Ulithi on the eight field trips as were found by the author -at Guam in eight months of observations. - - -TABLE 10. POPULATIONS OF MIGRATORY SHORE BIRDS SEEN AT THE PALAU ISLANDS -IN 1945 - - =======================+==========================================+====== - | Peleliu |Angaur - +---------+--------------------------------+------ - SPECIES | August | September | - +----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+ Sept. - | 24 | 28 | 1 | 6* | 8* | 9[+]| 16* | 20* | 21 - -----------------------+----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+------ - _Pluvialis dominica_ | x | | x | x | 25 | | 20 | x | x - _Charadrius mongolu_ | | | | x | 25 | | 5 | x | x - _C. leschenaultii_ | | | | x | 25 | | 5 | x | x - _Numenius phaeopus_ | | | 3 | x | 30 | | 20 | x | x - _N. madagascariensis_ | | | | | 1 | 1 | | 15 | - _Limosa lapponica_ | | | | | 3 | | 4 | | - _Tringa nebularia_ | | 6 | | | | | 3 | | - _T. glareola_[++] | | | | | | | | | 1 - _Actitis hypoleucos_ | | | | | | 2 | | | - _Heteroscelus_ sp. | | | x | x | 75 | | x | x | x - _H. brevipes_[++] | | | | 3 | 2 | | 2 | | - _Arenaria interpres_ | | | | | 20 | | | | - _Capella megala_ | | | | | | | | | 4 - _Calidris tenuirostris_| | | | | 15 | | 20 | | - _Erolia minuta_ | | | | x | 50 | | 50 | x | x - _E. acuminata_[++] | | | | | | | | | 3 - _E. ferruginea_[++] | | | | 1 | | | | | - _Limicola | | | | | | | | | - falcinellus_[++] | | | | | | | | | 1 - Unidentified | x | | | x | x | | x | x | x - +====+====+====+====+====+=====+=====+=====+====== - Total number - of individuals | x | 6 | x | x |271+| 3 |129+ | x | x - Total - number of species | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 10 - -----------------------+----+----+----+----+----+-----+-----+-----+------ - - * Observations made on beaches at Akarakoro Point, Peleliu. - - [+] Observations made at fresh water ponds. - - x Observed but numbers not recorded. - - [++] Figures based on identified skins. - - -Table 10 presents field counts at the Palau Islands in the period from -August 24 to September 21, 1945. Of 20 species of shore birds known from -the Palaus, 17 species were collected or identified on this trip. It was -apparent that the fall migration was at its height at this time. Birds -were numerous at inland openings and ponds, air field strips, and on the -extensive tidal flats at Akarakoro Point. The latter area is between -Peleliu and the adjacent island of Ngesebus to the north. Several -observations were made at this area (as indicated by the dates marked -with asterisks in the table); on September 8, 271+ shore birds were -counted; on September 16, 129+ were counted. Six species were observed -to be abundant. The majority of the birds found at these beaches were in -small flocks which consisted of several birds of one or more species. - -The birds observed at Angaur on September 21 were seen at several fresh -and brackish ponds. Four species (_Tringa glareola_, _Erolia acuminata_, -_Limicola falcinellus_, _Gallinago megala_), which were not taken on the -tidal flats or elsewhere at Peleliu, were found at these ponds. - -The abundance, and more especially the variety, of shore birds at the -Palau Islands during this period was in marked contrast to the smaller -and less diversified populations of shore birds in rather similar -insular environments at Ulithi and Guam. These differences offer support -for the supposition that the Asiatic-Palauan Migratory Shore Bird Flyway -is distinct from the Japanese-Marianan Migratory Shore Bird Flyway. - - -LAND AND FRESH-WATER BIRDS - -The land and fresh-water avifauna of Micronesia consists of 147 kinds of -birds. Of these, 37 kinds are non-residents, 104 kinds are residents, -and 6 kinds have been introduced by man. The 104 resident birds include -98 kinds (94 percent) which are found only within the confines of -Micronesia. Included in these 98 kinds which are restricted to -Micronesia are 5 endemic genera, 31 endemic species and 76 endemic -subspecies. - -Gulick (1932: 407, 413) stresses that the fauna and flora of the oceanic -islands may be "disharmonic" (he uses Easter Island as his example) and -says, "It is evident that mature groups of islands will attain an -internal harmony, from the standpoint of the systematist. But this -harmony, instead of reflecting the pre-existing harmony of some -continental source (as in the case of the continental islands or -land-bridge remnants) will be recognizably derivable by descent from a -quite limited number of original importations, at the start distinctly -miscellaneous and 'disharmonic'." Analysis of the land and fresh-water -avifauna of Micronesia supports Gulick's view. - -[Illustration: FIG. 7. Divisions of the islands of part of the Pacific -Basin from the standpoint of the distribution of land birds and -fresh-water birds: (1) Micronesia; (2) Hawaii; (3) Central Polynesia; -(4) Eastern Polynesia; (5) Southern Melanesia; (6) Melanesia.] - -As mentioned previously, the islands of Micronesia, from the -zoogeographical viewpoint, have been regarded as a part of the -Polynesian Subregion of the Australian Region. Mayr (1941a: 192) defines -the Polynesian Subregion as comprising "all the tropical and subtropical -islands of the Pacific Basin which indicate by their impoverished fauna -that they have had no recent continental connection (after early -Tertiary) and which derived the major part of their fauna directly or -indirectly from the Papuan Region or jointly from Australia and the -Papuan Region." As based on the distribution of the resident avifauna, -Mayr (1941a:193) subdivides the Polynesian Subregion into the following -districts: Micronesia ("including Palau, the Marianne, Caroline, -Marshall, and Gilbert islands"); Central Polynesia ("including Fiji, -Tonga, Samoa, Phoenix, Ellice, Union islands, and a number of small -islands, such as Rotuma, Fotuna, Keppel, Niue, Niouafu, and Uvea"); -Eastern Polynesia ("all the islands east of 165° W"); and Southern -Melanesia ("including the Santa Cruz group, Banks Islands, New Hebrides, -Loyalty Islands, and New Caledonia"). He considers that the Hawaiian -Islands, Solomon Islands, and possibly New Caledonia are bordering -districts to the Polynesian Subregion. Figure 7 shows the divisions of -the islands of the Pacific Basin from the standpoint of the distribution -of the land and fresh-water birds. I have placed the Gilbert and -Marshall islands in the Central Polynesian rather than in the -Micronesian District. For purposes of discussion in this report, -however, I am considering the Marshalls to be a part of Micronesia. The -birdlife of the Bonin and Volcano islands northward of the Marianas is -regarded as having its closest affinities to the Japanese avifauna. The -Papuan or Melanesian Subregion of the Australian Region includes the -districts of New Guinea and Northern Melanesia, including the Bismarck -Archipelago, the Admiralty Islands, and the Solomon Islands. - -The resident land and fresh-water birds of Micronesia have been derived -from several sources. Studies of these birds and their closest relatives -in adjacent areas indicate that the avifauna has been derived from five -different sources: Polynesia, Melanesia, the Moluccas and Celebes, -Philippines, and Palearctica. - - -POLYNESIAN COMPONENT - -_Aphanolimnas monasa_ (extinct?), _Ptilinopus porphyraceus_, and _Ducula -oceanica_ are the only species of birds which have reached Micronesia -directly from Polynesia. There are in Micronesia, as Mayr (1941b: 204) -points out, eight species "which are members of typically Polynesian -species or genera" and six species which are either Papuan or -Polynesian. The relationships between Polynesian and Micronesian birds -is evident, but insofar as the pathways of colonization are concerned -the majority of these Micronesian species listed by Mayr have come from -elsewhere than Polynesia and the birds of these two areas are thought to -have arisen from common ancestors. _Aphanolimnas_, _Ptilinopus_, and -_Ducula_ apparently invaded Micronesia from Central Polynesia _via_ the -Marshall Islands through a rather continuous chain of islands and -atolls. _Aphanolimnas_ is known only from Kusaie in the extreme eastern -part of the Carolines while _Ptilinopus_ and _Ducula_ are known from the -Marshalls, Carolines, and Palaus. - - -MELANESIAN COMPONENT - -The Papuan or Melanesian Region (New Guinea, Bismarck Archipelago, -Solomon Islands) has supplied to Micronesia its greatest number of -endemic land and fresh-water residents. Fifty kinds of birds belonging -to the following species reached Micronesia from Melanesia: _Nycticorax -caledonicus_, _Megapodius lapérouse_, _Ptilinopus roseicapillus_, -_Gallicolumba xanthonura_, _G. canifrons_, _Caloenas nicobarica_, -_Halcyon cinnamomina_, _Trichoglossus rubiginosus_, _Collocalia -inquieta_, _Edolisoma tenuirostre_, _Rhipidura rufifrons_, _Metabolus -regensis_, _Monarcha godeffroyi_, _M. takatsukasae_, _Colluricincla -tenebrosa_, _Aplonis opacus_, _A. pelzelni_, _A. corvinus_ (extinct?), -_Cleptornis marchei_, _Myzomela cardinalis_ (probably by way of Southern -Melanesia), _Rukia palauensis_, _R. oleaginea_, _R. ruki_, _R. -sanfordi_, _Erythrura trichroa_. The colonization of Micronesia by these -species has probably extended over a considerable period of time. -_Megapodius_, _Trichoglossus_, and _Aplonis corvinus_ may represent -older colonizations which have become well differentiated from the -ancestral forms; _Nycticorax_, _Myzomela_, and _Erythrura_ may have -become established later and have had "less time" to become modified -from the ancestral forms. Birds from Melanesia have reached Micronesia -probably by direct flight to the Caroline Islands. Aided by favorable -winds which blow from the southwest, south and southeast during the -period from May to November, birds, particularly the young of the year, -might conceivably be blown in the direction of the Carolines, where 57 -percent of the birds derived from Melanesia reside. The Palaus are -populated with 15 percent, the Marianas with 28 percent, and the -Marshalls (lacking "high" islands) with none; these may be secondary -colonizations from the Carolinas excepting _Ptilinopus_, _Megapodius_, -_Gallicolumba canifrons_, _Cleptornis_, and _Colluricincla_. The -Marshall Islands have received no avian components from Melanesia. The -absence of "high" islands in the Marshalls and the possible inability of -birds accustomed to life on the luxuriant islands of Melanesia to become -established on relatively barren atolls are logical reasons for this. -Instead of New Guinea itself, the outlying islands of Melanesia -(Bismarck Archipelago, Solomons, Southern Melanesia) probably have been -the principal "taking-off" places for birds invading Micronesia. - - -MOLUCCAN AND CELEBESIAN COMPONENTS - -Birds which reached Micronesia by way of the islands of Celebes and the -Moluccas may have been derived originally from Melanesia. The following -birds appear to have used this route: _Porphyrio porphyrio_, probably -_Halcyon chloris_, _Rhipidura lepida_, _Myiagra oceanica_, _Zosterops -conspicillata_, and _Z. cinerea_. These birds apparently became -established initially in the Palaus; _Porphyrio_ and _Rhipidura lepida_ -have not been recorded elsewhere in Micronesia, but _Myiagra_ and the -two species of _Zosterops_ have spread to the Carolines and Marianas, -although not into the Marshall Islands. Wind from the southeast in -summer and fall has probably been a factor aiding these colonizations. -The population of _Gallinula chloropus_ resident at Palau may also have -arrived by this route. - - -PHILIPPINE COMPONENT - -Ten of the kinds of birds of Micronesia have come from or by way of the -Philippine area. These are known principally from the Palaus and the -Marianas and include: _Rallus philippinus_, _R. owstoni_, _Poliolimnas -cinereus_, _Caprimulgus indicus_, _Corvus kubaryi_, _Psamathia annae_, -_Artamus leucorhynchus_, possibly _Lonchura nigerrima_, and _Collocalia -inexpectata_. The Philippines may have been the actual point of -dispersal of the birds (example, _Psamathia_), or may have been used as -a stepping stone to Micronesia by birds coming from Melanesia (examples, -_Rallus_ and _Artamus_), by birds from Malaysia (example, _Collocalia_), -and by birds from Asia (example, _Caprimulgus_). Two birds of this -component have reached the islands of eastern Micronesia. A subspecies -of _Lonchura nigerrima_ is endemic at Ponapé, and a subspecies of -_Poliolimnas cinereus_ occurs on several islands in the Carolines and -has even been recorded at Bikini in the Marshall Islands. Three species -are known only from the Palaus; two are known only from the Marianas. - - -PALEARCTIC COMPONENT - -[Illustration: FIG. 8. Faunal areas from which the resident land birds -and fresh-water birds of Micronesia have been derived. (1) Palearctica; -(2) Philippines; (3) Moluccas and Celebes (Malaysia); (4) Melanesia (New -Guinea and northern Melanesia); (5) Polynesia.] - -Birds of Micronesia which have been derived directly from Palearctica -are _Gallinula chloropus guami_, _Otus podarginus_, _Asio flammeus_, -_Acrocephalus luscinia_ and _Anas oustaleti_. Apparently _Gallinula_, -_Asio_, and _Acrocephalus_ arrived in Micronesia by way of the chain of -islands from Japan southward to the Bonins, Volcanoes, and Marianas. -_Otus_ reached Palau from Asia, possibly by way of the Philippines. The -smallness of the representation of this component may result partly from -lesser ability of the northern birds to adapt themselves to, and to -establish themselves on, the semi-tropical and tropical islands of -Micronesia as compared with birds from Melanesia where the climate and -ecologic conditions resemble more closely those found in Micronesia. -Evidence supporting this possibility is the large number of Palearctic -residents in the Bonin and Volcano islands as compared with fewer in the -Marianas; the Bonins and Volcanoes are less tropical and more temperate -in climate. - -Table 11 lists the birds concerned, by faunal areas from which the birds -have been derived and shows the number of kinds of birds which are -present as a result of these colonizations. There is some overlap in the -numbers since some endemics may be found in more than one area in -Micronesia. Figure 8 shows the faunal areas from which the endemic land -and fresh-water birds of Micronesia have been derived. Melanesia (Papua) -supplied 52 percent of this population. Birds reaching Micronesia by way -of the Moluccas and Celebes include 21 percent of the total population. -The Philippines have supplied 10 percent; Polynesia, 9 percent; and -Palearctica, 8 percent. This population of endemic land birds and -fresh-water birds has seemingly evolved from 46 colonizations, of which -27 have been derived from Melanesia, 6 from the Philippines, 5 from the -Moluccan and Celebean areas, 5 from Palearctica, and 3 from Polynesia. - -The Palaus have received a large part of their avifauna from the west -(Moluccas, Philippines, Palearctica). Their Melanesian component is -mostly the result of secondary colonization from the Carolines. The -Carolines have received a greater share of their land birds and -fresh-water birds from Melanesia and a smaller share from Polynesia. The -Marshalls are definitely associated with the Polynesian element. The -Marianas exhibit a considerable amount of secondary colonization from -other Micronesian islands, as well as some unique components from the -Philippines, Melanesia, and Palearctica. Thus, the number of endemics in -Micronesia provides little information concerning the actual number of -successful colonizations by birds from other areas. Many of the endemics -probably have resulted in this way: Individuals of an endemic subspecies -flew to another island and there underwent further differentiation, -producing another endemic subspecies. Such secondary colonization -probably is going on now. - -This analysis of the avifauna shows that Micronesia, with the exception -of the Marshall Islands (and the Gilbert Islands), has but little -affinity to Polynesia. It has greater affinity, from the zoogeographical -standpoint, with the Papuan Region (Melanesia). - - -TABLE 11. AVIFAUNAL COMPONENTS WHICH MAKE UP THE ENDEMIC RESIDENT LAND - AND FRESH-WATER BIRD POPULATION OF MICRONESIA - - =================+=======+=============+===========+==========+========== - | | Western | | | - FAUNAL COMPONENT | Palau | and central | Eastern | Marianas | Marshalls - | | Carolines | Carolines | | - -----------------+-------+-------------+-----------+----------+---------- - Polynesian | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 3 - Melanesian | 11 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 0 - Moluccan-Celebean| 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 - Philippine | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 - Palearctic | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 - +-------+-------------+-----------+----------+---------- - Totals | 27 | 23 | 29 | 28 | 4 - -----------------+-------+-------------+-----------+----------+---------- - - -SPECIATION - -Of the 104 native fresh-water birds and land birds which are resident in -Micronesia, only 7 kinds or 6.5 percent remain undifferentiated from -populations elsewhere. These birds are _Phalacrocorax melanoleucus_, -_Pandion haliaetus_, _Demigretta sacra_, _Ixobrychus sinensis_, _Anas -poecilorhyncha_, and possibly _Lonchura punctulata_ (may be an -introduction by man). Another bird, _Gallinula chloropus_, a resident at -Palau, may or may not be distinct from the gallinule of Malaysia, _G. c. -orientalis_. Of the 104 resident birds, 97 kinds or 93.5 percent have -become differentiated and can be separated taxonomically from -populations elsewhere. Of the kinds of birds which are found only in -Micronesia, there are 5 endemic genera (16 percent), 31 endemic species -(32 percent) and 76 endemic subspecies (75 percent). If we consider the -avifauna of Micronesia as a single element, the endemism is high as -compared with that on larger and less isolated islands. For example, -Mayr (1944a:174) found 137 resident birds on Timor including 22 endemic -species (16 percent) and 67 endemic subspecies (47.5 percent). -Stresemann (1939b:313) found 220 species including 84 endemic species -(38.2 percent) on Celebes. Mayr (1944a:174) also writes that on Java, of -337 breeding species, 16 (4.8 percent) are endemic, and on New -Caledonia, of 68 species 19 (27.9 percent) are endemic. Speciation in -Micronesia has not progressed much farther than that at New Caledonia -and not so far as at Celebes, but subspeciation has progressed -considerably more than at the island of Timor. The avifauna of the -Hawaiian Islands, as recorded by Bryan and Greenway (1944), has 73 -resident land birds and fresh-water birds, all of which are endemic, -including one family, 23 genera and 36 species. The North American night -heron, _Nycticorax n. hoactli_, may be included in this list as the only -resident which is undifferentiated. The development of full specific -differentiation within the resident avifauna is greater in the more -isolated Hawaiian chain where 49 percent of these birds are regarded as -endemic species, while in Micronesia, which is less remote from other -bodies of land, the specific endemism is only 32 percent. - - -TABLE 12. ENDEMISM IN FAMILIES OF NATIVE LAND AND FRESH-WATER BIRDS IN - MICRONESIA - - ==================+===========+=========+=========+============+========= - | | Endemic | Endemic | Endemic | Total - FAMILY | Residents | genera | species | subspecies | endemic - ------------------+-----------+---------+---------+------------+--------- - Phalacrocoracidae | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 - Ardeidae | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 - Anatidae | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 - Accipitridae | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 - Megapodidae | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 - Rallidae | 7 | 1* | 2 | 4 | 6 - Columbidae | 13 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 13 - Psittacidae | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 - Strigidae | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 - Caprimulgidae | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 - Apodidae | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 - Alcedinidae | 7 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7 - Campephagidae | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 - Corvidae | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 - Sylviidae | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 - Muscicapidae | 14 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 14 - Artamidae | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 - Sturnidae | 9 | 0 | 3[+] | 7 | 9 - Meliphagidae | 7 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 - Zosteropidae | 14 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 14 - Ploceidae | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 - +-----------+---------+---------+------------+--------- - Totals | 104 | 5 | 31 | 76 | 97 - ------------------+-----------+---------+---------+------------+--------- - - * _Aphanolimonasa_ is included but may be extinct. - - [+] _Aplonis corvinus_ is included but may be extinct. - - -Table 12 lists the families of land birds and fresh-water birds which -have resident members as part of the avifauna of Micronesia. It can be -observed from the table that only two families are represented by no -endemic kinds, several families are represented by one or two endemic -kinds, and others are represented by as many as 14 endemic kinds. -Endemism has reached its greatest development in the families Rallidae -(6), Columbidae (13), Apodidae (5), Alcedinidae (7), Sylviidae (5), -Muscicapidae (14), Sturnidae (9), Meliphagidae (7), and Zosteropidae -(14). Generic endemism is greatest in the Sylviidae where one endemic -genus occurs among 5 endemic species and subspecies (20 percent), in -Rallidae one in 6 (17 percent), in Meliphagidae one in 7 (14 percent). -Specific endemism is greatest in Psittacidae and Corvidae where the -single representative of each family in Micronesia is considered -specifically distinct (100 percent), in Megapodidae and Strigidae one in -2 (50 percent), in Muscicapidae and Zosteropidae 6 in 14 (43 percent) in -Sylviidae 2 in 5 (40 percent), in Rallidae 2 in 6 (33 percent), in -Sturnidae 3 in 9 (33 percent) in Columbidae 4 in 13 (31 percent). -Subspeciation within species which are endemic in Micronesia has -occurred in 8 families, occurring within two species in each of the -families Columbidae and Zosteropidae and once in each of the families -Megapodidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Sylviidae, Muscicapidae, and -Sturnidae. - -In summary, the families of land and fresh-water birds found in -Micronesia which have the greatest number of endemic forms are -Muscicapidae (14), Zosteropidae (14), Columbidae (13), and Sturnidae -(9). Speciation has occurred in the single representative of the -families Psittacidae (_Trichoglossus rubiginosus_) and Corvidae (_Corvus -kubaryi_). Where family representation is large, speciation has occurred -most frequently, as in the Muscicapidae (6 in 14 = 43 percent), in the -Zosteropidae (6 in 14 = 43 percent), and in the Columbidae (4 in 13 = 31 -percent). Subspeciation has occurred in 8 families, in two species in -the Columbidae and Zosteropidae and in one species in each of 6 other -families. - - -TIME OF COLONIZATION - -Previously (and in the accounts of the species to follow), comments are -made concerning the subjects of _from where_ and _by what route_ the -various kinds of birds have arrived at Micronesia. The problem of _when_ -these birds arrived is a difficult and usually unanswerable one. -Although geology provides some evidence on the relative age of the -islands, and although deposits of bird guano on now elevated coral -islands show that oceanic birds have inhabited these islands for a long -time, there is no evidence to show the time of the first colonization by -land birds. No fossil remains of land birds or fresh-water birds have -been found in Micronesia. The relative extent of differentiation in -color and structure, which has taken place between different birds, -offers one means for estimating the relative length of residence in the -area, provided all other factors are equivalent. Concerning the birds of -the Galapagos, Lack (1947:113) writes "That Darwin's finches are so -highly differentiated suggests that they colonized the Galapagos -considerably ahead of the other land birds." Evidence from this source -actually is of little value, because the speed of evolution is unknown -and its rate may be different in different species, even though they -live under the same circumstances. Dobzhansky (1941) says that evolution -is a modification of the genetic equilibrium, which, if true, may not -result in similar manifestations in different kinds of birds living -under the same conditions of life. Relative antiquity of the birds might -be ascertained by measuring their ecologic adaptations. The Guam Rail -(_Rallus owstoni_) and the Micronesian White-browed Rail (_Poliolimnas_) -can be examined in this way. _R. owstoni_ has the ability to live in -both brackish and fresh water swamps, as well as in the scrub and grass -of the uplands and in the virtually barren, rocky areas in the dense -jungles. _Poliolimnas_, on the other hand, appears to be restricted to -swampy areas in Micronesia. If the swampy areas were removed this rail -probably would become extinct. _R. owstoni_ appears to have been -resident in Micronesia longer than _Poliolimnas_. However, ability to -live in a variety of habitats might be acquired by _R. owstoni_ in a -relatively short time. - -Another possibility is that the birds, which are less differentiated -from their ancestral stocks, may be less differentiated because of -suppression of newly evolved characters by dilutions, which result from -interbreeding with new birds, which may be arriving at irregular -intervals from the ancestral home. Interbreeding of the resident -population with newcomers may overshadow any modifications which might -have appeared as a result of insular isolation, especially modifications -which have little adaptive significance. One would suspect, from their -modifications, that _Rallus owstoni_, _Metabolus rugensis_, _Corvus -kubaryi_, and other endemic forms have experienced less of this -"dilution," than such birds as _Rallus philippensis pelewensis_, -_Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis_, _Myzomela cardinalis_, and others. -Murphy (1938) mentions this "dilution" effect in his discussion of -"strong" and "weak" subspecies among warblers of the Marquesas. He -writes that "strong" subspecies may develop if the birds are present on -islands which are upwind from islands containing related subspecies. The -wind acts to block interisland migration in these weak-flyers. On the -other hand, "weak" subspecies may show the effect of "dilution," being -situated on islands downwind from islands containing related -subspecies. The direction of the wind acts to aid the weak flyers to -move to the downwind islands and continually "dilute" the resident -subspecies. Similar examples can be cited for Micronesian birds. Hesse, -Allee, and Schmidt (1937:87) write, "Endemism on islands is most -frequent in forms for which the difficulty of reaching the island is -most extreme, so that new increments of the parent form are unlikely to -follow." - -Employing the criteria mentioned above, the birds of Micronesia can be -tentatively divided into four groups as regards the relative time when -they arrived at the islands: - -1. Birds of ancient colonizations which reached certain individual -islands, became modified, and dispersed no farther. Examples are -_Aphanolimnas_, _Rallus owstoni_, _Aplonis corvinus_, _Metabolus -rugensis_, and _Corvus kubaryi_. - -2. Birds of ancient colonizations which reached or dispersed through a -number of islands but are now restricted to relatively few islands. -Examples are _Ducula oceanica_, _Ptilinopus porphyraceus_, _Megapodius -lapérouse_, _Asio flammeus_, and _Acrocephalus luscinia_. - -3. Birds of ancient, or possibly more recent, colonizations which -initially reached or subsequently dispersed to many of the islands of -Micronesia possessing habitat suitable for them. Examples are _Myzomela -cardinalis_, the two species of _Halcyon_, _Aplonis opacus_, and -_Zosterops conspicillata_. - -4. Birds of rather recent colonizations, which may have reached only a -few islands and are relatively unmodified from their parental stocks. -Examples are _Artamus leucorhynchus_, _Caprimulgus indicus_, -_Poliolimnas cinereus_, and _Nycticorax caledonicus_. - - -FACTORS CAUSING DISPERSAL - -Darlington (1938:274) in discussing the origin of the fauna of the -Greater Antilles uses the term "over-water dispersal" in referring to -the spread of terrestrial animals across water. He is against the use of -the term "accidental dispersal" since many factors besides accident are -involved. He contends, as do others, that certain forms of organisms, -owing to their "nature and behavior" cross water barriers more -successfully than others. These observations may be applied to the -"over-water dispersal" of birdlife to the islands of Micronesia. Certain -groups of birds are more evident in Micronesia than others. Certain -groups of birds which are found on other islands of the Pacific basin -are found in Micronesia only in small numbers or may not be -represented; Mayr (1945a:284) writes, "Remarkable is the almost complete -absence of parrots and honey-eaters, the small number of pigeons and the -absence of such widespread genera as _Lalage_, _Turdus_, and -_Pachycephala_." The absence of some species and the presence of others -produces the characteristic insular effect termed "disharmonic" by -Gulick (1932:407), as compared with the continental area or island which -derived its avifauna by way of a land bridge. One would think from -looking at table 12 that members of the families Rallidae, Columbidae, -Muscicapidae, Sturnidae, and Zosteropidae were the most successful -colonizers in Micronesia on the basis of the number of successful -colonizations (not necessarily on the number of endemics developed from -a single colonization). Of these families, Sturnidae and Zosteropidae -and possibly Columbidae contain species which often move in flocks. -Furthermore, these families as well as the Muscicapidae feed on either -fruits, seeds, or insects, any one of which is a type of food which -might "give out" suddenly, stimulating a migratory behavior within the -birds. From a flock embarking seaward in "search" of more food, a part -or even all of the birds might survive in a chance flight to an isolated -island in Micronesia. If a flock containing both males and females -reaches an island, the species has a good chance of becoming -established. Evidence that such a rapid colonization by flocks of birds -can take place is found in the remarkable colonization of New Zealand by -_Zosterops lateralis_ from the Australian area. The bird was first seen -as a winter migrant in New Zealand in 1856 and records of nestings were -obtained at North Island in 1862, according to Oliver (1930:489). In the -case of rails there is no evidence that they move in flocks; however, -they are among the most successful colonizers and are on many of the -oceanic islands in the tropical and subtropical oceans. Representatives -of several species of the family Rallidae have invaded Micronesia and -have successfully established 6, or possibly 7, "colonies." - -Darlington (1938:274) further writes that "it is no accident that some -islands, because of their nature and position, the direction of winds -and currents, and the nature of the neighboring land, receive more -organisms than other islands do." Semper (1881:294) writes that the -distribution of flying creatures "must be in a great degree dependent on -the direction and strength of atmospheric currents." These statements -are applicable to the history of the avifauna of Micronesia. The -Caroline Islands, for example, present a "broad front" for wanderers -from the Melanesian islands. As mentioned previously, the prevailing -winds in the late spring, summer, and early fall are from the south, -southwest, and southeast and would favor bird flight to the northward -towards the Carolines. In addition, the breeding season of many of the -birds in Melanesia is from November to February, and in the spring and -summer, restless young birds seeking living space might fly seaward and -aided by the winds fly northward towards Micronesia. Adults, which may -have well-established home territories, may be less likely to attempt -such a movement. - -One could conclude from the above discussion that the Micronesian -islands, especially the Carolines, might be well populated with a large -variety of birds from Melanesia, a scant 500 or more miles away. As it -turns out, there are only a few islands in this extensive archipelago -possessing proper vegetation, fresh water, and other qualities which -make them capable of supporting the land and fresh-water birds of -Melanesia. The few islands which have these qualities are the so-called -"high" islands, including the entire Mariana chain, the Palaus, and four -widely separated islands in the Carolines: Yap, Truk, Ponapé, and -Kusaie. The other islands of Micronesia are "low" coral islands, which -often lack fresh water and have a meager variety of fruits, insects and -other foods. Thus, if birds do reach Micronesia but arrive at the atolls -instead of the "high" islands, these birds may be doomed. It is -noteworthy that the Micronesian islands are small compared with the -Solomons, Fijis, and others. The smaller the island, the fewer the -number of ecologic niches and the fewer the kinds of birds present. - -Mayr (1941b:215) writes that the distance from the nearest land mass and -the climatic conditions are important factors controlling dispersal. -With regard to the degree of remoteness of the islands, table 13 lists -the number of resident land and fresh-water birds present in the Palaus -and the "high" islands of the Carolines. Also, the approximate distance -from the nearest large land mass and the area in square miles are given. -There is some correlation between the distance from the nearest land -mass and the number of resident land birds and fresh-water birds. For -example, Palau, with 32 resident birds, is only 410 miles from the -nearest land mass whereas Kusaie, with only 11 resident birds, is 720 -miles from the nearest land mass. The comparative size of the land mass -must also be taken into account, as shown by the fact that the large -island of Ponapé contains more kinds of birds but is more remote from -large land masses than either Yap or Truk. - - -TABLE 13. CORRELATION BETWEEN NUMBER OF RESIDENT LAND AND FRESH-WATER - BIRDS AND DISTANCE FROM LARGE LAND MASSES OF "HIGH" ISLANDS OF - MICRONESIA - - Column headings: - - A: No. of Birds - B: Approximate distance from nearest land mass (statute miles) - C: Area in square miles - - ========+====+=====+===================================+===== - ISLAND | A | B | Nearest land mass | C - --------+----+-----+-----------------------------------+----- - Palau | 32 | 410 | Approximately equal distance from | 171 - | | | Mindanao, Morotai, New Guinea | - | | | | - Yap | 13 | 580 | New Guinea | 83 - | | | | - Truk | 17 | 525 | New Ireland | 50 - | | | | - Ponapé | 20 | 630 | New Ireland | 145 - | | | | - Kusaie | 11 | 720 | Malaita (Solomons) | 42 - --------+----+-----+-----------------------------------+----- - - -Climatic factors are important in the dispersal of bird life; -Micronesia, where the climate is tropical to subtropical, is better -suited for colonization by birds from the tropics (Melanesia) than by -birds from the temperate or cold climates (Palearctica). The climatic -factor may be one of the principal reasons why birds from Palearctica -make up only a small part of the avifauna of Micronesia. - - -ANALYSIS OF SPECIATION - -The process of speciation within insular populations has been discussed -by many authors. Hesse, Allee, and Schmidt (1937:517) list the motives -for differentiation as, "Special character of insular faunae rests on -the conditions common to all islands--isolation, freedom from -competition, space restriction, and special insular climates." This -combination of characteristics is seldom found elsewhere in nature, and -as Murphy (1938:357) points out, an island is the nearest approach to a -"man-controlled laboratory." Isolation of small populations is probably -the most influential factor in the process of speciation in insular -organisms. Lack (1947:134) writes that "in all organisms the isolation -of populations is an essential preliminary to the origin of new -species." Buxton (1938:265) also stresses this point with regard to the -formation of species of insects in Samoa and emphasizes that evolution -may occur more quickly in small populations. When mutations appear in -such small and isolated populations, they have a greater chance to -become fixed than do mutations in less restricted populations in a -larger land mass, where such a mutation might be lost by the swamping -effects of outbreedings. In addition, Wright (1931 and elsewhere) -suggests the possibility of change by accidental elimination and -recombination of hereditary characters in micropopulations. This -mechanism could well be a factor in Micronesian bird populations, many -of which possess no more than a few hundred individuals. Huxley -(1938:256) emphasizes that "accidental" mutations may be perpetuated in -small, isolated groups. It might be added that such changes might be -either advantageous or disadvantageous to the organism concerned. Huxley -(1938:263) states also that geographic isolation may promote nonadaptive -differentiation, which may be caused by "colonization by a random -sample" or by subsequent "preservation of nonadaptive mutations in -numerically small isolated groups." Mayr (1942b:237) cites the -importance of the "founder" principal for reduced variability in small -populations. He points out that if the "founders" of the population -carried with them only "a very small proportion of the variability of -the parent population," one would expect to see divergence from the -ancestral stock. - -Freedom from competition, especially interspecific strife, is an -important factor in differentiation; this is especially true in the -early period of colonization. Lack (1947:113) points to the absence of -food competitors, especially in the initial period of colonization, as -an important influence in the evolution of Darwin's finches at the -Galapagos Islands. Once a population has become established and -"adjusted" to a given environment on a small island, intraspecific -competition might bring about adaptative selection. Subsequent colonists -might be eliminated by the competition brought about by these previously -adapted organisms, especially if both organisms were adapted for life in -the same ecologic niche. Space restriction may be important in such -Micronesian birds as _Rhipidura_ and _Myiagra_, which appear to possess -recognizable territories. A new colonist entering the territory of one -of these birds might be forced out. This competition might not play such -an important part among birds, which live in flocks and do not range in -closely guarded territories; birds in this group include some pigeons, -starlings, and white-eyes. - -Freedom from the pressure of predation probably exerts a direct -influence on formation of species. Aside from a few migrant hawks and -two kinds of resident owls, most of the avifauna feeds on vegetable and -invertebrate foods. The large lizard _Varanus_ may be classed as the -only native predator on many of the islands. Man has been responsible -for the introduction of rats, house cats, and other mammals, which may -be destructive to birds. Thus, before the advent of man the factor of -predation may not have been of great consequence. As mentioned -previously, nonadaptive modifications may be perpetuated where the -"weeding-out" process by predation is not an influence. Flightless rails -have apparently developed in the absence of predation. - -The absence of the pressure of predation should remove a certain amount -of control on the population turn-over. As Hesse, Allee, and Schmidt -(1937:521) write, a characteristic of the faunas of oceanic islands is -the fact that they are distinguished by the occurrence of -"disproportionately developed taxonomic groups in which one or a few -basic types have undergone adaptative radiation and come to fill unduly -large proportions of the population as compared with conditions that -obtain on neighboring continents." Lack (1947:114) writes, "that the -absence of predators may well have accelerated the adaptative radiation" -in the Galapagos finches. In Micronesia, the starling (_Aplonis opacus_) -dominates much of the available habitat on some of the Caroline atolls, -and even on "high" islands, where other land birds are present. There -appears to be no tendency towards selective adaptations occurring, or -towards ecologic isolation. - -Available data indicate that the life spans of individual birds in -Micronesia may be short. For example, it was obvious on many of the -islands visited by the NAMRU2 party that starlings (_Aplonis opacus_) in -immature plumage outnumbered starlings in adult plumage, although it is -possible that immature plumages are retained longer in these island -birds than in others. Similar observations were made by Coultas, who -noted the ratio of birds in immature plumage to birds in adult plumage -at Kusaie to be 5 to 1. If the life span is shorter in these insular -forms as compared with that of the ancestral stocks, the higher annual -population turn-over would allow for the speed of genetic changes to be -accelerated. - -The origin of species by hybridization between different kinds of -organisms has been a subject of frequent discussion. Lack (1947:100) -concludes that it is improbable that hybridization has played an -important part in the origin of new kinds of birds. Nevertheless, the -absence of sufficient mates in the confines of a small island probably -stimulates the crossbreeding between two species of birds. Fertile -offspring of such a cross might conceivably account for some of the -populations, the origins of which are puzzles to present day -taxonomists. Such Micronesian forms as _Metabolus_ and _Cleptornis_ -could conceivably have been derived in such a manner. Yamashina (1948) -has described the origin of _Anas oustaleti_ as a result of -hybridization between _A. platyrhynchos_ and _A. poecilorhyncha_. It -might be difficult to explain every case of the formation of other -insular species on the basis of the effects of isolation and paucity -alone. However, Mayr (1942b:236) includes the development of -questionable and unusual kinds of insular forms in a general statement: -"The potentiality for rapid divergent evolution in small populations -explains also why we have on islands so many dwarf or giant races, or -races with peculiar color characters (albinism, melanism), or with -peculiar structure (long bills in birds), or other peculiar characters -(loss of male plumage in birds)." - -Nutrition may be also a factor influencing speciation in bird life. The -types of food plants (coconut, papaya, breadfruit, pandanus, etc.) might -be similar on a Micronesian island and on a continental island in the -Philippine region; however, the value of these plants as foods might -vary and might reflect differences in mineral content of the soils. For -example, if the soils on an island lack, or by leaching out have lost, -sufficient amounts of potassium and other elements, plants may store -foods, not as proteins, but possibly as carbohydrates, simple sugars, or -alkaloids. Whether nutritional influences might have a selective effect -on the bird populations, has not been ascertained. - -In summary, it may be said that genetic change altering the phenotypic -expression of avian characteristics is no more apt to happen in insular -populations than in continental populations but genetic change may have -a greater chance of being perpetuated in small insular populations where -isolation, limited competition, freedom from the selective influences of -predation, and other factors exert influences. - - - - -CONSERVATION OF THE AVIFAUNA OF MICRONESIA - - -The islands of Micronesia are small and their occupation by man often -produces serious effects on the endemic animal life of the islands. The -vulnerability of insular bird populations is well attested by the fact -that the majority of birds, which have become extinct in the past two -hundred years, have been insular forms. Two birds in Micronesia, the -Kusaie Rail (_Aphanolimnas_) and the Kusaie Mountain Starling (_Aplonis -corvinus_), are known to be either extinct or so rare that they have not -been taken since the time of Kittlitz, who visited the island of Kusaie -in December, 1827, and January, 1828. Other birds (_Anas oustaleti_, -_Caloenas nicobarica_, _Megapodius l. lapérouse_, and _Metabolus -rugensis_) have become reduced in numbers and may be threatened with -extermination. - -Nelson (1921:270-274) has described the following agencies destructive -to island life of the Pacific: fire, volcanic eruptions, tidal waves, -hurricanes, clearing of the land, introduction of domestic animals and -grazing, introduction of wild animals and birds. Mayr (1945c) also -presents a discussion of conservation problems in these islands. - -Fire is a serious hazard to island life, especially to the land birds. -It destroys both food and cover, these two habitat requirements being -most essential to the birds. The firing of open lands to improve grazing -conditions was a practice which persisted in the Marianas during the -time of the Spanish. This practice has declined, but the resultant -vegetational changes and erosion have adversely affected the avifauna. -Tidal waves and hurricanes (typhoons) are occasionally of such intensity -as to flood low coral atolls. Such events are damaging to, or might even -exterminate populations of land birds (_Aplonis_, _Acrocephalus_ and -others), and prevent colonizations which might otherwise occur. Clearing -of the land for agricultural use probably has affected the avifauna, -especially on the island of Tinian where much of the island has been -placed in cultivation. The occurrence of domestic stock, especially -feral hogs and cats, has affected the birds. Hogs, apparently, have been -in the islands for a long time. The English privateer, Lord Anson, -visited Tinian in October, 1742, and noted a large number of hogs -present at that time. At Guam, in 1945, the NAMRU2 party found both hogs -and cats moving freely in all parts of the island. Stomachs of cats -examined showed that they had been feeding principally on rodents. - -Introduction of wild animals and plants have not been so extensive as in -the Hawaiians or other islands. There have been at least five -importations of land birds to Micronesia as well as several mammals, -other vertebrates and invertebrates. The effect of these established -colonies on the native bird life has not been studied. - -The late world war has brought changes to the population of bird life in -Micronesia. The author (1946b) has elsewhere described some of the -effects of the bombing, invasion, and occupation of small islands. Some -islands, like Peleliu, suffered severely from bombing and invasion -operations. Some islands, especially smaller ones like Kwajalein and -Ulithi, were partly or almostly entirely cleared of vegetation by -occupation forces. Other effects were caused by "recreational" shooting -of birds by garrison forces; introductions of pests in materials -unloaded; and pest control by clearing, draining, and spraying with DDT -and other insecticides to the detriment of inoffensive species. - -It is obvious that a well-planned program of conservation should be -placed in operation to insure survival of the endemic avifauna of -Micronesia. - - - - -THE FUTURE OF ORNITHOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN MICRONESIA - - -Collections of birds have been made at most of the major islands of -Micronesia, and it is thought that there are but few if any unnamed -birds in the region. The distribution of several species has not been -completely investigated, especially those land birds (_Ducula_, -_Ptilinopus_, and _Aplonis_) which inhabit coral atolls in the Carolines -and Marshalls. The bird life of the northern Marianas is also -incompletely known. Continued observations in the Micronesian islands -will increase our knowledge of the kinds of migratory shore birds and -migratory land birds which reach the island as winter visitors. Further -information is needed concerning the breeding activities of sea birds in -Micronesia, especially in the Marshalls and Carolines. - -The systematic status of most of the birds in Micronesia is already -established. It is hoped that the present account advances our knowledge -of the methods of colonization. Although these fundamental -investigations have been nearly completed in Micronesia the field of -avian ecology has been relatively untouched. In the past, expeditions -have visited Micronesia with the aim of obtaining within a short time -collections of the animal life as large and as representative as -possible. Many of the collectors made few or no field notes on the bird -life; some, like Finsch, Kubary, Marche, and Coultas, made valuable -observations on the habits of the birds. Intensive ecological researches -may be accomplished more thoroughly by resident investigators, who can -devote full time to such pursuits. - - - - -METHODS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - - -My own opportunity to study the bird life of Micronesia came as a member -of the scientific staff of the Laboratory of Mammalogy of United States -Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 (NAMRU2) in the late war. The primary -duty of this laboratory was to obtain examples of the vertebrate fauna -for examination for ectoparasites by the Laboratory of Acarology and to -preserve specimens for identification. As a result sizeable collections -of mammals, birds, and other vertebrates were obtained. In addition, -ecological data were obtained (as time permitted), especially as an aid -in studying the distribution of ectoparasites which affected man. In -1945, I spent eleven months in Micronesia; for most of this time I was -stationed at Guam, the headquarters of the Unit, although one month was -spent in the Palau Islands, two weeks were spent at Ulithi Atoll, and -short stop-overs were made at Eniwetok and Kwajalein atolls. Other -members of the laboratory staff visited Rota and Truk islands. - -Subsequent to the field studies in the Pacific, I was sent to Washington -and spent approximately eight months at the United States National -Museum studying the collections of birds and preparing several reports -for publication. In this period other material was studied, both in the -United States National Museum and at the American Museum of Natural -History, New York, and the literature dealing with the birds of -Micronesia was explored and a bibliography of Micronesian birds was -prepared. At the University of Kansas, I continued the bibliographic -work, borrowed and studied some specimens, and completed accounts of the -avifauna of Micronesia. - -Under the account of each bird, all known references in the literature, -which mention the scientific name of the bird and its distribution in -Micronesia, are listed. The references are arranged as follows: (1) -citation to the original description, and (2) citations to names in -literature in the order of their first appearance. When a name is a pure -synonym, it may be recognized as such by the fact that the type locality -is given immediately following the citation. In compiling these -references the writer made use of the invaluable work by Wiglesworth -(1891) and of Utinomi's "Bibliographica Micronesia," made available -through the translation by Fisher (1947). The arrangement of the -families follows that of Peters (1931-1945) and Wetmore (1940). - -Specimens examined are designated as to collection in which catalogued -by the following abbreviations: USNM, the United States National Museum; -AMNH, the American Museum of Natural History; MCZ, the Museum of -Comparative Zoölogy; and KMNH, the University of Kansas Museum of -Natural History. Average and extreme measurements of specimens are -usually listed in tables; unless otherwise indicated, measurements are -in millimeters, and are of adult specimens. The wings have been measured -by flattening them on a ruler. Weights are in grams. Unless otherwise -indicated, descriptions of the birds have been written by the author. -Descriptions of shore birds are not given; for these the reader may -refer to Mayr (1945a:28-47) where characters useful for identification -of the birds in the field also are given. The writer is especially -indebted to Dr. Ernst Mayr for making available the descriptions of -Micronesian birds made by Miss Cardine Bogert, especially those dealing -with color of the irides, feet, and bill. Color terms in quotation marks -refer to those in Ridgway (1912). - -In dealing with insular forms the criterion of intergradation as -indicative of subspecies cannot be applied as it can in kinds of birds -on the mainland which have geographically continuous distributions. -Instead, degree of difference in combination with geographic position -plus other factors such as degree of variation in the geographic races -of the same species or a related species on continental areas are used -in deciding whether two closely related kinds are subspecies or full -species. Many kinds of birds in the islands are modified but little from -island to island (examples, _Rhipidura rufifrons_, _Aplonis opacus_, -_Ducula oceanica_, and _Myzomela cardinalis_), and can be treated as -subspecies. Others show much variability from island to island and it is -uncertain whether they should be treated as subspecies or as separate -species (examples, _Myiagra oceanica_, _Zosterops cinerea_, _Rukia_, and -possibly _Acrocephalus luscinia_). Decisions on generic status are -equally difficult to make. In many cases the experience and judgment of -the taxonomist may be the only criteria by which he can decide whether a -bird is different enough to be considered as a distinct genus. This -"human element" has caused some disagreement. Knowing whether the bird -is to be considered as a distinct genus or instead merely as a species -may not be as important as knowing its correct phylogenetic -relationship. The circumstance that variation in these insular birds is -in general less predictable than in mainland birds adds, I think, to the -pleasure inherent in the classification of the variations. - -First, I thank Commodore Thomas N. Rivers (MC) USNR, then commanding -officer of NAMRU2, for the opportunity to join the Unit, for his -interested cooperation in seeing that the plans for field trips were -successful, and for his thoughtfulness in obtaining for me the orders -for duty at the United States National Museum subsequent to our field -investigations. Greatly appreciated also is the help rendered by my -former colleagues of NAMRU2, including Dr. David H. Johnson, Dr. George -W. Wharton, Dr. Aaron B. Hardcastle, Mr. Odis A. Muennik, Mr. L. P. -McElroy, Mr. Charles O. Davison, Mr. Merle H. Markley, Mr. Walter L. -Necker, Dr. Wilbur G. Downs, Dr. Bernard V. Travis, and Mr. E. W. -Coleman. Other personnel, then stationed in Micronesia, who contributed -data used in this report include: Dr. Joe T. Marshall, Jr., (who -generously loaned some of the specimens taken by him in Micronesia), -Dr. C. K. Dorsey, Dr. George Hensel, Mr. Tom Murray, Dr. Irwin O. Buss, -Mr. James O. Stevenson, Dr. Wilfred D. Crabb, Mr. Herbert Wallace, and -Dr. M. Dale Arvey. Authorities of the United States National Museum -provided generously for using the collections there, and I am especially -grateful to Dr. Alexander Wetmore, Dr. Herbert Friedman, and Mr. Herbert -G. Deignan for their cooperation and assistance. Doctor Wetmore kindly -made available many of the birds collected at Bikini during the atomic -bomb experiments. Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy, Dr. Ernst Mayr, and Dr. -Dean Amadon of the American Museum of Natural History made available the -collections in their charge. Doctor Murphy allowed me to examine some of -the heretofore unstudied collections of sea birds of the Whitney South -Sea Expedition. Doctor Mayr generously helped me with taxonomic and -evolutionary problems and made available to me some of his own -unpublished taxonomic notes, the unpublished field accounts of Mr. -William F. Coultas and a partly completed manuscript on the birds of -Micronesia by Miss Cardine Bogert. Mr. James L. Peters generously loaned -specimens from the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy. The use of unpublished -field notes made by Mr. Larry P. Richards at Ponapé and Truk in 1947 and -1948 is also gratefully acknowledged. I am grateful also to my -colleagues at the Museum of Natural History of the University of Kansas -and would single out for special mention Dr. E. Raymond Hall who gave -critical assistance with the manuscript, Drs. Edward H. Taylor and -Herbert B. Hungerford who made helpful suggestions, and Mrs. Virginia -Cassell Unruh who drew the distributional maps. - - - - -ACCOUNTS OF THE KINDS OF BIRDS OF MICRONESIA - - -=Diomedea nigripes= Audubon - -Black-footed Albatross - - _Diomedea nigripes_ Audubon, Ornith. Biog., 5, 1839, p. 327. (Type - locality, Pacific Ocean, lat. 30°44´N., long. 146°W.) - - _Diomedea fuliginosa_ Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 261 (Mariannes). - - _Diomedea nigripes_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris - (3), 8, 1896, p. 51 (Agrigan); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. - 68 (Marianne); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 1, 1901, - p. 22 (Marianas); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Mariannes); - _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam?); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 32 (Marriane); Peters, - Check-list Birds World, 1, 1931, p. 43 (Marshalls); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 188 (Marianas); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3rd ed., 1942, p. 210 (Marianas); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 5 (Marshalls). - - _Geographic range._--North Pacific Ocean. Breeds on islands - northwest of Hawaii. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Agrigan. - - _Characters._--A large oceanic bird with sooty-brown coloration; - darker on nape, wings and tail; lighter on forehead, sides of head, - and abdomen; area surrounding bill whitish; tail whitish at base; - bill dark reddish-brown; feet black. - -_Remarks._--This albatross has been recorded from waters near the -Mariana Islands. Quoy and Gaimard (1824:145) observed "albatross" -between the Mariana and the Hawaiian Islands. The only actual specimens -obtained from the islands were reported on by Oustalet (1896:51). These -were eight Black-footed Albatrosses which were taken on the coast of -Agrigan by Marche in December, 1888, and January, 1889. Oustalet gives -the following measurements: total length, 680-785; wing, 485-525; tail, -180-225; tarsus, 80-90; culmen, 108-125. The specimens are apparently in -the Paris Museum. - -Peters (1931:43) lists the Marshall Islands as part of the range of _D. -nigripes_. - -In the period of the late war Gleise (1945:221) observed eight -Short-tailed Albatrosses (_D. albatrus_ Pallas) "off Saipan." Specimens -of _D. albatrus_ have not been taken in Micronesia. According to Austin -(1948b:32) this albatross "is now virtually extinct," and this record -may be questioned. - - -=Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus= Lesson - -Wedge-tailed Shearwater - - _Puffinus chlororhynchus_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 8, 1931, p. - 613. (Type is from Shark's Bay, West Australia.) - - _Puffinus sphenurus_ Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 299 (Mortlock). - - _Puffinus chlororhynchus_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 80 (Luganor?); Godman, - Monogr. Petrels, pt. 2, 1908, p. 88 (Carolines); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 33 (Luganor or Ruk?). - - _Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 187 (Lukunor or Truk?, Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 209 (Lukunor or Truk?, Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds at the Seychelles, Australia, Lord - Howe, Norfolk, and other islands in the Australian area. Ranges - throughout most of the warmer parts of the Indian and Pacific - oceans. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; Caroline - Islands--Lukunor or Truk?, Kusaie. - - _Characters._--A large shearwater with long wedge-shaped tail; - upper parts sooty-brown with crown, neck, and wings darker and - forehead paler; under parts paler than upper parts; bill dark; - feet flesh-colored. - -_Remarks._--This shearwater was taken by Kubary either at Lukunor or at -Truk in the Caroline Islands. At a later date, apparently between 1922 -and 1932, the Japanese recorded the bird at Kusaie. In using this -subspecific name, I am following the Hand-list of Japanese Birds -(Hachisuka _et al._, 1932:187). - -At Guam on August 10, 1931, Coultas obtained a male shearwater, which is -tentatively placed in this subspecies. Its measurements are as follows: -wing, 290; tail, 128; exposed culmen, 39; tarsus, 47. Coultas (field -notes) writes that he was told by natives that petrels nest and roost on -the high cliffs behind the city of Agańa on Guam. At sea south of the -eastern Caroline islands, Coultas obtained five other birds which appear -to be the same as the bird from Guam. All specimens are in the -collections of the American Museum of Natural History. - - -=Puffinus pacificus cuneatus= Salvin - -Wedge-tailed Shearwater - - _Puffinus cuneatus_ Salvin, Ibis, 1888, p. 353. (Type locality, - Krusenstern Island==Ailuk, Marshall Islands, _fide_ Fisher, Auk, - 63, 1946, pp. 587-588.) - - _Puffinus cuneatus_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 80 (Krusenstern); Salvin, - Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, p. 371 (Krusenstern); Godman, - Monogr. Petrels, pt. 2, 1908, p. 76 (Marshalls). - - _Puffinus pacificus cuneatus_ Mathews, Birds Australia, 2, 1912, - p. 84 (Marshall Group); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 1, 1931, - pp. 55-56 (Krusenstern); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 209 (Krusenstern); Fisher, Auk, 63, 1946, pp. 587-588 (Ailuk). - - _Thyellodroma cuneata cuneata_ Mathews and Iredale, Ibis, 1915, p. - 597 (Krusenstern); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, - p. 113 (Marshall Group). - - _Thyellodroma cuneata_ Oberholser, Auk, 34, 1917, p. 474 - (Krusenstern). - - _Thyellodroma pacificia cuneata_ Mathews, Novit. Zool., 39, 1934, - p. 186 (Caroline Islands). - - _Geographic range._--Pescadores east to the Hawaiian Islands and - south to eastern Micronesia. In Micronesia: Marshall - Islands--Ailuk. - -_Remarks._--Osbert Salvin received two specimens of this shearwater from -H. J. Snow, who got them at the Krusenstern Islands in 1883. In -describing them, Salvin (1888:353) comments that the locality is -seemingly in the Marshall Islands at approximately 10°17´ N. and 190° W. -This locality was confusing to Seebohm (1891:191) who thought it was -between the Hawaiians and the Marshalls, while Hartert (1926:352) -decided it was really Krusenstern Rocks in the Hawaiian Group. To clear -the matter up, Fisher (1946:587-588) writes that Salvin was correct and -suggests that the name of the island should be the better established -one, Ailuk, rather than the little used one, Krusenstern. - -_P. p. cuneatus_ resembles _P. p. chlororhynchus_ but is whiter on the -underparts, especially the breast. These two subspecies are inseparable -according to the twenty-fourth supplement to the American -Ornithologists' Union Check-list of North American Birds (Auk, vol. 66, -1949:281). - - -=Puffinus tenuirostris= (Temminck) - -Short-tailed Shearwater - - _Procellaria tenuirostris_ Temminck, Pl. Col., livr. 99, 1835, text - to pl. 587. (Type locality, Seas north of Japan and shores of - Korea.) - - _Puffinus tenuirostris tenuirostris_ Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, - no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam). - - _Puffinus tenuirostris_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 677 - (Kinajon, Marshall Islands); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 210 (Kinajon, Marshall Islands). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Tasmania, southeastern Australia, - islands in Bass Straits, and Bounty Islands. Ranges north to the - Bering Sea. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam?; Marshall - Islands--Kinajon. - - _Character._--A rather large shearwater with short, rounded tail; - upper parts sooty brown; underparts paler and more grayish than - back; throat may be occasionally whitish; bill lead-gray; feet - grayish, browner on outer side. - -_Remarks._--On migration this shearwater probably reaches most parts of -Micronesia. It has been recently recorded by the Japanese at Kinajon in -the Marshall Islands. Bryan (1936:15) includes this species as a "chance -arrival" in his list of the birds of Guam. - - -=Puffinus nativitatis= Streets - -Christmas Shearwater - - _Puffinus (Nectris) nativitatis_ Streets, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 7, - 1877, p. 29. (Type locality, Christmas Island, Pacific Ocean.) - - _Puffinus nativitatis_ Salvin, Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, - p. 389 (Krusenstern); Lister, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1891, pp. - 295-300 (Krusenstern); Godman, Monogr. Petrels, pt. 3, 1908, p. - 153 (Marshalls). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds at Wake and Laysan Islands south to - Christmas, Phoenix, Marquesas, Tuamotu, and Austral Islands. In - Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Ailuk. - - _Characters._--Upper parts chocolate brown; underparts resemble - upper parts but throat may be slightly grayer; bill and feet - black. _P. nativitatis_ resembles _P. pacificus_ but is similar - with black feet. - -_Remarks._--The only specimens of this bird known from Micronesia, are -those taken in the spring of 1883 by H. J. Snow at Krusenstern (Ailuk) -in the Marshall Islands. For two birds from this island in the -collections of the British Museum, Godman (1908:154) gives the following -measurements: wing, 9.6 and 10.0; tail, 3.35 and 3.4; culmen, 1.15 and -1.2; tarsus, 1.7 and 1.8; middle toe and claw, 2.0 and 2.1. - - -=Puffinus lherminieri dichrous= Finsch and Hartlaub - -Dusky Shearwater - - _Puffinus dichrous_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna Centralpolynesiens, - 1867, p. 244. (Type locality, McKean Island, Phoenix Group.) - - _Puffinus dichrous_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 90, 108 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 6, 44 (Palau). - - _Puffinus opisthomelas_ var. _minor_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1867 (1868), p. 832 (Type locality, Pelew); Finsch, Journ. - f. Ornith., 1872, p. 57 (Pelew). - - _Puffinus opisthomelas_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1870, p. 371 - (Pelew). - - _Puffinus tenebrosus_ Pelzeln, Ibis, 1873, p. 47, fig. 1 (Type - locality, unknown==Pelew Islands, _ex_ Mathews); Oustalet, Nouv. - Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 55 (Rota); Hartert, - Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 69 (Marianne); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice - P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 23 (Marianas?); Safford, The Plant World, - 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam). - - _Puffinus obscurus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. - 18, 40 (Ponapé, Palau); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877, p. - 786 (Palau); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 782 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 295, 309 (Ponapé, - Kuschai); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk); - _idem_, Ibis, 1881, p. 109 (Kuschai); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 113, - 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Salvin, Ibis, 1888, p. 357 (Pelew); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 79 (Ruk, Ponapé, Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 54 (Saypan, Palaos); Salvin, - Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, p. 382 (Carolines, Pelews); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Marianne); Seale, Occ. - Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 23 (Marianas?); Safford, - Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. - 1031 (Pelew, Carolines); Godman, Monogr. Petrels, pt. 2, 1908, pp. - 126, 127 (Pelew, Ruk, Ponapé). - - _Puffinus obscurus obscurus_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 10 - (Ruk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 32 (Saipan, - Ruk, Ponapé, Pelew). - - _Puffinus lherminieri minor_ Mathews, Birds Australia, 2, 1912, p. - 70 (Pelew, Carolines). - - _Puffinus assimilis minor_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, - 1, 1927, p. 111 (Pelew). - - _Puffinus lherminieri dichrous_ Murphy, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 276, 1927, p. 10 (Pelews, Carolines); Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 1, 1931, p. 60 (Pelew); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 408 - (Arakabesan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 188 - (Saipan, Truk, Ponapé, Palaus); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3rd ed., - 1942, p. 209 (Saipan, Truk, Ponapé, Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 10 (Carolines, Palaus); Baker, Smithson. Misc. - Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 37 (Palau). - - _Alphapuffinus lherminieri minor_ Mathews, Novit. Zool., 39, 1934, - p. 182 (Pelew Islands). - - _Puffinus obscura_ Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, No. 2, 1936, p. 15 - (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Known from Phoenix, Nauru, Micronesia, and - south to the Samoan, Society, Tuamotu, and Marquesas islands. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Rota, Saipan; Palau - Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, Arakabesan; Caroline Islands--Truk, - Ponapé, Kusaie. - - _Characters._--A small shearwater with upper parts sooty-black; - under parts white except for sides of breast grayish and under - tail-coverts blackish; bill blackish; feet yellowish, outer toe - black. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of 17 adult birds (9 males, 7 - females, 1 unsexed) from Micronesia (Palau, Truk, Ponapé, Kusaie) - and 10 adult birds (6 males, 4 females) from the Phoenix Group - (Enderbury, Canton) are listed in table 14. - - -TABLE 14. MEASUREMENTS OF _Puffinus lherminieri dichrous_ - - ===========+=============+============+==============+============== - LOCALITY | Wing | Tail |Exposed culmen| Tarsus - -----------+-------------+------------+--------------+-------------- - Micronesia |203 (197-211)|83.6 (77-89)| 27.9 (26-30) |38.5 (37.5-40) - Phoenix |197 (193-203)|82.2 (79-85)| 26.3 (25-28) |37.2 (36-39) - -----------+-------------+------------+--------------+-------------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 72 (44 males, 19 females, 9 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, AMNH--exact locality not - given, 64 (Oct., Nov., Dec.); Caroline Islands, AMNH--Truk, 4 (June - 15, 16)--Ponapé, 3 (undated)--Kusaie, 1 (April 25). - - _Nesting._--The Dusky Shearwater in Micronesia nests in holes on - high, and usually isolated, coral cliffs. Owston's collectors, - according to Hartert (1900:10), found a nest with one egg at Truk - on June 16. The nest was in a hole four feet deep in the side of a - cliff. The egg is white and measures 42 × 35. Yamashina (1932a:408) - records the taking of one egg at Arakabesan, Palau Islands, on May - 26. Coultas (field notes) gives an interesting account of nesting - activities of this shearwater at the Palau Islands. He found the - bird nesting on small islands of the group from October to - December, 1931; however, he states that the natives told him that - the bird nests throughout the year. Land crabs and shearwaters were - often found together in the same burrow. Apparently the adult birds - did not remain in the burrow with the young during the day. At - Kusaie, Coultas was told by the natives that the adult birds were - caught by tying the mandibles of the young together. When the - parent birds approached and hovered over the young birds expecting - their mouths to open, the natives had the opportunity to strike - them down with clubs. Coultas collected six downy nestlings at - Palau in November and December. - -_Remarks._--The first published account of this shearwater in Micronesia -was apparently by Kittlitz (1858, pt. 1:358) when he recorded his -"Schwärzlicher Sturmvogel" at Kusaie, according to Wiglesworth -(1891a:79). Finsch (1875:44 and 1881b:113, 115) studied specimens taken -by Tetens, Heinsohn, and Kubary at the Palau Islands and those taken by -Kubary at Ponapé. Earlier, Hartlaub (1868:832) used some of these -specimens from the Palau Islands to describe his _Puffinus opisthomelas_ -var. _minor_, which was destined to be placed in synonymy (Murphy, -1927:10). Oustalet (1896:54, 55) recorded specimens taken by Marche at -Saipan in May, 1887, and at Rota in July, 1888. Oustalet referred to -them as _P. obscuras_ and _P. tenebrosus_, respectively. T. W. Gulick -obtained undated skins at Ponapé. Hartert (1900:10) reported on -specimens taken by Owston's collectors at Truk. In 1931, Coultas with -the Whitney South Sea Expedition took one shearwater at Kusaie and a -series of 64 skins at the Palau Islands. He failed to find birds at -Ponapé and wrote that their scarcity there may have been due to -persistent hunting of them by the inhabitants of the island. The NAMRU2 -party obtained no information concerning the birds at Guam, Rota, or -Truk, but at the Palau Islands observed shearwaters at sea approximately -6 miles east of Babelthuap Island on September 2, 1945. - -Murphy (1927:6-15) revised the shearwaters of the _Puffinus lherminieri_ -group, and recognized several subspecies. _P. l. dichrous_ was assigned -a range consisting of Micronesia, the Phoenix Islands, and Nauru Island. -The breeding range of _P. l. polynesiae_ was given as the Samoan, -Society, Tuamotu and Marquesas islands. Color differences between the -two subspecies are very slight, and he separated them on the basis of -the length of the exposed culmen as follows: _P. l. dichrous_ 22.6-27 -(26) in _P. l. polynesiae_ 25.5-30 (28.9). In other measurements they -closely resembled one another. At the time of his study, Murphy did not -have the shearwaters from Micronesia collected by Coultas and actually -did not have a large series from these islands. On studying this new -material, I find the length of the exposed culmen of 17 adult birds from -Micronesia (including 12 from the Palaus) to be 26-30 (27.9). In -comparison with Murphy's findings, my measurements of Micronesian birds -fall almost midway between the measurements which he recorded as -characteristic of _P. l. dichrous_ (from the Phoenix Islands) and _P. l. -polynesiae_. The intermediate position of the measurements of the -Micronesian birds, together with the absence of other distinguishing -characters, suggests that these shearwaters belong to only one -subspecies which consists of a group of isolated and variable -populations. Unless the old specific name, _obscuras_ of Gmelin, is -revived, the name for the entire group in Micronesia and Polynesia would -be _P. l. dichrous_. I agree with Murphy that the Bonin form, _P. l. -bannermani_, is a well-defined subspecies. - - -=Pterodroma rostrata rostrata= (Peale) - -Tahiti Petrel - - _Procellaria rostrata_ Peale, U. S. Expl. Exp., 8, 1848, p. 296. - (Type locality, Mountains about 6,000 feet on Tahiti, Society - Islands.) - - _Procellaria desolata_ Pucheran, Voy. Pôle Sud, 3, 1853, p. 138 - (des îles Carolines); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen). - - _Procellaria (Aestrelata) desolata_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. - Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 55 (Caroline Islands). - - _Oestrelata rostrata_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 82 (Caroline Is.); Godman, - Monogr. Petrels, pt. 3, 1908, p. 190 (Caroline Is.). - - _Pterodroma rostrata_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 33 (Carolines). - - _Pterodroma rostrata_ subsp. (?) Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 188 (Carolines); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 210 (Carolines). - - _Geographic range._--Known to breed on the Society and Marquesas - Islands. In Micronesia: Caroline Islands--exact locality unknown. - - _Characters._--A large petrel with blackish-brown plumage except - for belly and under tail-coverts white and throat, upper breast - and flanks pale brown; bill black; legs yellowish; feet black. - This oceanic bird differs from other petrels and shearwaters of - Micronesia by the presence of a white abdomen in contrast with - dark plumage on upper parts, throat, and breast. - -_Remarks._--A petrel which is referred to this subspecies has been taken -once in Micronesia, by Hombron and Jacquinot in the Caroline Islands. It -may be pointed out that the subspecies _P. r. becki_ Murphy is known -from the sea east of the Bismarck Archipelago and might range into -Micronesian waters. - - -=Pterodroma hypoleuca hypoleuca= Salvin - -Stout-billed Gadfly Petrel - - _Oestrelata hypoleuca_ Salvin, Ibis, 1888, p. 359. (Type locality, - Krusenstern Island = Ailuk, Marshall Islands, _fide_ Fisher, Auk., - 63, 1946, pp. 587-588). - - _Oestrelata hypoleuca_ Salvin, Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, - p. 409 (Krusenstern); Godman, Monogr. Petrels, pt. 3, 1908, p. 212 - (Krusenstern). - - _Cookilaria hypoleuca hypoleuca_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 122, (Marshall Group). - - _Pterodroma leucoptera hypoleuca_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 188 (Marshalls); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 210 (Krusenstern); Fisher, Auk, 63, 1946, pp. 387-388 (Ailuk). - - _Pterodroma hypoleuca hypoleuca_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 11 (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Ranges from the Bonins east to the Hawaiians - and south to Micronesia. In Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Ailuk. - - _Characters._--Upper parts grayish except for forehead whitish, - crown and nape sooty-black; underparts whitish except for sides of - breast sooty-black; legs and feet flesh color except for tips of - toes and webs which are black. - -_Remarks._--In Micronesia, this petrel is known only from the type -locality, Krusenstern or Ailuk, Marshall Islands. Fisher (1946: 587-588) -has corrected the confusion regarding the exact position of this type -locality. - - -=Phaëthon aethereus mesonauta= Peters - -Red-billed Tropic-bird - - _Phaëthon aethereus mesonauta_ Peters, Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. - Hist., 5, 1930, p. 261. (Type locality, Swan Key, Almirante Bay, - Panama.) - - _Phaeton aethereus_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, pp. 329, 333, (Ratak - Chain, Marshalls); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 310 - (Kuschai); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, p. 109 (Kuschai); Wiglesworth, - Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 73 (Kushai, Marshalls); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus. 26, - 1898, p. 457 (Kushai, Marshalls); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, - 1904, p. 390 (Marschall Inseln); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 34 (Kusaie, Marshall Islands). - - _Phaethon aethereus [?mesonauta]_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 187 (Kusaie, Marshalls); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 208 (Kusaie, Marshall Islands). - - _Geographic range._--Tropical parts of Atlantic and eastern Pacific - from Cape Verde Islands west to Panama and Galapagos Islands. In - Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie; Marshall Islands--Ratak - Chain. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large, white sea bird with a long white - tail; dorsal surface marked with blackish, transverse - vermiculations; bill red; tarsus and foot flesh-colored with a - yellowish hue, with plantar surface grayish. Immature: Resembles - adults but dark transverse bars are broader; crown blacker; bill - yellow. - -_Remarks._--No specimens have been examined. The Red-billed Tropic-bird -is placed in the list of birds known from Micronesia on the basis of -two observations by the German ornithologist, Otto Finsch. It has not -been reported since his time, and may be considered as an unusual record -for the area. I am following the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka -_et al._, 1942:208) in assigning the bird to the subspecies, _P. a. -mesonauta_. - - -=Phaëthon rubricauda rothschildi= (Mathews) - -Red-tailed Tropic Bird - - _Scaeophaethon rubricauda rothschildi_ Mathews, Birds Australia, 4, - 1915, p. 303. (Type locality, Laysan and Niihau.) - - _Phaeton rubricaudus_ Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 296 - (Carolines); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, p. 115 (Ponapé). - - _Phaeton rubricauda_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 - (Ruk); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 73 (Ruk, Ponapé, Marshalls). - - _Phaeton rubricauda_ Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, - 1898, p. 451 (Caroline Islands); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, - p. 11 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 187 (Pagan, - Truk, Ponapé, Marshalls). - - _Scaeophaethon rubricauda_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 34 (Mariannes, Ruk, Ponapé, Marshalls). - - _Phaethon rubricauda rothschildi_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 406 - (Pagan); _idem_, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 676 (Maug). - - _Phaethon rubricaudus rothschildi_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 209 (Maug, Pagan, Truk, Ponapé, Marshalls). - - _Geographic range._--Bonin and Hawaiian islands south to - Micronesia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Maug, Pagan; Caroline - Islands--Truk, Ponapé; Marshall Islands--exact locality unknown. - - _Characters._--Adult: Long-tailed sea bird white with pinkish tint - except for black lores and eye streak; black shafts on feathers of - secondaries, flanks, and tail coverts; black bases on feathers of - head; central tail feathers elongate with black shafts and bright - red webs; bill orange-red with black nasal streak; tarsus and foot - bluish-yellow, distal part blackish. Immature: Resembles adult but - barred with black above; bill blackish. - - _Measurements._--Yamashina (1940:676) lists the measurements for - seven adult birds from Maug in the northern Marianas as wing - 304-319 and exposed culmen 55-62. - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:406) reports the taking of one egg at - Pagan in the Marianas on February 15, 1931. - -_Remarks._--The Red-tailed Tropic Bird has been recorded from the -Mariana, Caroline, and Marshall Islands. On the basis of our present -knowledge it appears to be uncommon in most of Micronesia and may be -established as a resident bird only in the northern Marianas, as shown -by Yamashina (1932a:406 and 1940:676), Coultas obtained an immature male -at 3° N and 158° E, which is at a point in the ocean south of the -eastern Carolines. Possibly this bird and others obtained in the -Carolines are representatives of the subspecies, _P. r. melanorhynchos_ -Gmelin, which is known from the Palmerston, Society and Turtle islands. - - -=Phaëthon lepturus dorotheae= Mathews - -White-tailed Tropic Bird - - _Phoethon lepturus dorotheae_ Mathews, Austr. Avium. Rec., 2, 1913, - p. 7. (Type locality, Queensland.) - - _Phaeton candidus_ Kittlitiz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und - Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 382 (Ualan); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. - Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1872, p. 57 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. - Soc. London, 1872, pp. 90, 114 (Pelew, Ualan); Finsch, Journ. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1875, pp. 6, 47 (Palau); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1877 (1878), p. 782 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1880, pp. 296, 309 (Ponapé, Kuschai); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. - Mus., Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 299, 330, 353 (Ponapé, Mortlock, - Nukuor, Ruk); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 52 - (Kuschai); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. - 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 73 (Pelew, Ruk, Luganor, Nukuor, Ponapé, - Ualan, Marshalls); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, - (3), 8, 1896, p. 62 (Agrigan, Palaos, Ruk, Kushai, Marshalls); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Marianne). - - _Phaeton flavirostris_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, pp. 329, 333 (Ratak - Chain); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 105, 109, 115 (Kuschai, Ponapé). - - _Phaethon candidus_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 426 - (Pelews, Carolines, Marshalls); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. - Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 23 (Agrigan); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. - 70 (Mariannes); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 50 - (Pelew, Ponapé); Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. 489, - 492 (Palau). - - _Phaëthon lepturus_ Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, - 1898, p. 453 (Pelew, Carolines, Marshalls); Hartert, Novit. Zool., - 7, 1900, p. 10 (Ruk); Safford, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 - (near Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9 1905, p. 80 - (northern Marianas); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 17 - (Palau); Strophlet, Auk, 63, 1946, p. 535 (Guam); Borror, Auk, 64, - 1947, p. 416 (Agrihan); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 524 (Saipan). - - _Phaeton lepturus_ Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 - (Marschall Inseln). - - _Leptophaethon lepturus dorothea_ Mathews, Birds Australia, 4, - 1915, p. 309 (Pelew). - - _Phaethan lepturus_ Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (northern - Marianas). - - _Leptophaethon lepturus lepturus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 33 (Agrigan, Saipan, Pelew, Ruk, Luganor, - Nukuor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Marshalls). - - _Phaethon lepturus dorotheae_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 407 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 187 (Agrigan, - Pagan, Saipan, Agiguan, Palaus, Truk, Luganor, Nukuor, Ponapé, - Kusaie, Marshalls); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 209 - (Agrigan, Pagan, Saipan, Agiguan, Babelthuap, Koror, Urukthapel, - Angaur, Unusuto, Truk, Luganor, Nukuor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Namorik); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 38 (Guam, - Peleliu, Ulithi, Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Islands in the southwestern Pacific area. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Agrigan, Pagan, Saipan, Agiguan, Rota, - Guam; Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, Urukthapel, Peleliu, - Anguar, Unusuto; Caroline Islands Truk, Ulithi, Luganor, Nukuor, - Ponapé, Kusaie; Marshall Islands--Namorik. - - _Characters._--Adult: White often with pinkish shade but lores and - eye streak black; feathers of head, flanks and under tail-coverts - with bases black; black on outer and subterminal part of inner - webbing of primaries; black, subterminal coloring on scapulars and - secondaries; black on shafts of elongated tail plumes; bill horn - yellow, dark basally; tarsus dark yellow; feet blackish. - - Immature: Resembles adult but upper parts barred with black, bill - black on terminal part. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of adult birds from Micronesia are - given in table 15. - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party recorded weights of five adult males - from Guam as 294 (267-321) grams. - - -TABLE 15. MEASUREMENTS OF _Phaëthon lepturus_ FROM MICRONESIA - - ---------------------------+-----+---------+--------+---------+------- - | | | | Exposed | - | No. | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - ---------------------------+-----+---------+--------+---------+------- - Marianas: Asuncion, Guam | 6 | 264 | 107 | 47 | 21 - | | 256-287 | 97-117 | 44-50 | 20-21 - | | | | | - Palaus: Peleliu | 11 | 257 | 108 | 45 | 21 - | | 242-270 | 98-122 | 40-49 | 19-21 - | | | | | - Carolines: Ponapé, Kusaie | 11 | 261 | 105 | 47 | 21 - | | 252-271 | 97-114 | 44-49 | 21-22 - +-----+---------+--------+---------+------- - Total: Micronesia | 28 | 260 | 107 | 46 | 21 - | | 242-287 | 97-122 | 40-50 | 19-22 - ---------------------------+-----+---------+--------+---------+------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 37 (22 males, 10 females, 5 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 5 (June 11, July - 21); AMNH--Asuncion, 1 (June?); Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 5 - (Aug. 29, 31, Sept. 5, 6); AMNH--exact locality not given, 7 (Oct. - 13, 26, Nov. 15, 23, Dec. 18); Caroline Islands, AMNH--Ponapé, 9 - (Dec. 8, 9, undated)--Kusaie, 10 (March 1-8, April). - - _Nesting._--The NAMRU2 party observed nests of the White-tailed - Tropic Bird at Peleliu in August and September, 1945. Several - nests were seen in hollows of the Australian pine (_Casuarina - equisetifolia_) between 20 and 30 feet above the ground. Birds - could be seen in the nest hollows because the plumes of their long - tail usually extended well out of the entrance. One nest was found - in a dead tree in a battle-cleared area; others were observed in - jungle habitat. Coultas observed nesting at Ponapé between - November 1 and December 30, 1930, and found nests in the tops of - trees and in hollow trees; a few were observed in holes in cliffs. - Yamashina (1932a:407) records the taking of one egg at Ponapé on - August 18, 1931. At Guam the NAMRU2 party found birds along the - high cliffs which edge the beach. There was no evidence that they - were nesting from May to July; nevertheless males taken in June - had enlarged gonads. The bird is known to breed at Namorik in the - Marshall Islands, according to the Hand-list of Japanese Birds - (Hachisuka _et al._, 1942:209). - - _Food habits._--The NAMRU2 party found small fish in the stomachs - of these birds taken at Peleliu. - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:489, 492) records the bird lice - (Mallophaga), _Colpocephalum epiphanes_ and _Menopon eulasius_, - from the White-tailed Tropic Bird from Palau. - -_Remarks._--Birds taken in Micronesia differ only slightly from those -from other areas in Oceania. Within Micronesia (see table 15) the birds -from the Palaus have the shortest wing and shortest exposed culmen. - -The White-tailed Tropic Bird appears more numerously in western and -northern Micronesia than in the Marshall Islands. This distribution may -be correlated with a preference for the "high" islands; especially those -which have rocky cliffs, including Guam, Rota, Peleliu, Angaur, and -Truk. Reports were received in 1945 that the birds were only -infrequently seen at Ulithi, a low atoll. Stott (1947:524) observed -birds flying into rocky crevices at Saipan on December 18. Gleise -(1945:221) also recorded the bird in the vicinity of Saipan. Borror -(1947:416) reports seeing birds at Agrigan on July 29, August 5 and 6, -1945. Coultas (field notes) found tropic birds common at Ponapé in -November and December, 1930, in forested regions and along the cliffs. -He made similar observations at Kusaie and Palau. At Ponapé and Palau, -Coultas noted the use of the eggs, young and adults as food by the -natives. At Palau the plumes are used in headdresses worn by the -natives, the birds being taken with the blowgun. - -Murphy (1936:807) states that the principal enemy of the White-tailed -Tropic Bird at Bermuda is the introduced rat (_Rattus rattus_). -Introduced rats, particularly _Rattus mindanensis_ on Guam, may prey on -the nesting birds. Baker (1946c:404) writes that this rat is a good -climber and may spend considerable time in trees. The rat was trapped -also in rough coral jungle at the edge of the cliffs, where tropic -birds, Micronesian Starlings and other species, may have been nesting. - -Little has been recorded concerning the post-breeding season wanderings -of these tropic birds in Micronesia. They seemingly spend considerable -time at sea, but whether they move as far from their breeding areas as -do birds in the Atlantic, as reported by Murphy (1936:803), Baker -(1947a:253) and others, is not known. - -Murphy (1936:796) notes that the northward distribution of the tropic -birds in the Atlantic is dependent on the warm currents of water. In the -western Atlantic, the poleward-flowing, warm currents of the Gulf Stream -allow for the northern extension of the range of these birds to Bermuda. -In the eastern Atlantic, cool currents flowing toward the equator -restrict the northern range. The same condition prevails in the eastern -Pacific where warm current flowing toward the pole enable the birds to -range north to the Bonins and other islands. - -The three species of tropic birds known from Micronesia overlap very -little in their ranges in this area. The White-tailed Tropic Bird has -become firmly established in the western part of Micronesia, but there -are only a few records from the extreme eastern part. The Red-tailed -Tropic Bird appears to be resident only in the northern Marianas -although it has been recorded in the Carolines and Marshalls. -Interspecific competition may prevent considerable intermingling of -breeding populations in Micronesia, or it may be that each species -requires different ecologic conditions. - - -=Sula dactylatra personata= Gould - -Masked Booby - - _Sula personata_ Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1846, p. 21. (Type - locality, North and northeast coasts of Australia = Raine Island.) - - _Sula cyanops_ Finsch, 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 personata_ Kuroda, in Momiyana, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 35 (Marshall Islands); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 232 (Marshall Islands). - - _Sula dactylatra personata_ Yamashina, 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 sula rubripes= Gould - -Red-footed Booby - - _Sula rubripes_ Gould, Syn. Birds Australia, pt. 4, 1838, app., p. - 7. (Type locality, New South Wales = Raine Island.) - - _Pelecanus piscator_ Kittlitz, 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 piscator_ Hartlaub, 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 piscatrix_ Wiglesworth, 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 piscator_ Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, - p. 432 (Pelew); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, - p. 24 (Guam). - - _Piscatrix sula rubripes_ Kuroda, in Momiyana, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 34 (Pelew, Luganor, Rota). - - _Sula sula rubripes_ Hand-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 of _S. 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. - - -=Sula leucogaster plotus= (Forster) - -Brown Booby - - _Pelecanus Plotus_ Forster, Descr. Anim., ed. Licht., 1844, p. 278. - (Type locality Near New Caledonia.) - - _Dysporus sula_ Hartlaub, 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 fusca_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 218 (Taluit). - - _Sula leucogastra_ Salvadori, 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 sula_ Ogilvie-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 plotus_ Kuroda, 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 brevipalpe_ and _Lipeurus 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. - - -=Phalacrocorax melanoleucus melanoleucus= (Vieillot) - -Little Pied Cormorant - - _Hydrocorax melanoleucos_ Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., 8, - 1817, p. 88. (Type locality, "Australasie," restricted to New South - Wales.) - - _Carbo melanoleucus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - pp. 90, 114 (Pelew). - - _Graculus melanoleucus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. - 48 (Pelew). - - _Microcarbo melanoleucus_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. - 410 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 72 (Pelew). - - _Phalacrocorax melanoleucus_ Ogilvie-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] melanoleucos_ Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. - 127 (Palauinseln). - - _Microcarbo melanoleucus melanoleucus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 35 (Pelew). - - _Microcarbo melanoleucus melvillensis_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 228 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 186 (Babelthuap, Koror). - - _Haliëtor melanoleucos melanoleucos_ Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 1, 1931, p. 93 (Pelew). - - _Phalacrocorax melanoleucus melanoleucus_ Mayr, 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 melvillensis_ Hand-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 is unknown 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 (Hachisuka _et 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 -(presumably _Anhinga melanogaster_)" at Babelthuap on 12 November 1946. - - -=Fregata minor minor= (Gmelin) - -Pacific Man-o'-War - - _Pelecanus minor_ Gmelin, 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 aquilus_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, - p. 61 (Ladrone or Marian Islands). - - _Tachypetes aquila_ Finsch, 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 aquilus_ Finsch, 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 aquila_ Salvadori, 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 palmerstoni_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 35 (Carolines, Marshalls). - - _Fregata minor peninsulae_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, - 1, 1927, p. 233 (Carolines, Marshalls); Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 1, 1931, p. 96 (Carolines?, Marshalls?). - - _Fregata minor palmerstoni_ Hand-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 minor_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 207 (Maug, Yap, Faraulep, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Namu, - Bikar, Likieb). - - _Fregata minor_ Borror, 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 of _Fregata minor_ -in the Pacific area is not well established. I am following the -committee who prepared the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et -al._, 1942:207) in using the name _F. 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 minor_ has 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. - - -=Fregata ariel ariel= (Gray) - -Least Man-o'-War - - _Atagen (sic) Ariel_ Gray, Gen. Birds, 3, 1845, col. pl. [185]. - (Type locality, Raine Island, Queensland.) - - _Pelecanus minor_ Lesson, Traite d'Ornith., 1831, p. 607 - (Mariannes, Carolines). - - _Tachypetes minor_ Hartlaub, 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 minor_ Salvadori, 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 aquila_ var. _minor_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 65 (Rota, Carolines, Marshalls); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Marianne). - - _Fregata ariel_ Ogilvie-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 ariel_ Mathews, 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: Resembles _F. 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._--Like _F. 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 of _Fregata ariel_ is 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 of _Fregata_ discussed 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. - - -=Butorides striatus amurensis= Schrenck - -Amur Green Heron - - _Ardea (Butorides) virescens_ var. _amurensis_ Schrenck, Reise Amur - Lande, 1, pt. 2, 1860, p. 441. (Type locality, Amurland.) - - _Butorides striatus javanicus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 183 (Koror, Babelthuap). - - _Butorides striatus amurensis_ Hand-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. - - -=Bubulcus ibis coromandus= (Boddaert) - -Cattle Egret - - _Cancroma Coromanda_ Boddaert, Table Pl. enlum., 1783, p. 54. (Type - locality, Coromandel.) - - _Ardeola ibis coromanda_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 183 (Koror). - - _Bubulcus ibis coromandus_ Hand-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. - - -=Egretta intermedia intermedia= (Wagler) - -Plumed Egret - - _Ardea intermedia_ Wagler, Isis, 1829, p. 659. (Type locality, - Java.) - - _Egretta intermedia intermedia_ Hand-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 intermedia_ Wharton 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 egretta_ and _N. 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 (Hachisuka _et -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. The NAMRU2 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. - - -=Demigretta sacra sacra= (Gmelin) - -Reef Heron - - _Ardea sacra_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 640. (Type - locality, Tahiti.) - - _Ardea jugularis_ Kittlitz, 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) atra_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 48 (Ladrone or Marian Islands, Caroline Islands). - - _Ardea sacra_ Hartlaub, 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 sacra_ Salvadori, 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 sacra_ Safford, 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 jugularis_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. - 50 (Truk, Ponapé, Pelew). - - _Demiegretta jugularis grayi_ Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, - 1918, pp. 484, 488, 490 (Ponapé). - - _Demiegretta sacra sacra_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 36 (Guam, Saipan, Angaur, Luganor, Yap, Ngoli, Ruk, - Ponapé, Kusaie, Taluit). - - _Demigretta sacra sacra_ Wetmore, 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 micronesiae_ Momiyama, 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 of _Demigretta sacra_ see 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_, and _Myrsidea 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 egretta_ and _N. carveri_, from the - Reef Heron at Guam and Ulithi. - -_Remarks._--The species _Demigretta sacra_ contains two subspecies, the -widespread _D. s. sacra_ and 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 species _Phalacrocorax melanoleucus_ and _Gygis alba_ of -Oceania. Recently Delacour (in Delacour and Mayr, 1945b:105) has dropped -the name _Demigretta_ placing all of the forms of this genus in -_Egretta_. He says, "We cannot accept the genus _Demigretta_, 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 of _Egretta 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 to whites: 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." - - -=Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax= (Linnaeus) - -Black-crowned Night Heron - - _Ardes Nycticorax_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 142. - (Type locality, Southern Europe.) - - _Nycticorax griseus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 105 (Uap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, - p. 123 (Yap); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 69 (Uap). - - _Nycticorax nycticorax_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, - p. 146 (Yap). - - _Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 36 (Mackenzie, Yap); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 183 (Yap, Uluthi); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - 3d ed., 1942, p. 204 (Yap, Uluthi); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 302 (Marianas, Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Europe and Africa east to Japan and Malaysia. - In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Tinian; Palau Islands--Koror; - Caroline Islands--Yap, Ulithi, Truk. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 2 immature females, as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 1 (Nov. 27); Caroline Islands, - AMNH--Truk, 1 (June 18). - -_Remarks._--The Black-crowned Night Heron is a winter visitor to western -Micronesia. Marshall (1949:221) records six of these birds on Tinian on -April 4, 1945, and one on Koror on November 27. - - -=Nycticorax caledonicus pelewensis= Mathews - -Rufous Night Heron - - _Nycticorax caledonicus pelewensis_ Mathews, Bull. British Ornith. - Club, 46, 1926, p. 60. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Nycticorax caledonicus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 117, 118 (Pelew); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British - Mus., 26, 1898, p. 158 (Pelew); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. - 10 (Ruk); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 255 (Palauinseln); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 50 (Pelew); Uchida, - Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, p. 486 (Palau); Wetmore, in Towsend - and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 172 (Uala, Truk - Atoll); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 37 (Pelew, - Ruk). - - _Nycticorax manillensis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 89, 105 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 8, 1875, pp. 5, 33 (Palau); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, - p. 577 (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 69 (Pelew, Ruk). - - _Nycticorax caledonicus pelewensis_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 200 (Pelew, Carolines); Peters, - Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., 39, 1930, p. 271 (Pelew, Carolines); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 1, 1931, p. 115 (Pelew); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 183 (Palau, Truk); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 204 (Babelthuap, Koror, Coracel, - Truk); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1175, 1942, p. 6 (Palau, - Ruk); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 285 (Palau, Truk); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 43 - (Angaur, Peleliu, Garakayo, Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Coracel, Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad, Angaur; Caroline Islands--Truk. - - _Characters._--Adult: Size medium; head and nape dark slaty-black; - occipital plumes white with dark tips and shafts; back dark - reddish-brown, lighter on sides of neck, wings, wing coverts, - rump, and tail; under parts whitish with light reddish-brown on - sides of neck extending to throat and upper breast; tibia with - some brownish feathers; underwing pinkish; feet yellowish-brown; - bill black. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but upper parts mottled black with - reddish-brown; underparts with lighter streaks of brown and - whitish on breast; feet yellowish; bill black above, yellowish - below. - - Adult resembles _N. c. manillensis_ Vigors, but is duller above. - - _Measurements._--Two adult males from Peleliu measure: wing, 293, - 299; tail, 105, 107; culmen, 82, 89; tarsus, 79, 81; seven adult - females from Peleliu: wing, 269-286 (280); tail, 101-106 (104); - culmen, 76-84 (80); tarsus, 78-83 (80); one adult female from - Truk: wing, 280; tail, 97; culmen, 83; tarsus, 79. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 27 (5 males, 18 females, 4 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 9 (Aug. 31, - Sept. 1, 5, 6, 8, Dec. 6); AMNH--exact locality not given, 16 (Nov. - 7, 8, 13, 23, 25, Dec. 1, undated); Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 1 - (Feb. 16); AMNH--Truk, 1 (May 25). - - _Nesting._--The NAMRU2 party observed a nesting colony of these - night herons at Peleliu on August 29, 1945. Approximately eight - nests were observed in a grove of saplinglike trees at the edge of - a mangrove swamp. These nests were 15 to 20 feet above the ground; - most of them contained one or two nestling birds. Two subadults and - three nestlings in postnatal molt were obtained; no eggs were - found. Marshall (1948:219) records breeding in August, September - and December. - - _Food habits._--Baker (1948:43) reports that stomachs of night - herons obtained by the NAMRU2 party at Peleliu contained a great - variety of animal foods, including eels, fish, lizards (skinks), - crabs, shrimp, and insects. The stomach of one adult contained 14 - large grasshoppers and four fish, totaling about 15 cc. in volume. - The nestlings had eels, skinks, and insects in their stomachs. - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:486) found the bird louse (Mallophaga), - _Lipeurus baculus_, on the night heron at Palau. - -_Remarks._--Amadon (1942:4-8) has made the most recent study of the -species _Nycticorax caledonicus_ and recognizes eight subspecies from -Australia and New Calendonia north to the Caroline and Bonin islands. -This is one of the few tropical and subtropical species which has -extended its range to the Bonin islands. The discontinuous distributions -of this species prevents an accurate estimation of the route by which it -reached the Bonins. The presence of the bird at Palau and at Truk makes -it difficult to account for its absence at Yap and other intervening, -and seemingly suitable, islands. Populations at Palau and Truk appear to -be similar and are placed in the same subspecies, but when adequate -material is available from Truk, further study may reveal that the -populations on the two islands (Truk and Palau) are recognizably -different. - -At the southern Palau Islands, night herons were found by the NAMRU2 -party in mangrove swamps, lagoons and on beaches. I found them to be -inactive during the daytime; the birds were usually perched singly in -trees or at the edge of the water. The birds appeared to have special -roosting places and were observed sitting in the same place on several -different occasions. McElroy of the NAMRU2 party reported seeing three -night herons at Truk in December, 1945. - - -=Gorsachius goisagi= (Temminck) - -Japanese Bittern - - _Nycticorax goisagi_ Temminck, Pl. Col., livr. 98, 1835, pl. 582. - (Type locality, Japan.) - - _Gorsakius goisagi_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 184 - (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 204 (Koror); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Eastern China, Japan, Riu Kius, Formosa, and - Philippine Islands. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror. - -_Remarks._--_Gorsachius goisagi_ has been recorded from Koror in the -Palau Islands. It may be classed as a rare migrant to western -Micronesia. - - -=Gorsachius melanolophus melanolophus= (Raffles) - -Malay Bittern - - _Ardea melanolopha_ Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, 1822, p. - 326. (Type locality, Western Sumatra.) - - _Nycticorax goisagi_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. London, - 1868, pp. 8, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - p. 89 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 68 (Pelew). - - _Nycticorax melanolophus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 5, 35 (Palau). - - _Gorsachius melanolophus_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., 26, 1898, - p. 166 (Pelew). - - _Gorsahius melanolophus melanolophus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 184 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 204 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Palau). - - _Gorsachius melanolophus melanolophus_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 200 (Pelew). - - _Geographic range._--India, Ceylon, southern China, Formosa, - Indochina, Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality - unknown. - -_Remarks._--Captain Tetens obtained a specimen of this bittern at the -Palau Islands which was reported on by Hartlaub and Finsch (1868a:8, -1868b:118). It is probably a rare straggler to western Micronesia. The -specimen has not been seen by me; it may be of the subspecies _G. m. -kutteri_ (Cabanis), which is known from the Philippine Islands. - - -=Ixobrychus sinensis= (Gmelin) - -Chinese Least Bittern - - _Ardea Sinensis_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 642. (Type - locality, China.) - - _Ardea lepida_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 573 (Marianne); - Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 (Mariannen). - - _Ardea sinensis_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guahan); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 3, - 1871, p. 31 (Marian); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 89, 105 (Uap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, - 1873, p. 123 (Yap); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, - 33 (Palau, Yap); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 - (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, - p. 353 (Ruk). - - _Ardea (Ardetta) sinensis_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific - Ocean, 1859, p. 49 (Ladrone or Marian Islands). - - _Ardetta Sinensis_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 364 - (Pelew, Carolines, Mariannis); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 261 - (Mariannes); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 68 (Marianne, Uap, Ruk, Pelew); - Oustalet, Nouv. Arch, Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, pp. 38, - 39 (Guam, Saypan, Ponapi, Ruk, Palaos); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, - 1898, p. 65 (Guam); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 26, 1898, p. - 227 (Marianne, Carolines, Pelew); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, - p. 11 (Ruk); Safford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 - (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianan, 1913, p. 100 (Saipan); - Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam). - - _Ardetta bryani_ Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 27 (Type locality, Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 66 - (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, p. 266 (Guam). - - _Ardetta sinensis sinensis_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, - p. 50 (Ruk, Pelew). - - _Ixobrychus sinensis bryani_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, pp. 173, 175 (Guam); Kuroda, in - Momoyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 37 - (Guam,?Yap,?Mackenzie,?Pelew); _idem_, Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, p. - 134 (Guam,?Yap,?Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, - 1927, p. 202 (Guam,?Pelew); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 1, - 1931, p. 121 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 184 - (Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam); Oberholser, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., - 159, 1932, p. 18 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, - p. 15 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 205 - (Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam); Amadon, Bull. Bernice P. Bishop - Mus., 186, 1945, p. 25 (Guam); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 525 - (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. - 44 (Rota, Guam). - - _Ixobrychus sinensis moorei_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 173 (Type locality, Uala, - Truk group); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 38 - (Ruk); Kuroda, Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, p. 134 (Ruk); Mathews, - Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 202 (Middle Carolines); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 1, 1931, p. 121 (Truk); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 184 (Palaus, Yap, Truk); - Oberholser, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 159, 1932, p. 17 (Carolines, - ?Pelews); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 205 - (Babelthuap, Koror, Yap, Truk); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 44 (Truk, Peleliu). - - _Ixobrychus sinensis_ Hartert, Vogel pal. Fauna, 10, 1920, p. 1260 - (Truk, Palau, Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 285 - (Marianas, Palau, Yap, Truk); Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 41 - (Guam); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 91 (Tinian); - Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, p. 174 (Guam); Delacour and Mayr, - Birds Philippines, 1946, p. 29 (Guam); Strophlet, Auk, 63, 1946, p. - 536, (Guam); Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. 125 (Guam). - - _Ixobrychus sinensis sinensis_ Hachisuka, Birds Philippines, 1, - 1932, p. 365 (Guam, Truk); Robinson and Chasen, Birds Malay - Peninsula, 3, 1936, p. 195 (Marianne). - - _Ixobrychus sinensis palewensis_ Momiyama, Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. - Japan, 2, 1932, p. 333 (Type locality, Pelew); Mathews, Ibis, - 1933, p. 88 (Pelew). - - _Ixobrychus sinensis yapensis_ Momiyama, Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. - Japan, 2, 1932, p. 333 (Type locality, Yap); Mathews, Ibis, 1933, - p. 89 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Northeastern China and Japan south to - Micronesia, Malaysia, Burma, India and Ceylon. Winter visitor to - Papuan region. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Saipan, Tinian, - Rota, Guam; Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu; Caroline - Islands--Yap, Truk. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A small bittern with crown and short - occipital crest slaty-black; mantle light buffy-brown; back and - rump gray; tail black; wing-coverts brownish-buff; primaries and - secondaries slaty-black; underparts yellowish buff; chin and - throat whitish; sides of head and neck and a line of feathers - across chest blackish edged with buff; bill yellowish green; feet - greenish yellow. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but with upper parts mottled - brown and golden chestnut; underparts deep buff streaked with pale - brown on neck. - - Immature: Resembles adult, with upper parts heavily streaked with - blackish-brown, and underparts streaked with chestnut and dark - brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of specimens from Micronesia are - given in table 16. - - -TABLE 16. MEASUREMENTS OF _Ixobrychus sinensis_ FROM MICRONESIA - - ===========+=========+=====+=========+=======+========+======== - | | | | | Full | - LOCATION | Sex | No. | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - -----------+---------+-----+---------+-------+--------+-------- - Yap, Truk | males | 6 | 132 | 43 | 56 | 44 - | | | 130-134 | 41-47 | 54-59 | 42-47 - | | | | | | - Guam | males | 11 | 134 | 47 | 57 | 46 - | | | 127-138 | 45-50 | 55-60 | 45-47 - | | | | | | - Guam | females | 10 | 130 | 46 | 57 | 45 - | | | 127-134 | 44-49 | 55-59 | 43-47 - -----------+---------+-----+---------+-------+--------+-------- - - - _Weights._--The author (1948: 44) records the weights of eight - adult males from Guam as 82-103 (92) and eight adult females from - Guam as 84-109 (95). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 69 (34 males, 27 females, 8 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Saipan, 1 (Sept. - 30)--Tinian, 1 (Oct. 13)--Guam, 29 (May 16, June 4, 6, 7, 8, 14, - 18, 19, July 10, 16, 18, 24, 27, Aug. 4); AMNH--Saipan, 1 (Aug. - 6)--Tinian, 3 (Sept. 13)--Guam, 14 (Feb. 1, Mar. 13, 29, July 11, - 13, 25, Aug. 1, 7, 13, Sept. 4, 10, Dec. 8); Palau Islands, - AMNH--exact locality not given, 6 (Nov. 19, 21, 23, 25, Dec. 1, - 18); Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 1 (Feb. 16); AMNH--Yap, 1 (not - dated)--Truk, 12 (Feb. 9, Mar. 5, 17, May 7, June 13, 14, 15, Oct. - 3, Nov. 1, 5, Dec. 20). - - _Nesting._--The author (1948:44) records a nest found by the NAMRU2 - party near Achang Bay on Guam on June 6, 1945. It was found in a - cane thicket at the edge of a fallow rice paddy, approximately four - feet from the ground and was constructed of about three quarts of - reeds and cane. Two eggs found in the nest are oval, white with a - greenish cast and measure 33 by 24 and 34 by 24. On February 1, - 1945, the writer found two recently occupied nests of the Chinese - Least Bittern at Oca Point, Guam. These nests were in dense - inkberry brush approximately five feet above the ground. The area - was not marshy, the nearest water being at the beach some 300 yards - away. Nearby one of the nests was found a young bittern, which - apparently had only recently left the nest. The pin feathers were - growing. A parent bird remained in the vicinity with the young bird - until it left the area after March 9. - - _Food habits._--The Chinese Least Bittern feeds on animal foods - obtained along waterways, marshes and beaches as well as in - forests and fields. The NAMRU2 party observed several types of - insects in the stomachs of birds taken at Guam. Seale (1901:27) - found black crickets in stomachs of bitterns taken at Guam. - Coultas (field notes) learned from the natives of the Palau - Islands that the bittern feeds on land mollusks. - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174) obtained the chigger (Acarina), - _Trombicula acuscutellaris_, from the Chinese Least Bittern at - Guam. - -_Remarks._--The Chinese Least Bittern has been regarded by many workers -as consisting of several geographic races; as many as eight have been -recognized. Other workers have concluded that _I. sinensis_ is made up -of highly variable populations and that it lacks well-fined geographic -variation. Hartert (1920:1260), Hachisuka (1932:365), and Mayr -(1945a:285) have reached the latter conclusion. As yet this problem has -not been satisfactorily solved; a thorough study is needed, but may not -be possible until additional material, especially from the continental -areas, can be obtained. In coloration there appears to be little -difference between birds from the various localities in Micronesia. -These birds may average slightly paler than populations from the -continental areas, but on this basis I doubt that a person could -recognize the Micronesian birds in a group of skins from many other -localities. Birds in fresh plumage may show geographic differences -better than slightly worn specimens. Measurements made by the author -offer no clear-cut differences either. - -_I. sinensis_ was first recorded in Micronesia by Quoy and Gaimard -(1824:536), whose ship, the "Uranie," stopped at Guam. They called the -bird "Petit Héron aux ailes noires." Most of the ornithological -collectors in the years following Quoy and Gaimard obtained this bittern -in Micronesia. At Guam, its abundance and the ease with which it may be -approached and shot is attested by the large series obtained by -collectors: Seale (1901:27) took eight birds; Marche (Oustalet, -1896:36) took eighteen skins; the NAMRU2 party took twenty-nine skins. - -The Chinese Least Bittern is found in habitats associated with both salt -water and fresh water, as well as in upland habitat in Micronesia. The -bird appears to be well adapted to areas of open forest and coconut -groves. Coultas (field notes) found the birds in taro patches in the -Palaus. Although a considerable amount of field observing was done in -the southern Palaus, the NAMRU2 party saw only one bird (September 13, -1945, at Peleliu). Perhaps the birds prefer Babelthuap and other large -islands farther north in the chain. McElroy found bitterns in taro -patches at Truk in December, 1945. The NAMRU2 party did not find any -birds at Rota in October and November, 1945. Downs (1946:91) found the -birds in upland sugar cane and beach habitats on Tinian. - -Regarding the bittern in the Palaus, Coultas (field notes) writes, -"Always found alone, never a pair. A bird that is not easily frightened. -In the heat of the day, one finds it standing in the shade of a taro -leaf quietly viewing the intruder and very reluctant about moving. I -have tossed pieces of earth and sticks at the bird to encourage him to -fly so that I would not blow him to pieces when I shot, but my efforts -at dislodgement have been rewarded by harsh scolding squawks. It became -necessary for me to move into proper gun range. I have also found them -perched in low trees at the edge of taro swamps. In flight they are -atrociously awkward. They can't keep a course and their legs dangle -every-which way. Their jerky, slow flight usually ends abruptly when the -bird becomes entangled in weeds or the branches of trees. Extracting -himself from his predicament he is soon in another and invariably -resorts to blasphemy." - - -=Ixobrychus eurhythmus= (Swinhoe) - -Schrenck's Least Bittern - - _Ardetta eurhythma_ Swinhoe, Ibis, 1873, p. 74, pl. 2. (Type - locality, Amoy Shanghai.) - - _Ixobrychus eurythmus_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Southeastern Siberia and Japan south to India - and Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality unknown. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 3 (2 males, 1 female), from - Palau Islands, AMNH--exact locality not given (Nov. 19, 21, Dec. - 3). - -_Remarks._--Coultas obtained three immature specimens at Palau in -November and December, 1931. - - -=Dupetor flavicollis flavicollis= (Latham) - -Black Bittern - - _Ardea flavicollis_ Latham, Ind. Ornith., 2, 1790, p. 701. (Type - locality, India.) - - _Dupetor flavicollis_ Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., - 1, 1901, p. 26 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. - 15 (Guam). - - _Dupetor f. flavicollis_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 302 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Central China south to Malaysia and India. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam. - -_Remarks._--Seale (1901:26) records a female shot at the Agańa River on -Guam on June 11, 1900. The skin probably is in the Bernice P. Bishop -Museum in Honolulu. - - -=Anas oustaleti= Salvadori - -Marianas Mallard - - _Anas oustaleti_ Salvadori, Bull. British Ornith. Club, 4, 1894, p. - 1. (Type locality, Mariannis Islands.) - - _Anas oustaleti_ Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 27, 1895, p. - 189 (Guaham); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, - 1896, p. 49 (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 66 (Guam, - Saipan); Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); - Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 25 (Guam, - Saipan); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 110, 113 (Guam, - Saipan); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 66 (Mariannas); _idem_, Amer. - Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, - p. 267 (Guam); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 990 (Mariannes); - Safford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, pp. 80, 126 (Guam); - Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, pp. 47, 100 (Marianen); - Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam); Phillips, Nat. Hist. - Ducks, 2, 1923, p. 53 (Guam, Saipan); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 214 (Guam, Saipan); Berlioz, Bull. - Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, 2d ser., 1, 1929, p. 67 (Guam); Peters, - Check-list Birds World, 1, 1931, p. 159 (Guam, Tinian, Saipan); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 184 (Guam, Tinian, - Saipan); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); - Kuroda, Tori, 11, 1941-42, pp. 99, 443 (Marianas); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 205 (Guam, Tinian, Saipan); - Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, 1943, p. 1 (Marianne); Mayr, - Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 285 (Marianas); _idem_, Audubon - Mag., 47, 1945, p. 282 (Marianas); Baker, Trans. 11th N. Amer. - Wildlife Conf., 1946, p. 208 (Guam); Stott, Auk. 64, 1947, p. 525 - (Saipan); Baker, Smithson, Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. - 45 (Saipan, Tinian); Momiyama, Pacific Science, 2, 1948, p. 121 - (Saipan, Tinian, Guam). - - _Polionetta oustaleti_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 39 (Guam, Saipan). - - _Anas superciliosa oustaleti_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 36, 1930, p. - 112 (Guam, Saipan). - - _Anas platyrhynchos oustaleti_ Delacour and Mayr, Wilson Bull., - 57, 1945, pp. 21, 39 (Marianas). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Tinian, - Saipan. - - _Characters._--From study of a large series of specimens of _Anas - oustaleti_, Yamashina (1948) described two types of plumages: one - type resembles that of _A. platyrhynchos_ and another type - resembles that of _A. poecilorhyncha_. He based his conclusions on - both a study of prepared skins and observations of the molt of - living specimens as reported by Kuroda (1941-1942). The following - descriptions are quoted from Yamashina (1948:122). - - Adult male in nuptial plumage of _A. platyrhynchos_ type: "Whole - head is dark green, except at the sides where buff feathers are - plentifully intermingled, a dark brown streak through the eye, and - faint white ring on the lower neck. Feathers on scapulars and sides - of body are as those of _Anas poecilorhyncha_. Sides of body are - vermiculated but some brown feathers are found even in the full - nuptial plumage. Upper breast is dark reddish chestnut with dusky - spots. Upper and under tail-coverts are as in _Anas platyrhynchos_. - Speculum is as that of _Anas platyrhynchos_, but the tips of the - greater coverts are buff instead of white. Central tail feathers - are more or less curled upward. Base of bill is black, tip is olive - color. Iris is dark brown. Feet, reddish-orange, webs darker." - Eclipse plumage of adult male resembles that of _A. platyrhynchos_. - - Adult male in nuptial plumage of _A. poecilorhyncha_ type: - "Resembles _Anas poecilorhyncha pelewensis_ from the Palau Islands - and Truk Island, but sides of head are browner, superciliary - stripes and ground color of cheeks are more buffy. Feathers on - upper breast and sides of body are more broadly edged with brown. - Speculum is usually violet-purple as in the _platyrhynchos_ type, - but in two specimens from Saipan and Tinian, respectively, it is - dark green as in _Anas poecilorhyncha pelewensis_. Tips of the - secondaries are usually white, but sometimes very faint as in - _Anas poecilorhyncha pelewensis_, and in one specimen from Saipan - they are buffy. Bill is olive color with a black spot in the - center of the upper mandible. Iris, dark brown. Feet, dark orange, - darker in joints and webs." Eclipse plumage of adult male - resembles the nuptial plumage. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of nine ducks from Guam and Saipan - are: wing, 238-266 (252); tail, 75-84 (81); exposed culmen, 49-53 - (51); tarsus, 41-43 (42). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 9 (5 males, 2 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Saipan, 2 (Oct. 2, - 3)--Guam, 1 (June 6); AMNH--Saipan, 2 (Aug. 7, 11)--Guam, 4 (Jan. - 10, April 6, Dec. 11, 16). - - _Nesting._--At Guam, Seale (1901:25) found nests of the Marianas - Mallard "among the reedy swamps and streams of the island." He - obtained two downy young in June. Kuroda (1941-1942) reports - nesting at Lake Challankanoa, Saipan, in July. He writes that nests - contained 7 to 12 eggs. Ducklings and incubated eggs were obtained - in June and July, but he is of the opinion that the breeding season - may be longer. He notes that adults exhibit both nuptial plumage - and eclipse plumage at the same time, suggesting that breeding may - occur at various times in the year. A nest with seven eggs taken on - July 4, 1941, at Hagoi Lake, Tinian, is described by Kuroda as - having been found among rushes and constructed of dead leaves, - stems, and roots and lined with down. He describes the eggs as - being grayish-white with a pale greenish tinge, and measuring 61.6 - by 38.9. Marshall (1949:202) saw a family of ducklings in April. - -_Remarks._--The Marianas Mallard is rare; probably it never has been -very abundant in the small chain of islands to which it is restricted, -because fresh water marshes and swamps are not extensive. The bird was -first recorded by Bonaparte as _Anas boschas a. Freycineti_ in 1865. -This name was a _nomen nudum_ and later the same specimen in the Paris -Museum was named by Salvadori (1894) as _Anas oustaleti_. In 1888, -Marche obtained six specimens at Guam; these were reported on by -Oustalet (1896:49). Later collecting showed that the duck inhabited -also the islands of Saipan and Tinian. There have been no records of -this duck in the more northern islands of the Marianas. According to -Yamashina (1948:121) in the period from 1931 to 1940, the Japanese -obtained 38 specimens of the Marianas Mallard at Tinian and Saipan. In -1940, four birds from Tinian were shipped alive to Japan and kept in an -aviary by Kuroda. At Tinian in 1940, one of the collectors observed two -flocks of _A. oustaleti_, each containing 50 or 60 individuals. The -Japanese took specimens at a lagoon area and at fresh water lakes. -Yamashina describes one of the localities, Lake Hagoi on Tinian, as "a -small body of fresh water surrounded by about 40 acres of marsh." During -the war, servicemen reported the presence of the Marianas Mallard at -both Saipan and Tinian. Moran (1946:261) counted twelve ducks at Saipan. -Stott (1947:525) saw seven birds at Lake Susupe on Saipan in December, -1945. He writes that the birds were gentle and easily approached and -that they preferred winding channels in reed beds to open water. -Marshall obtained two ducks at Lake Susupe in early October, 1945. These -specimens are in the United States National Museum. He (1949:202) found -ducks at both Saipan and Tinian; twelve was the greatest number seen at -any one time. Gleise (1945:220) estimated that there were twelve birds -on Tinian in 1945, remarking that their habitat was swamp area. - -At Guam and Rota, the NAMRU2 party failed to obtain any specimens but -received reports of the presence of ducks on both islands. At Guam, -reports were obtained of ducks of unknown species at a fallow rice paddy -in August, 1944, and in a marsh near Agat on June 13, 1945. The presence -of Japanese soldiers in the interior of Guam made it inadvisable to -investigate marshes and swamps of the interior and the upper courses of -streams. H. G. Hornbostel, as quoted by Phillips (1923:54), reported -that ducks were found at Guam only in the Tolofofo River Valley. The -NAMRU2 field parties investigated the lower reaches of this valley and -found no evidence of the ducks. The upper part of this valley was used -as an artillery range in 1945. Probably the firing of field guns was a -disturbing influence to any birds that might have been there. If the -ducks were on Guam at that time, they must have been secretive and -restricted in their movements. At Rota, two ducks which might have been -_A. oustaleti_ were seen by the NAMRU2 party on October 20, 1945, in a -cultivated field. - -These recent reports indicate that the Marianas Mallard is secure for -the present on the islands of Saipan and Tinian, but thoughtful -conservation practices need to be placed in operation to insure its -survival in the future. - -_Evolutionary history of Anas oustaleti._--In the past, most of the -studies have pointed to a northern ancestry for _A. oustaleti_. Bryan -(1941:187) has noted a relationship between _A. oustaleti_ and the -Laysan Duck (_A. laysanensis_ Rothschild) and the Hawaiian Duck (_A. -wyvilliana_ Sclater). Amadon (1943:1) suggests that these three species -of ducks are rather recent derivatives of the Common Mallard (_A. -platyrhynchos_) and postulates the evolution of _A. wyvilliana_ from -migrants from North America. He further states that _A. laysanensis_ and -_A. oustaleti_ may have been derived from _A. wyvilliana_ or may -represent independent colonizations. Delacour and Mayr (1945:21) go a -step further and make these forms subspecies of _A. platyrhynchos_, -saying that they are "dull-colored editions" of the Common Mallard, that -because of isolation they have become reduced in size and have lost many -of the characteristics of their ancestors. Recently, however, Yamashina -(1948) has concluded that the Marianas Mallard has evolved as the result -of hybridization between the two species, _A. platyrhynchos_ and _A. -poecilorhyncha_. His conclusions are based on a study of a large number -of specimens, both museum skins and captive birds, in which he has been -able to detect plumages of the _A. platyrhynchos_ type and of the _A. -poecilorhyncha_ type (see Characters). He has noted specimens which have -ninety percent of the characteristics of _A. platyrhynchos_ and ten -percent of the _A. poecilorhyncha_ type. These percentages are reversed -in specimens favoring the _A. poecilorhyncha_ type. In his series of -skins he finds the _A. poecilorhyncha_ type of plumage most frequently, -in forty-four specimens out of fifty examined, while only six specimens -have the _A. platyrhynchos_ type of plumage. Yamashina cites also as -evidence favoring his conclusion that hybridization has taken place the -results obtained from the crossing of captive _A. platyrhynchos_ and _A. -poecilorhyncha_. It is his assumption that there has been a resident -form of _A. poecilorhyncha_ in the Marianas, apparently resembling -closely that which occurs in the Palaus and at Truk (_A. p. -pelewensis_), and that stragglers of _A. platyrhynchos_ from the north -occasionally reach the Marianas where hybridization between the two -species occurs. Yamashina remarks (1948:123): "The opportunity for -hybridization should occur more rarely in the south, and thus more -frequent back-crossing of the hybrid with the indigenous _Anas -poecilorhyncha_ on Tinian and Guam explains the superabundance there of -the _poecilorhyncha_ type. As the hybridization should have taken place -more frequently to the north in Saipan, the ratio of the occurrence of -the _platyrhynchos_ type is logically higher there." The Common Mallard -(_A. p. platyrhynchos_) has not been recorded in Micronesia, but -according to Yamashina (1948:123) "winters frequently just north of the -Marianas in the Bonin and Volcano Islands." - -This remarkable explanation for the development of the Marianas Mallard -is not questioned by this author, who feels that hybridization may be -found to be the cause for other unusual forms of life in island habitats -whose ancestry has not been explained. As Yamashina comments, the -special environments of islands together with small and restricted -populations of animals are factors which could favor such development. - - -=Anas poecilorhyncha pelewensis= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Australian Gray Duck - - _Anas superciliosa_ var. _pelewensis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. - Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 108. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Anas superciliosa_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. London, 1868, - pp. 8, 118 (Pelew); Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1869, p. 659 - (Pelew); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 3, 1871, p. 82 (Pelew); Salvadori, - Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 395 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. - und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 70 - (Pelew); Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 27, 1895, p. 206 - (Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, - 1896, p. 50 (Palaos). - - _Anas superciliosa pelewensis_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 990 - (Pelew); Mathews, Birds Australia, 4, 1915, p. 90 (Pelew); - Phillips, Nat. Hist. Ducks, 2, 1923, p. 113 (Pelew); Mathews, - Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 215 (Pelew); Hartert, - Novit. Zool., 36, 1930, p. 112 (Pelew); Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 1, 1931, p. 160 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 184 (Palaus, Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 205 (Babelthuap, Peliliu); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 1237, 1943, p. 3 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 286 (Palaus, Truk); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 45 (Peleliu, Truk). - - _Anas pelewensis_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, - 40 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, - 1898, p. 71 (Palau). - - _Polionetta superciliosa pelewensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 38 (Pelew). - - _Anas superciliosa rukensis_ Kuroda, "Gan to Kamo" (Geese and - Ducks), 1939, page not numbered, description between pls. 52 and - 53 (Type locality, Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 206 (Truk). - - _Anas poecilorhyncha superciliosa_ Delacour and Mayr, Wilson - Bull., 57, 1945, pp. 21, 39 (no locality given); Yamashina, - Pacific Science, 2, 1948, p. 122 (Palau, Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Islands of Micronesia, Polynesia, and - Melanesia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Peleliu; - Caroline Islands--Truk. - - _Characters._--Adult: A medium-sized duck with upper parts dark - brown, feathers edged with buff; top of head blackish merging into - gray on hind neck with narrow buff line below; eye-stripe broad - and blackish; lower parts uniformly dark brown to gray brown, - feathers edged with buff; face, chin and throat light buff with - some dark streakings; under wing white; speculum green; bill - plumbeous with nail black; legs yellow-brown to yellowish, webs - dusky. _A. p. pelewensis_ resembles _A. p. rogersi_ Mathews, but is - smaller with a wing length averaging as much as 20 mm. shorter. - - _Measurements._--As given by Amadon (1943:4) seven unsexed skins - from the Palaus, studied by Finsch (1875:40), have wing lengths of - 207, 212, 212, 214, 223, 235, 230. For an adult male taken by - Coultas at Palau, the exposed culmen measures 45 and the tarsus 37. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 3 males from Palau Islands, - AMNH--exact locality not given (Oct. 26, Nov. 25). - -_Remarks._--_A. p. pelewensis_ is apparently rare in the Palau Islands. -Coultas, who visited the Palaus in October to December, 1931, writes -(field notes) that he received reports that the birds were present and -nested in numbers on fresh water lakes. He took specimens in taro -patches and comments that the ducks probably feed at night and have -retiring habits during the day. At Peleliu in 1945, the NAMRU2 party -received several reports of ducks but failed to find the birds. At Truk, -in December, 1945, McElroy of the NAMRU2 party found ducks to be fairly -numerous in rice paddies, marshes, and swamps. He observed that the -birds roosted at Moen Island at night but that they apparently flew to -outlying islands to spend the day. Richards observed ducks on Moen -Island on August 28 and 29, 1947, and again in the period from January -19 to February 10, 1948. He saw several flocks of ducks including one -containing "about a dozen ducks" at ponds along a roadway and at an -airstrip. Kuroda named the population at Truk as distinct in 1939. I -have not been able to examine his description and no specimens are -available for study, but if the birds at Truk represent an independent -colonization (different from that of the birds at Palau) they might -exhibit recognizable variation. Amadon (1943:5) has already pointed out -that the shortness of the wing of specimens in the Palaus may merit -subspecific status for the population. Delacour and Mayr (1945:21) -propose that the Palau Gray Duck is a subspecies of _A. poecilorhyncha_; -this treatment is followed in the present work. - -_Evolutionary history._--_A. p. pelewensis_, as Amadon (1943:1) has -stated, represents a population of mallards which became separated from -the ancestral stock in the Australian or Malayan area and when once -differentiated, invaded New Zealand and other parts of Polynesia, -Melanesia, and southwestern Micronesia. Amadon points out that its range -in the Pacific islands is more or less complimentary to that of _A. -oustaleti_ in the Marianas and the Philippine Mallard (_A. -poecilorhyncha luzonica_ Fraser), as well as to the Hawaiian forms (_A. -wyvilliana_ Sclater and _A. laysanensis_ Rothschild). The range of _A. -p. pelewensis_ gives one the impression that its present distribution -may be only a stage in a gradual spreading of the species, for it -certainly has not yet occupied all habitats suitable for it in southern -Micronesia nor elsewhere in Oceania. As in the case of _A. oustaleti_, -_A. p. pelewensis_ appears to prefer areas of fresh, and possibly -brackish, water on the larger islands. - -_A. p. luzonica_ is a near relative of _A. p. pelewensis_ but has -rufous-brown instead of buffy-brown coloring on the chin, throat, sides -of head, and superciliary region. The underparts of the Philippine -Mallard are much less mottled. The specula are similar. Both of these -forms were probably derived from a mallard of the _A. p. poecilorhyncha_ -type. - - -=Anas querquedula= Linnaeus - -Garganey Teal - - _Anas Querquedula_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 126. - (Type locality, Europe, restricted to Sweden.) - - _Anas querquedula_ Marshall, Condor, 51, 1949, p. 221 (Tinian). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Europe and Asia. Winters from - northern Africa to New Guinea. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Tinian. - -_Remarks._--Marshall (1949:221) obtained one of a pair of these ducks -which he observed "daily in April on Lake Hagoi" at Tinian. - - -=Anas crecca crecca= Linnaeus - -European Teal - - _Anas Crecca_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 126. (Type - locality, Europe, restricted to Sweden.) - - _Querquedula crecca crecca_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 185 (Pagan). - - _Anas crecca crecca_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 206 (Pagan). - - _Anas crecca_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Iceland, northern Europe, Asia, and - Aleutians. Winters south to northern Africa, Asia and Philippines. - In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Pagan. - -_Remarks._--The European Teal has been recorded by the Japanese at Pagan -in the northern Marianas. It appears to be an uncommon winter visitor to -Micronesia. - - -=Anas crecca carolinensis= Gmelin - -Green-winged Teal - - _Anas carolinensis_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 533. - (Type locality, Carolina to Hudson Bay.) - - _Anas carolinensis_ Reichenow, Ornith. Monatsber., 1901, p. 17 - (Jaluit); Schnee, Ornith. Monatsber., 1901, p. 131 (Marshalls); - _idem_, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall Inseln); - Phillips, Nat. Hist. Ducks, 2, 1923, p. 235 (Marshall Islands). - - _Querquedula crecca carolinensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 185 (Marshall Islands). - - _Anas crecca carolinensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 206 (Marshall Islands). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northwestern and northcentral North - America. Winters to West Indies, Central America and Mexico. In - Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - -_Remarks._--_Reichenow_ (1901:17) and Schnee (1901:131) record the -Green-wing Teal in the Marshall Islands. It is the only record known for -Micronesia. Bryan and Greenway (1944:104) record the teal as a migrant -to the Hawaiian Islands. - - -=Anas acuta acuta= Linnaeus - -Pintail - - _Anas acuta_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 126. (Type - locality, Europe, restricted to Sweden.) - - _Dafila acuta acuta_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 185 - (Pagan). - - _Anas acuta acuta_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 206 - (Pagan). - - _Anas acuta_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Iceland, northern Europe and Asia. - Winters south to northern Africa, Asia and Philippines. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Pagan, Guam; Palau Islands--exact - locality unknown. - -_Remarks._--The Pintail has been recorded from Pagan and Guam in the -northern Marianas and from the Palau Islands and is thought to be an -uncommon visitor to Micronesia. At Guam, Flavin (field notes) recorded -one female on October 27, 1945, and three females and two drakes on -January 19, 1946. Marshall (1949:221) saw a flock of fifteen Pintails at -Saipan on February 7, 1945. - - -=Anas acuta tzitzihoa= Vieillot - -Pintail - - _Anas tzitzihoa_ Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., 5, 1816, p. 163. - (Type locality, Mexico, _ex_ Hernandez.) - - _Anas acuta americana_ Reichenow, Ornith. Monatsber., 1901, p. 17 - (Jaluit); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall - Inseln). - - _Anas acuta_ Schnee, Ornith. Monatsber., 1901, p. 131 (Marshalls); - Phillips, Nat. Hist. Ducks, 2, 1923, p. 316 (Jaluit). - - _Anas acuta tzitzihoa_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 206 (Marshall Islands). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northwestern and northcentral North - America. Winters south to West Indies, Panamá, and west to Hawaiian - Islands. In Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - -_Remarks._--Reichenow (1901:17) and Schnee (1901:131) reported that -flocks of ducks belonging to this and other American species were -observed in the Marshall Islands in October, 1899, and May, 1900. This -species may winter in the Hawaiian Islands, according to Peters -(1931:167). If so it is not surprising that occasional visitors reach -eastern Micronesia. - - -=Anas penelope= Linnaeus - -Widgeon - - _Anas penelope_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 126. - (Type locality, Europe, restricted to Sweden.) - - _Anas penelope_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, pp. 332, 333 (Taluit); Schnee, - Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall Inseln); Phillips, - Nat. Hist. Ducks, 2, 1923, p. 175 (Taluit); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 206 (Tinian, Yap, Jaluit); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Micronesia). - - _Mareca penelope_ Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 56 - (Jaluit); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 71 (Taluit); Finsch, Deut. Ver. zum Schultze - der Vogelwelt, 18, 1893, p. 458 (Marshalls); Kuroda, in Momoyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 38 (Taluit); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 185 (Tinian, Yap, Jaluit). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Iceland, northern Europe and Asia. - Winters south to Africa, southern Asia and Philippines; casual to - eastern North America. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Tinian; - Caroline Islands--Yap; Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - -_Remarks._--The Widgeon may be an occasional winter visitor to -Micronesia. The record at Jaluit in the Marshall Islands may be -questioned. - - -=Anas clypeata= Linnaeus - -Shoveller - - _Anas clypeata_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 124. - (Type locality, Coasts of Europe, restricted to southern Sweden.) - - _Spatula clypeata_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 185 - (Pagan); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 676 (Pingelap); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 206 (Pagan, Pingelap). - - _Anas clypeata_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Europe, Asia, North America - and adjacent islands. Winters to northern Africa, southern Asia, - Philippines, Hawaiians, southern United States to Central America. - In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Pagan, Tinian; Caroline - Islands--Ponapé, Pingelap. - - _Specimens examined._--One female from Mariana Islands, - USNM--Tinian (Oct. 12). - -_Remarks._--The Shoveller is known from localities in the Marianas and -in the Carolines. In the collections of the American Museum of Natural -History there is a female taken by Rollo Beck at Kauehi, Tuamotu -Archipelago, on March 6, 1923. A specimen examined from Tinian was taken -there by Joe T. Marshall, Jr., at Lake Hogoya on October 12, 1945. -Richards obtained two Shovellers (one immature male and one immature -female) at Ponapé on December 21, 1947, and January 6, 1948, -respectively. He found them in a pond in a bomb crater. This duck -appears to be a casual winter visitor to Micronesia and other parts of -Oceania. - - -=Aythya fuligula= (Linnaeus) - -Tufted Duck - - _Anas fuligula_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 128. - (Type locality, Europe, restricted to Sweden.) - - _Fuligula cristata_ 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. 5, 40 - (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 71 (Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 50 (Mariannes, Palaos). - - _Fuligula fuligula_ Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 27, 1895, - p. 363 (Pelew); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Marianne); - Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 26 - (Micronesia); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Mariannes); _idem_, - The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 38 (Mariane, Pelew, Yap); _idem_, - Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, p. 143 (Pelew, Marianne). - - _Marila fuligula_ McGregor, Man. Philippine Birds, 1909, p. 199 - (Marianne, Pelew). - - _Nyroca fuligula_ Phillips, Nat. Hist. Ducks, 3, 1925, p. 234 - (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 185 (Pagan, - Saipan, Palau, Yap); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 - (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Micronesia). - - _Aytha fuligula_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 207 - (Pagan, Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Yap, Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Iceland, Europe, northern Asia. - Winters in Europe, Africa, Asia, Malaysia, and parts of Oceana. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Pagan, Saipan, Tinian, Guam; - Palau--exact locality unknown; Caroline Islands--Yap. - -_Remarks._--The Tufted Duck is a winter migrant to western Micronesia. -It has been recorded only a few times and may be an irregular visitor. -Flavin observed a duck, which he thought to be of this species, at Guam -on January 19, 1946. Marshall (1949:221) reports that two Tufted Ducks -were seen at Lake Hagoi in April 1945. - - -=Aythya valisineria= (Wilson) - -Canvasback - - _Anas valisineria_ Wilson, Amer. Ornith., 8, 1814, p. 103, pl. 70, - f. 5. (Type locality, Eastern United States.) - - _Nyroca valilisineria_ Reichenow, Ornith. Monatsber., 1901, p. 17 - (Jaluit); Schnee, Ornith. Monatsber., 1901, p. 131 (Marshalls); - _idem_, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall Inseln). - - _Nyroca valisineria_ Phillips, Nat. Hist. Ducks, 3, 1923, p. 124 - (Marshall Islands). - - _Aythya valisineria_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 207 (Marshall Islands). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northwestern and northcentral North - America. Winters south to Gulf States, Florida and Mexico. In - Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - -_Remarks._--Reichenow (1901:17) and Schnee (1901:131) reported three -species of American ducks (_Aythya valisineria_, _Anas acuta tzitzihoa_ -and _Anas crecca carolinensis_) in the Marshalls in October, 1899, and -May, 1900. These species may be stragglers to eastern Micronesia. - - -=Accipiter soloënsis= (Horsfield) - -Chinese Goshawk - - _Falco Soloënsis_ Horsfield, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, 1821, p. - 137. (Type locality, Java.) - - _Accipiter soloënsis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 182 - (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 203 (Yap, Rota); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern China south to Kwangtung. - Winters to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Rota; Caroline - Islands--Yap. - -_Remarks._--The Chinese Goshawk is a winter visitor to Micronesia and -has been recorded at Rota and Yap. The NAMRU2 party saw several -unidentified hawks in Micronesia in 1945. At Mt. Tenjo, Guam, Muennink -saw a small hawk, resembling an accipiter, darting at swiftlets on June -8, 1945. At Angaur, the writer saw a small hawk flying through heavy -vegetation along the rugged coast line on September 21, 1945. A hawk -"_Butio_(?)" was reported at Saipan in 1945 by Moran (1946:262); this -hawk may have been _Butastur indicus_ (Gmelin). Marshall (1949:221) -reports seeing "three kinds of hawks" on Palau in November, 1945. -Obviously, further observations and collecting will increase our -knowledge of the known number of kinds of hawks which visit Micronesia. - - -=Accipiter virgatus gularis= (Temminck and Schlegel) - -Asiatic Sparrow Hawk - - _Astur (Nisus) gularis_ Temminck and Schlegel, in Siebold, Fauna - Japon., Aves, 1845, p. 5, pl. 2. (Type locality, Japan.) - - _Accipiter nisoides_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, - (3), 7, 1895, p. 166 (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 51 - (Marianne); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. - 44 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas). - - _Accipiter gularis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 39 (Guam). - - _Accipiter virgatus gularis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 182 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 203 - (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Micronesia). - - _Accipiter virgatus nisoides_ Bryan, Guam. Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, - 1936, p. 15 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Japan and northern China. Winters - south to Philippines and Malaysia. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam. - -_Remarks._--Oustalet (1895:166) records a male bird shot by Marche at -Guam in October, 1887. Seale (1901:44) records a specimen taken at Guam -by Owston's Japanese collectors. These are the only records found for -Micronesia, and the hawk may be classed as a casual winter visitor. -Strophlet (1946:535) observed "a small light-throated" falcon at Guam on -November 7, 1945, which may have been of this species. - - -=Pandion haliaetus melvillensis= Mathews - -Osprey - - _Pandion haliaëtus melvillensis_ Mathews, Australian Avium Rec., 1, - 1912, p. 34. (Type locality, Melville Island.) - - _Pandion leucocephalus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. - 49 (Palau). - - _Pandion haliaetus leucocephalus_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 1 (Pelew). - - _Pandion haliaëtus cristatus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 40 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 182 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 203 (Palau). - - _Pandion haliaëtus melvillensis_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, pp. 55, 286 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, - no. 15, 1948, p. 46 (Guam, Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Malaysia, northern Australia, Melanesia. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; Palau Islands--Peleliu. - -_Remarks._--The Osprey was first recorded at Palau by Finsch (1875:49). -The author (1948:46) cites records obtained by C. K. Dorsey at Peleliu -in 1944 and 1945. Dorsey saw the Osprey on several occasions; the NAMRU2 -party did not find the bird while on their stay there in August and -September, 1945. B. V. Travis of NAMRU2 saw an Osprey at Agańa Bay, -Guam, in December, 1945. He observed the bird to be carrying a fish in -its talons. Flavin observed the Osprey at Guam on January 28, 1945, and -on December 23, 1945. Mayr (1945a:286) says that the Osprey apparently -breeds at Palau. The bird seen in the Marianas may have been _P. h. -haliaetus_ (Linnaeus), a visitor from Asia, which is known to winter in -the Philippines and adjacent areas. - -The Osprey is the only resident member of the order Falconiformes, and -it is principally a fish eater. The few records of mammal and bird -eating hawks in Micronesia indicate that predation on insular vertebrate -populations from this source is at a minimum. The absence of this -predation may have a pronounced effect on the resident land birds, -particularly from the standpoint of the perpetuation of nonadaptive -mutations, which might be "weeded out" under what might be considered as -normal predatory pressure in continental bird populations. - - -=Falco peregrinus japonensis= Gmelin - -Peregrine Falcon - - _Falco japonensis_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 1, 1788, p. 257. - (Type locality, Off the coast of Japan.) - - _Falco peregrinus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 90 (Mackenzie); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, - 1873, p. 122 (Yap); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 4, - 8 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 391 (Yap); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 1 (Yap, Pelew); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev. 1932, p. 182 (Yap, Palau); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 202 (Yap, Palau); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Yap, Palau); Baker, Smithson. - Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 46 (Guam). - - _?Falco peregrinus calidus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 40 (Yap, Pelew). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Asia. Winters to southern - Asia, Malaysia and Melanesia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; - Palau Islands--exact locality unknown; Caroline Islands--Yap. - -_Remarks._--The Peregrine Falcon may be classed as a casual winter -visitor to Micronesia. It has been recorded by Hartlaub and Finsch at -Yap and Palau. A specimen from Yap was taken by Kubary in November, -1870. On November 2, 1945, at Guam as previously recorded (Baker, -1948:46) Irvin O. Buss saw a falcon alight on the superstructure of his -ship. He watched it catch and eat a Common Noddy (_Anous stolidus_). As -the ship approached the island, the bird flew to the rugged cliffs near -Facpi Point. Strophlet (1946:535) saw a large falcon, "presumed to be a -Duck Hawk," at Guam on November 16, 1945. Possibly these two observers -saw the same bird. In July, 1945, Flavin observed a Peregrine Falcon at -Guam. _F. p. fruitii_ Momiyama, which is known from the Volcano Islands, -may occur in Micronesia. - - -=Megapodius lapérouse senex= Hartlaub - -Micronesian Megapode - - _Megapodius senex_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), - p. 820. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Megapodius senex_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 7, 118 (Pelew); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 256 - (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. - 89, 103 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, - 29, pl. 5, fig. 2, 3 (Palau); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. - 547 (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Oustalet, Ann. Sci. Nat., (6), art. 2, 1881, - pp. 63, 140, 145, 171, 175 (Pelew); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. - 30 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. - 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 58 (Pelew); Oustalet, Ann. Sci. Nat. - Zool., 11, 1891, p. 196 (Peleu); _idem_, Nouv. Arch Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 30 (Palaos); Ogilvie-Grant, Hand-book - Game-birds, 2, 1897, p. 182 (Pelew); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, - 1898, p. 62 (Pelew); Bolau, Mitteil, Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, - 1898, p. 69 (Palau); Finsch, Sammlung wissensch. Vorträge, 14 - ser., 1900, p. 659 (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. - 113 (Palau); Lister, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1911, p. 757 - (Pelew). - - _Megapodius laperousii_ Ogilvie-Grant (part), Cat. Birds British - Mus., 22, 1893, p. 460 (Pelew); Takastukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 51 (Pelew); Kuroda, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 27, 1915, p. 390 - (Pelew); _idem_, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 28, 1916, p. 69 (Pelew). - - _Megapodius laperousi_ Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop - Mus., 1, 1901, p. 39 (Pelew); Safford (part), The Plant World, 7, - 1904, p. 265 (Pelew); Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. - 486, 487 (Palau). - - _Megapodius laperousii_ var. _senex_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, - p. 787 (Pelew). - - _M[egapodius] lapeyrousei_ Reichenow (part), Die Vögel, 1, 1913, - p. 273 (Palauinseln). - - _Megapodius laperousei senex_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 40 (Pelew). - - _Megapodius lapérouse senex_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, - 1, 1927, p. 14 (Pelew); Takastukasa, Birds Nippon, vol. 1, pt. 1, - 1932, p. 13, pl. 4, 5 (Pelew); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 412 - (Ngesebus, Auror, Peliliu); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 198 (Palau); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 6 - (Palau); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 679 (Gayangas, Arumidin); - Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1175, 1942, p. 9 (Palau); Mayr, - Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 286 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. - Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 46 (Garakayo, Peleliu, - Ngabad). - - _Megapodius la pérouse senex_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 223 (Babelthuap, Koror, Auror, Ngesebus, Peliliu, - Gayangas, Arumidin). - - _Megapodius laperouse_ Wharton and Hardcastle, Journ. - Parasitology, 32, 1946, p. 294 (Garakayo). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Auror, Kayangel, Garakayo, Ngesebus, Peleliu, Ngabad, Gayangas, - Arumidin. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small megapode with top of head near - "mouse gray"; forehead, sides of face and neck, chin, and throat - thinly covered with feathers of the same color; mantle and upper - breast grayish-black becoming dark olive-brown on wings; lower - back, rump and upper tail-coverts dark brown; tail blackish-brown; - underparts grayish-brown, lighter on midline of belly; under wings - dark brown; exposed skin of head reddish to yellowish-red; bill - yellowish, basally blackish; legs yellowish; feet and claws black; - iris tan. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of three adult males: wing, 178, - 182, 188; tail, 55, 63; culmen, 22.7, 23.3; tarsus, 55, 56, 57; of - seven adult females: wing, 171-189 (182); tail, 46-68 (58); - culmen, 25-30 (27); tarsus, 45-60 (55). Takatsukasa (1932:14) - lists the following measurements: males--wing, 176-181; tail, - 59-67; culmen, 25.5-26.0; tarsus, 58-61; females--wing, 177-187; - tail, 62-68; culmen, 24.0-26.0; tarsus, 55-58. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 23 (11 males, 8 females, 4 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 1 (Nov. - 28)--Garakayo, 5 (Sept. 17, 18, 19)--Peleliu, 2 (Aug. 31, Sept. - 1)--Ngabad, 1 (Sept. 11); AMNH--Palau, 16 (Nov., Dec., not dated). - - _Nesting._--The megapodes do not incubate their eggs, but the - female deposits them in a moundlike structure of sand, volcanic - ash, and forest litter or some other type of soil in which there is - warmth sufficient to hatch the eggs after an extended period - (perhaps 40 days or more) without further attention from the parent - bird. The young dig out and lead an independent existence. Several - megapodes may utilize one nest site, which ordinarily is at a low - elevation near a beach or lagoon. - - The NAMRU2 party obtained two downy chicks at Gayakayo Island on - September 18 and 19, 1945. A female taken on September 1 at - Peleliu contained large eggs. Coultas obtained two chicks (one in - postnatal molt) in November and December, 1931. Kubary, as quoted - by Takatsukasa (1932:15), says that eggs may be found in the - mounds throughout the year at Palau but are found most numerously - in the south-east monsoon (April to November). Yamashina - (1932a:412) reports on eggs taken in 1932 as follows: eight eggs - from Auror Island on January 15; one egg from Ngesebus Island on - January 16; and four eggs from Peleliu Island on January 16. - Takatsukasa (1932:15) states that eggs are most numerous in the - mounds in the months of May and June. The chicks obtained by - NAMRU2 in September were of such a size as to suggest that they - too had been laid in June. - - Takatsukasa (1932:15) comments, "Whilst Dr. Yaichir[=o] Okada was - in the Pelew Group, he found two nests on Kajangel Island, which - is an uninhabited island about twelve sea-miles southeast of the - island of Malacal. He says that he found two nests, one of which - was obsolete and the other was in use. - - The first one was oval in shape; the diameter of the largest part - was twenty-four feet, and the smallest part was twenty feet, and it - had a height of four feet. The second one was fan-shaped, as an - obstacle existed at one side of the nest, and its diameter was - twelve feet and the height was a little more than four feet, and - the native whom he asked to dig out the eggs got three. One of the - eggs contained a well-advanced embryo and the others were not so - advanced as the first one. This distance from the top of the mound - to the spot where the eggs were laid was about two and a half feet, - and the natives made a great deal of effort to get these eggs. - These nests were found in the bush by the natives." The NAMRU2 - party observed a mound on Ngabad Island, a small islet near - Peleliu, on September 11. It was much like those described by - Takatsukasa, being approximately six feet high and some twelve or - fifteen feet across. It was not excavated. - - _Molt._--Birds taken in August, September and November were molting - body feathers. Birds taken in December were molting wing feathers. - - _Food habits._--Takatsukasa (1932:16) comments, "My collector - reports to me that this bird diets on insects and tender shoots - which it gets from under the soil by scratching with its large and - powerful feet." According to Captain Tetens, as noted by - Takatsukasa, the food of the bird consists of insects and berries. - Birds taken by the NAMRU2 party had the following food items in - their stomachs: adult female--2 cc. seeds, grit; adult female--3 - cc. crab parts, grit; adult female--2 cc. seeds, sand; male - chick--1 cc. ground food, grit; female chick--1 cc. ground food, - grit, in crop 3 cc. small wood roaches (Blattidae). - - _Parasites._--Wharton and Hardcastle (1946:294) obtained the - chigger (Acarina), _Neoschöngastia yeomansi_, from the megapode at - Palau. Uchida (1918:486, 487) found the bird lice (Mallophaga), - _Goniocotes minor_ and _Lipeurus sinuatus_, on megapodes from the - Palaus. - -_Remarks._--The NAMRU2 party arrived at the Palau Islands on August 23, -1945, with little notion that the megapode would be found on the -war-torn island of Peleliu. As reported by the author (1946b:209 and -1948:46) we found birds in small numbers in the relatively undisturbed -areas of rough coral covered by jungle and a few birds in the heavy -matting of viny and brushy vegetation which was rapidly covering the -battlefields. The finding of a higher population on the more isolated -and relatively undisturbed offshore islets (Ngabad, Garakayo) by the -NAMRU2 party was an observation similar to those of Takatsukasa -(1932:15, 16) and Coultas (field notes). Takatsukasa (1932:16) remarks, -"Dr. Finsch said that this Megapode frequents nearly all the islands of -the Pelew Group ... but it is very noticeable that this bird has either -disappeared, or only very rarely exists in the following islands: Koror, -Ngarekobasanga, and especially the main island of Babelthuap." He quotes -Otto Finsch as remarking that, "It seems that the bird occasionally -moves from one island to another, as the bird is a good flier." -Takatsukasa continues, "According to Tetens, this Megapode runs very -swiftly among the bushes, and when it is startled it takes to the -nearest tree.... Captain Wilson says nothing about the Megapode, but Dr. -Finsch wrote that Captain Wilson is probably referring to the egg of -this bird under 'Wild Fowls,' when he said that the natives of the -Palaus do not eat the flesh of the birds, but they go to the woods and -bring back the eggs; they do not appreciate the newly laid eggs, but -they consider it as a delicacy to swallow the well advanced embryo." - -The NAMRU2 party found the birds to prefer rough, coral jungle where -there was considerable heavy undergrowth and ground litter. The birds -were located by their loud screeches and cackles but were difficult to -stalk. It was best to remain quiet and let them approach within shooting -distance. Young chicks were extremely active and wild. One of the two -chicks taken at Garakayo was obtained by a fortunate shot as the bird -was flying rapidly through the brush. The natives use them as food, and -I learned of one serviceman who had worked out a technique for trapping -the birds. He traded the live birds to the natives for island souvenirs. -As Wilson and Takatsukasa note, the natives apparently prefer the eggs -to the adults as food, and in normal times of food abundance they -probably do not molest the adults but hunt for their eggs. This seems -logical, since if a determined trapping program were in operation by the -natives, it should not take many decades to eliminate completely the -entire population. On four islands visited by the NAMRU2 party in August -and September, 1945, I estimated the following populations: Garakayo--20 -to 30; Ngabad--5 to 10; Peleliu--10 to 20; Angaur--less than 10. - - -=Megapodius lapérouse lapérouse= Gaimard - -Micronesian Megapode - - _Megapodius La Pérouse_ Gaimard, Bull. Gén. Univ. Annon. Nouv. - Sci., 2, 1823, 451. (Type locality, Tinian, Archipel des - Mariannes.) - - _Megapodius La Pérouse_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., - 1824, pp. 127, 693, Atlas, pl. 33 (Tinian); _idem_, Ann. Sci. Nat. - Paris, 6, 1825, p. 149 (Tinian). - - _Megapodius La Pérousii_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., - 1824, p. 127, pl. 33 (Tinian); Wagler, Isis, 1829, p. 735 (Tinian, - Guam, Rota); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 46 - (Tinian); Oustalet, Ann. Sci. Nat., (6), art. 2, 1881, pp. 63, - 138, 140, 143, 171, 175, 176, 177 (Tinian); _idem_, Le Nat., 1889, - p. 261 (Mariannes); _idem_, Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool., 11, 1891, p. - 196 (Tinian, Seypan, Pagon). - - _Megapodius La Peyrouse_ Lesson, Man. d'Ornith., 2, 1828, p. 221 - (Tinian); _idem_, Compl. de Buffon, 2d ed., 2, Ois., 1838, p. 255 - and accompanying plate (Tinian). - - _Megapodius laperousii_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 478 - (Mariannes); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 256 (Marian); - Ogilvie-Grant, Hand-book Game-birds, 2, 1897, p. 183 (Marianne); - Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 787 (Mariannes); Lister, Proc. - Zool. Soc. London, 1911, p. 757 (Marianne). - - _Megapodius Lapeyrousii_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Mariannen). - - _Megapodius La Peyrousii_ Reichenbach, Tauben, 1861, p. 5 - (Marianen). - - _Megapodius la-perousi_ Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1864, p. 43 - (Guam, Botta, Tinian). - - _Megapodius laperousi Giebel_, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 547 - (Marianae); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. - 39 (Marianas); Safford; Osprey, 1902, p. 68 (Tinian); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 265 (Tinian); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. - Herb., 9, 1905, p. 78 (Rota, Saipan, Pagan, Agrigan); Schnee, - Zeitschr, f. Naturwisch., 82, 1912, p. 467 (Marianen); Prowazek, - Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, pp. 47, 101 (Marianen); Linsley, - Guam, Rec., vol. 12, no. 8, 1935, p. 249 (Rota, Saipan, Pagan, - Agrigan). - - _Megapodius perousei_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. - 30 (Marianen); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 58 (Guam, Botta, Tinian, Pagon). - - _Megapodius laperousii_ Ogilvie-Grant (part), Cat. Birds British - Mus., 22, 1893, p. 460 (Marianne). - - _Megapodius la perousei_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 26 (Saypan, Pagan, Rota, Agrigan, Tinian). - - _Megapodius laperouse_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 61 - (Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam). - - _Megapodius laperousei_ Finsch, Sammlung wissensch. Vorträge, 14 - ser., 1900, p. 660 (Marianen); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, - 1913, p. 87 (Marianen). - - _Megapodius lapeyrouse_ Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 - (Guam, Saipan). - - _M[egapodius] lapeyrousei_ Reichenow (part), Die Vögel, 1, 1913, - p. 273 (Mariannen). - - _Megapodius laperousei laperousei_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 40 (Guam, Saipan, Rota, Tinian, Pagan, - Agrigan). - - _Megapodius lapérouse lapérouse_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 16 (Marianas); Takatsukasa, Birds - Nippon, vol. 1, pt. 1, 1932, p. 6, pl. 4, 5 (Marianne); Yamashina, - Tori, 7, 1932, p. 411 (Pagan Agrigan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 198 (Marianas); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, - 1934, p. 7 (Marianne Islands); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 679 - (Assongsong); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1175, 1942, p. 9 - (Asuncion, Saipan, Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 286 (Marianas). - - _Megapodius laperousi laperousi_ Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, - 1936, p. 15 (Guam). - - _Megapodius la pérouse la pérouse_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 223 (Assongsong, Agrigan, Pagan, Almagan, Saipan, - Tinian, Agiguan, Rota, Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Asuncion, - Agrihan, Pagan, Almagan, Saipan, Tinian, Agiguan, Rota, Guam. - Probably extinct on Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _M. l. senex_, but crown slightly - darker gray; back, wing-coverts and scapulars more heavily washed - with olivaceous-brown; mantle less slate; underparts paler and - more brownish, especially belly. (Note--The specimens examined - from the Marianas are old and rather worn in appearance.) - - _Measurements._--Two males measure: wing 180?, 182?; tail 62, 63; - tarsus 55, 55; three females: wing 181?, 181?; tail 55, 59, 62; - tarsus 54, 54, 56. Takatsukasa (1932: 10) lists the following - measurements: males--wing, 155-169; tail, 54-62; culmen, 22.5-24; - tarsus, 51-54; females--wing, 158-170; tail, 56-65; culmen, 23-25; - tarsus, 50-55. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 10 (3 males, 4 females, 3 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, AMNH--Guam, 1 (June - 6)--Saipan, 6 (1895)--Asuncion, 3 (1904). - - _Nesting._--Concerning the nest of the Micronesian Megapode in the - Marianas, Takatsukasa (1932:10) writes: "The nest is a large mound - of sand mixed with grass and is made in the wooded land along the - seashore. The mound is over one hundred feet in circumference and a - few yards in height, and is built by the united efforts of the male - and female, by scratching sand and grass with their large feet. The - eggs are laid in this mound and they are hatched by the heat of the - sun and that produced by the fermentation of the grass, and they - are never hatched by the parent birds. The egg is of a pale brown, - but always stained by nesting materials." - - Takatsukasa (1932:11) quotes Oustalet as follows: "Specimens - collected by Mr. Marche have proved that the breeding season of La - Pérouse's Megapode is rather long, like the other species of the - same family, it begins to breed in January or February and ends in - June. Accordingly, in this period the eggs just laid, the chicks, - the young and adult can be seen at one place, but Mr. Marche did - not obtain any egg." Hartert (1898:61) records a chick taken on - July 17. Yamashina (1932a: 411) records eggs taken in 1931 as - follows: two eggs from Pagan, February 17; three eggs from Pagan, - May 15; four eggs from Agrihan, June 24. The breeding season for - both of the incubator birds, _M. l. senex_ and _M. l. lapérouse_, - is apparently from about January to August. - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Megapode was first taken in the Marianas by -the expedition of the Uranie. Bérard, a member of the expedition, -obtained the bird at Tinian in December, 1820. Quoy and Gaimard -(1824:27), who studied the birds of this expedition, reported that -according to native tradition the species was in former times widely -distributed in the Marianas and domesticated by the ancient people of -the islands, but that in 1819 and 1820 the birds were not numerous on -Tinian and not found on Guam and Rota. Marche (in Oustalet, 1896:27) -obtained twenty-three birds at Saipan, one from Rota, two from Agrihan, -and five from Pagan in 1887, 1888, and 1889; it is apparent that Quoy -and Gaimard missed the bird at Rota. Marche was of the opinion that the -megapodes were never domesticated and that they would probably not last -much longer at Saipan and Rota owing to the incessant hunting for them -by the natives. As in the Palaus, the natives apparently prefer the eggs -to the adults. The latest collections of these birds in the Marianas -were made by the Japanese. Yamashina (1932:411) obtained eggs in 1931 at -Pagan and Agrihan, and again in 1940. He (1940:679) reported birds at -Assongsong (Asuncion). Takatsukasa (1932:12) says, "A collector, working -for Marquis Yamashina and myself, lately procured many specimens in -Saipan and Pagan." Linsley (1935:249, 250) in searching for the megapode -at Guam found little evidence of the birds. He interviewed people -between the ages of forty-five and eighty and only two or three -remembered seeing the bird. He said he saw one or two cross the road; -but I suspect that they might have been rails (_Rallus owstoni_). -Service personnel stationed at various islands in the Marianas during -the late war have not reported the birds. The NAMRU2 party found no -trace of the bird at Guam or Rota. Joe T. Marshall, Jr. (1949:203), did -not find the bird at Saipan, Tinian, or Guam in 1945. Its status on -Agiguan is unknown; isolated Japanese troops present on this small -island from the time of the American invasion (1944) until the armistice -(1945) may have used the birds for food and depleted the population -seriously. At present the birds apparently still occur on islands in the -northern Marianas. It seems that if these birds are to survive, they -must be given some protection. - -_Evolutionary history._--The genus _Megapodius_ consists, according to -Peters (1934:1-7), of nine species which are distributed through the -islands from the Philippines and Borneo to Australia and Melanesia. -These have been redesignated under three specific names by Mayr (1938). -Outlying forms occur in the Nicobar Group to the west and in Tonga -(Niuafou Island) in the east and in the Palaus and Marianas to the -extreme northeast. Lister (1911:757) is of the opinion that the -megapodes may have reached these outlying islands by having been -transported by the natives, by whom the eggs were highly valued as food. -This idea is also maintained by Rutland (1896:29-30) and Christian -(1926:260). Possibility and not factual evidence support this -hypothesis. From their seeming ancestral stocks, _M. pritchardii_ Gray -of Niuafou Island and _M. lapérouse_ of Micronesia are remarkably -distinct which may indicate their early arrival at these islands and -subsequent change from their ancestral stocks. - -Like _M. pritchardii_, the Micronesian species is smaller than its -relatives to the southwest and has short, rather rounded wings, although -its feet are heavily built whereas those of _M. pritchardii_ are lightly -constructed. In comparing these birds with the species of megapode found -in the Philippines, Celebes and Melanesia, it seems that both _M. -pritchardii_ and _M. Lapérouse_ are closely related to the widespread -species, _M. freycinet_, which may have been ancestral to both. The -differences between _M. prichardii_ and _M. lapérouse_ indicate that -they represent independent invasions. Nevertheless these megapodes may -have had a wider range in Oceania in former times; man may have -eliminated the birds from some islands by using their eggs. The eggs are -laid in conspicuous mounds which are easily found by man. - -_M. lapérouse_ differs from _M. freycinet_ of New Guinea and other parts -of Melanesia and the Philippines; its small size, short wing and pearl -gray head are distinctive characters. It shows greatest resemblance to -the subspecies in Celebes (_M. f. gilberti_) in size and to the -subspecies in the Moluccas (_M. f. freycinet_) in coloring; possibly -_M._ _lapérouse_ represents stock from one of these regions. Apparently -the group as a whole evolved from a center of dispersal in the New -Guinea area. Mayr (1942b:167) regarded all the species of _Megapodius_ -as belonging to one polytypic species, except _M. lapérouse_ and _M. -pritchardii_, which are allopatric species. - - -=Coturnix chinensis lineata= (Scopoli) - -Painted Quail - - _Oriolus lineatus_ Scopoli, Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr., fasc. 2, - 1786, p. 87. (Type locality, Luzon, _ex_ Sonnerat.) - - _Excalfactoria sinensis_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 61 - (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 37 - (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 68 (Guam); _idem_, Amer. - Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, - p. 265 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 78 - (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Nelson, Proc. 1st - Pan-Pacific Sci. Conf., 1921, p. 273 (Guam). - - _Excalfactoria chinensis lineata_ Wetmore, in Townsend and - Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 176 (Guam); Kuroda, - in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 41 (Guam); Mathews, Syst. - Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 20 (Marianne); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 198 (Guam); Peters, Check-list - Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 96 (Guam); Bryan, Guam. Rec., vol. 13, - no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 223 (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 287 (Guam). - - _Excalfactoria chinensis_ Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 536 (Guam). - - _Coturnix chinensis lineata_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 47 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Philippines and parts of Malaysia. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam (introduced). - - _Characters._--Adult: A small quail with upper parts brown - splotched with black and streaked with buff; males with face and - throat black surrounded by white line, upper breast blue gray, - lower breast, belly and under tail-coverts and tail near "burnt - sienna"; females lighter than males, underparts pale brown, - mottled with blackish on breast and sides of body; bill dark lead - colored, feet yellow. - - _Measurements._--Three adult males from Guam measure: wing, 66, - 67, 67; culmen, 9.2, 10.0, 10.3; tarsus, 18.1, 18.7, 22.6. - - _Weights._--Two adult males taken by NAMRU2 at Guam weigh 34.5 and - 35.5 grams. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 3 males from Mariana Islands, - USNM--Guam (Feb. 24, June 13, 28). - -_Remarks._--Seale (1901:37) writes that the Painted Quail was introduced -to Guam from Manila, or the island of Luzon in the Philippine Islands, -by Captain Pedro Duarty of the Spanish Army in 1894. It was a successful -introduction; the bird is well adapted to the grasslands, open -hillsides, and fallow rice paddies. The bird appears to offer no serious -competition to native species, because there are few native birds which -depend largely on this habitat. The NAMRU2 party obtained specimens at -Mt. Santa Rosa and near Agat; others were seen as singles or pairs near -Umatac and on Mount Tenjo. Strophlet (1946:536) observed the birds in -the southern part of Guam in 1945. He found them as singles or pairs in -the months of September, October and November. Wilfred Crabb reported a -covey of seven birds in June, 1945. Two males taken in June had enlarged -testes. Seale (1901:37) obtained a nest of seven eggs. - - -=Gallus gallus= (Linnaeus) - -Red Jungle Fowl - - _Phasianus Gallus_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 158. - (Type locality, "India orientali, Pouli condor etc.," restricted to - Pulo Condor, off mouths of the Mekong.) - - _Phasianus Gallus_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 284 (Ualan = Kusaie). - - _Gallus bankiva_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 103 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 5, 29 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 298, 353 (Ponapé, Mortlock, Ruk); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 59 (Pelew, Caroline, Marianne, Marshall); - Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 25 - (Saypan, Palaos, Marshall); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 61 - (Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. - 38 (Marianas); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas). - - _Gallus ferrugineus_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), - p. 780 (Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, p. 114 (Ponapé, Kushai). - - _Gallus gallus bankiva_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 41 (Saipan, Pelew, Ponapé, Marshall). - - _Gallus gallus_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. - 21 (Micronesia); Cram, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 140, 1927, pp. 238, - 328 (Guam); Bequaert, Mushi, 12, 1939, p. 81 (Kusaie); _idem_, - Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, p. 266 (Kusaie); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, pp. 57, 286 (Marianas, - Carolines, Palaus); Wharton and Hardcastle, Journ. Parasitology, - 32, 1946, pp. 294, 310 (Ulithi, Garakayo); Stott, Auk, 1947, p. - 525 (Saipan). - - _Gallus gallus domesticus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 198 (Marianas, Palaus, Carolines, Marshalls). - - _Gallus gallus micronesiae_ Hachisuka, Tori, 10, 1939 (1940), p. - 600 (Type locality, Truk, also from Pelew, Rota, Yap, Ponapé); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 222 (Saipan, Rota, - Babelthuap, Koror, Yap, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Marshalls). - - _Gallus gallus gallus_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 47 (Peleliu, Ngabad, Garakayo, Ulithi, Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Southeastern Asia and Malaysia; introduced - into many islands of Oceana. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Saipan, Rota; Palau Islands--Kayangel, Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad, Angaur; Caroline Islands--Ulithi, Yap, - Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie; Marshall Islands--exact locality not - known. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 3 (1 male, 2 females) as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Garakayo, 1 (Sept. 19)--Peleliu, 1 - (Sept. 13)--Ngabad, 1 (Sept. 11). - - _Parasites._--Cram (1927:238, 328) found the round worms - (Nematoda), _Dispharnyx nasuta_ and _Oxyspirura mansoni_ in birds - from Guam. Bequaert (1939:81 and 1941:266) found the fly - (Hippoboscidae) _Ornithoctona plicata_, on fowl from Kusaie. - Wharton and Hardcastle (1946:294, 310) obtained the chiggers - (Acarina), _Neoschöngastia yeomansi_ and _N. ewingi_ from fowl at - Ulithi and Garakayo. - -_Remarks._--The Red Jungle Fowl has been introduced in Micronesia, as -it has been in other parts of Oceania. It is found on many of the -islands of Micronesia, including the volcanic islands and the atolls. -The NAMRU2 party did not find feral fowl at Guam but found the wary -birds at Ulithi and in the Palaus. The birds at Ulithi were small and of -a mixed breed. At Palau some fine examples of typical jungle fowl were -observed. Coultas obtained similar specimens at Ponapé and Kusaie. The -natives have apparently allowed these birds to go wild, but catch them -for food. These wild stocks may represent the earlier "liberations" -while domestic fowl kept by natives at present appear to include several -other breeds probably obtained from Europeans. - -The committee that prepared the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka -_et al._, 1942:222) points out that although many ornithologists believe -the Red Jungle Fowl to be introduced in Micronesia and other parts of -Oceania, it is their opinion (based on a series of more than 100 skins -before them) that the population in Micronesia is racially distinct. -They further comment, as did Hachisuka (1939b:600), that one may find -hybrids between these birds and the domestic fowl belonging to the -native peoples; this is commonly seen on the more populated islands such -as Koror and Saipan. I have no doubt that these skins show distinct -features; nevertheless, I am reluctant to recognize these by subspecific -name, since the birds may be a mixture of domestic strains introduced by -man at different times after the jungle fowl was first brought by the -early Micronesians. It seems that the production of hybrids between the -feral and domestic fowl, which we find there today, may have been going -on ever since the European colonists arrived with their fancy breeds of -chickens. - - -=Phasianus colchicus= Linnaeus - -Ring-necked Pheasant - - _Phasianus colchicus_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. - 158. (Type locality, Africa, Asia = Rion.) - - _Phasianus torquatus_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 47 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Eastern China and northeastern Tonkin. Widely - introduced into North America, Europe, and New Zealand. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam (introduced). - -_Remarks._--On July 4, 1945, fifty-seven Ring-necked Pheasants (sixteen -cocks and forty-one hens) were liberated at Guam by personnel of the U. -S. Navy. The birds were eleven weeks old when released, having been -brought by plane from the hatcheries of the State Division of Game and -Fish in California. Twenty-four birds were liberated at the site of -CincPoa headquarters near Mt. Tenjo. Thirty-three were placed near the -FEA dairy farm, approximately one and one-fourth miles west of Price -School. One month after release the birds were present at the liberation -sites, although there were reports that some had drifted as far away as -a mile or more. The birds were not banded. This liberation has been -reported on by Quinn (1946:32-33) and by the author (1946b:211 and -1948:47). In using the name _P. colchicus_, I am following Delacour (in -McAtee, 1945:8) and the twenty-third supplement to the American -Ornithologists' Union check-list of North American birds (Auk, 65, -1948:440). - - -=Rallus philippensis pelewensis= (Mayr) - -Banded Rail - - _Hypotaenidia philippensis pelewensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 609, 1933, p. 3. (Type locality, Palau Islands.) - - _Rallus philippensis_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 - (1868), p. 831 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 5, 37 (Palau); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877, p. 587 - (Palau); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 59 (Pelew); Finsch, Deut. Ver. zum - Schulze der Vogelwelt, 18, 1893, p. 459, Palau). - - _Rallus pectoralis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 8, 117, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 107 (Pelew). - - _Eulabeornis forsteri_ Gray (part), Hand-list Birds, 3, 1871, p. - 57 (Pelew). - - _Hypotaenidia philippensis_ Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 3, - 1882, p. 261 (Pelew); Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 23, - 1894, p. 39 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 42 (Pelew). - - _Eulabeornis philippensis?_ Mathews, Birds Australia, 1, - 1910-1911, p. 199 (Pelew). - - _Hypotaenidia philippinensis philippensis_ Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 196 (Palau). - - _Rallus philippensis pelewensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 220 (Babelthuap, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 287 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 48 (Peleliu, Garakayo). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Arakabesan, Garakayo, Peleliu, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large, slender rail with black crown - streaked with brown; superciliary stripe ashy-gray, lighter toward - bill; eye stripe brown becoming more rufous behind eye and on - nape; chin ashy-gray; throat near "mouse gray" tinged with olive - especially toward breast; breast, belly and sides barred with - black and white, with a broad "tawny" band on breast; posterior - part of belly and vent buffy with some barring; under tail-coverts - barred with black, white, and buff; mantle black with feathers - subterminally barred with white; back, scapulars, inner - wing-coverts, and rump black with white spotting and feathers - edged with olive brown; outer wing-coverts, secondaries, and - primaries barred with black and rufous with some buffy-white on - outer webs; under wing barred black and white with some brownish - markings; tail with both bars and blotches of black, white, and - buffy-rufous; maxilla horn-colored; mandible yellowish; feet light - brown. - - _R. p. pelewensis_ resembles _R. p. philippensis_ Linnaeus of the - Philippines, but is darker with nape more rufous-brown; upper - parts marked with narrower and darker edgings to feathers and with - pronounced whitish spotting. - Resembles _R. p. chandleri_ (Mathews) of Celebes, but with wing - shorter; more pronounced band on breast; bird darker above and - below; rump and upper tail-coverts less spotted. - - _Measurements._--Specimens in the collection of the United States - National Museum measure as follows: four adult males--wing, 130-134 - (132); tail, 59-63 (61); full culmen, 30-37 (34); tarsus, 38-45 - (43); four adult females--wing, 125-130 (127); tail, 54-61 (58); - full culmen, 29-35 (32); tarsus, 38-42 (40). Mayr (1933c:4) lists - the following measurements: twelve adult males--127-143 (134.6); - tail, 54-65 (60); exposed bill, 25-28 (27.7); tarsus, 41-46 (43.5); - three adult females--wing, 129, 136, 136; tail, 56, 57, 58; exposed - bill, 23, 24, 25; tarsus, 40, 41, 42. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 27 (18 males, 9 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Garakayo, 4 (Sept. 18, 19, - 20)--Peleliu, 4 (Aug. 27, 28, Sept. 16)--Arakabesan, 1 (Nov. 26); - AMNH--exact locality not given, 18 (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--The condition of the gonads in specimens obtained - indicates that the breeding season is principally in the fall and - winter. Of adult rails taken by Coultas in October, November and - December, 1931, 6 of 12 males and 3 or 4 females had enlarged - gonads. In September, 1945, the NAMRU2 party obtained two adult - males with swollen testes. Marshall (1949:219) recorded breeding in - September and November. - - _Food habits._--Stomachs of rails obtained by the NAMRU2 party - contained insects, seeds and small mollusks. Coultas (field notes) - notes that the birds eat snails, roots and other vegetable matter. - -_Remarks._--_Rallus philippensis_ is geographically widespread, being -found from Tasmania and Australia north to Malaysia and the Philippines -west to Cocos Keeling Island east to Melanesia and western Polynesia and -north to the Palau Islands. The species is divisible into several -subspecies. The one in the Palaus, although distinctive, does not appear -to have undergone a higher degree of differentiation (even though -isolated as a small population) than any of the subspecies in Malaysia -or Melanesia. Perhaps the form on Palau as well as the relatively -undifferentiated _Poliolimnas cinereus_ are rather recent invaders of -Micronesia, as compared with _Rallus owstoni_ and _Aphanolimnas monasa_. - -The Banded Rail is less secretive in habits than _Rallus owstoni_ of -Guam, and neither was seen to fly. At Angaur, Peleliu and Garakayo, the -NAMRU2 party found the rail in areas of swamp and marsh as well as in -the rocky uplands; it probably prefers the former habitats. Several -rails were observed and shot in open places, but they probably prefer to -remain in dense cover. Coultas found the birds at taro patches and -swamps. I watched a rail feeding along an open trail on Garakayo. The -bird was eating small mollusks and other items which were in the open -area. Being a true skulker, the bird would make a quick dash to the -feeding place, remain only a few moments, hurriedly return to the -protective cover, and then repeat the process. The best means that I -found of obtaining these birds was using traps baited with peanut butter -and oatmeal. The traps had to be visited frequently or the ants made -short work of the captured birds. - - -=Rallus owstoni= (Rothschild) - -Guam Rail - - _Hypotaenidia owstoni_ Rothschild, Novit. Zool., 2, 1895, p. 481. - (Type locality, Guam.) - - _?Rallus philippinus_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 51 (Marian or Ladrone Is.). - - _Rallus pectoralis_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna Centralpolynesiens, - 1867, p. 157 (Guam). - - _Eulabeornis forsteri_ Gray (part), Hand-list Birds, 3, 1871, p. - 57 (Marian). - - _Hypotaenidia philippensis_ Pelzeln, Ibis, 1873, p. 41 (Marianne - Isl.); Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 261 - (Marianas); Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 23, 1894, p. - 39 (Guam). - - _Rallus philippinus_ Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 59 (Guam). - - _Hypotaenidia owstoni_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 62 - (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, pp. 41, 67 (Guam); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 265 (Guam); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, - p. 961 (Mariannes); Safford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. - 79 (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 42 (Guam); Hartert, Novit. - Zool., 34, 1927, p. 22 (Guam); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 84 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 196 (Guam). - - _Hypotaenidia marchei_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., - Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 32 (Type locality, Guam). - - _Hypotaenidia oustini_ Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., - 1, 1901, p. 30 (Guam). - - _Rallus owstoni_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 166 - (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 220 (Guam); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 287 (Guam); _idem_, Audubon Mag., 47, - 1945, p. 279 (Guam); Watson, Raven, 17, 1946, p. 41 (Guam); - Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 536 (Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., - vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 48 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large rail with head, neck, and eye stripe - near "mummy brown" with feathers on sides of neck tipped with - "russet"; superciliary stripe to back of neck, throat and upper - breast near "mouse gray"; mantle, back, scapulars, and some upper - wing-coverts dark olive-brown becoming browner on rump and upper - tail-coverts; wings dark with brownish spots and barred with - white; lower breast, abdomen, under tail-coverts, and tail - blackish with white barrings; bill lead colored; feet dark brown; - tibia brown; iris red. - - _Measurements._--Four adult males measure: wing, 120-123 (121); - tail, 46-54 (50); full culmen, 37-43 (41); tarsus, 47-51 (50); six - adult females measure: wing, 108-118 (112); tail, 38-46 (42); full - culmen, 36-39 (37); tarsus, 43-47 (45). - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party obtained specimens with the following - weights: two adult males 256, 257; four females 147, 153, 210, 252 - grams. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 13 (5 males, 6 females, 2 - unsexed), from Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam (Jan. 29, May 8, June - 19, 20, 23, 28, 30, July 14, 19, 23, Sept. 8). - - _Nesting._--A nest was found by McElroy of the NAMRU2 party at Guam - on October 24, 1945, in dense grass on a hillside near Mount Santa - Rosa. The nest contained three eggs, which the author (1948:48) - describes as "white with a pinkish cast and a scattering of small - spots of colors near 'russet' and near 'pear blue' which are - concentrated at the large ends. They measure 37.5 by 29.1, 39.1 by - 28.0, and 40.7 by 29.0." Downey, black chicks were found on April - 1, May 16, and May 26. M. Dale Arvey found a chick on August 2, - 1946, near Tumon Bay. A parent bird with young ones was seen near - Merizo on October 2. A male taken on January 26 had enlarged - gonads. Seale (1901:30) obtained a black chick in June or July. On - the basis of the above observations it seems that the nesting - season extends from spring to fall, although Marshall (1949:219) - assumes that this rail breeds the year around. - -_Remarks._--The Guam Rail was first reported by Quoy and Gaimard who -called it "Ralę tiklin," but was not described as new until 1895 by -Rothschild. It appears to be equally at home in upland grassy areas and -in jungle areas. The species was not seen frequently by the NAMRU2 -party, although birds were occasionally observed crossing the roads. Few -birds were shot; most of the specimens were taken in rat traps, which -may be the most satisfactory method of obtaining them. Coultas took his -specimens with the aid of a dog. On June 19, 1945, a small patch of -woodland was being removed by a bulldozer. Four rails, which were hiding -in this thicket, were surrounded and three were captured by hand. These -birds tried to escape over the cleared ground by running with wings -flapping but made no effort to fly. I am inclined to believe, as the -natives do, that these birds are virtually incapable of actual flight. - -The Guam Rail usually appeared to be a quiet bird, but at Tarague Point -on July 12, 1945, I heard its loud penetrating cry; it was a series of -rapid screeches. At the same time rapid movement made considerable noise -in the undercover. The bird making the call suddenly appeared, either -rapidly chasing, or being chased by, another rail. The birds had -abandoned their usual skulking habits and had little concern for the -observer. I took this to be breeding behavior, comparable to that of -some of the North American rails during the mating period. - -The Guam Rail is probably not in serious danger of extermination. It is -utilized by the natives as food; they capture the bird, using dogs and -trail snares. Its skulking habits and ability to inhabit most types of -cover on the island should insure its existence for a long time to come. - -_Evolutionary history._--_Rallus owstoni_ is endemic to the island of -Guam with no closely related forms nearby. It is one of the several -rails found in the Pacific which live on isolated islands. In comparison -with other species in the region, it has some resemblance to both _R. -torquatus_ and _R. philippensis_. In general, the underparts of _R. -owstoni_ resemble those of the _R. philippensis_ group, although the -upper parts resemble somewhat those of _R. torquatus_. Certain specimens -of _R. owstoni_ have a slight indication of a pale pectoral band. The -bill is shorter and heavier than that of _R. torquatus_, possibly more -like that of _R. philippensis_. The short rounded wing is a distinctive -character. The bird came from an ancestral stock possibly resembling _R. -philippensis_ and probably originated in the Philippine or Papuan areas. -It may have invaded Micronesia at an early date and may have had a wider -distribution in the islands in former times. Perhaps this same invasion -resulted in the establishment of _R. wakensis_ (Rothschild) at Wake. The -supposed route of colonization is shown in figure 9. - -[Illustration: FIG. 9. Routes of dispersal of rails in the Pacific area.] - - -=Rallina fasciata= (Raffles) - -Malay Banded Crake - - _Rallus fasciatus_ Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, pt. 2, - 1822, p. 328. (Type locality, Benkulen, western Sumatra.) - - _Rallina fasciata_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), - p. 831 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 7, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - pp. 89, 106 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 5, 37 (Palau); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 264 - (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 60 (Pelew); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., - 23, 1894, p. 75 (Pelew); Finsch, Deut. Ver. zum Schutze der - Vogelwelt, 18, 1893, p. 459 (Palau); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 41 (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 88 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 196 (Palau); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, - 1934, p. 171 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 221 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 287 (Palau); - Delacour, Birds Malaysia, 1947, p. 77 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Burma east and south to Malaysia and the - Philippines. In Micronesia: Palau--exact locality unknown. - -_Remarks._--The Malay Banded Crake is known in the Palau Islands from -birds taken by captains Tetens, Heinsohn, and Peters and by Kubary -according to Finsch (1875: 37). It has not been taken by later -collectors. Two unsexed and undated skins are in the collection of the -American Museum of Natural History; these are from the Kubary -collection. - - -=Rallina eurizonoides eurizonoides= (Lafresnaye) - -Philippine Banded Crake - - _Gallinula eurizonoďdes_ Lafresnaye, Rev. Zool., 1845, p. 368. (No - locality; the type agrees with specimens from the Philippine - Islands.) - - _Rallina eurizonoides eurizonoides_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev. - 1932, p. 196 (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 221 (Koror). - - _Rallina eurizonoides_ subsp. Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Philippine Islands. In Micronesia: Palau - Islands--Koror. - -_Remarks._--This crake is apparently a straggler to western Micronesia -from the Philippine area. - - -=Aphanolimnas monasa= (Kittlitz) - -Kusaie Black Rail - - _Rallus monasa_ Kittlitz, Denks. Riese russ. Amer. Micron. und - Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 30. (Type locality, Kushai.) - - _Rallus tabuensis?_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 286 (Ualan). - - _Ortygometra tabuensis_ Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 297, - 307 (Kuschai); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 106, 109 (Kushai); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 60 (Ualan). - - _Kittlitzia monasa_ Hartlaub, Abhandl. nat. Ver. Bremen, 12, 1892, - p. 391 (Kuschai); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 17, 1893, p. 1 - (Kuschai). - - _Aphanolimnas monasa_ Sharpe, Bull. British Ornith. Club, 1892, p. - 20 (Kuschai); Finsch, Deut. Ver. zum Schulze der Vogelwelt, 18, - 1893, p. 457, pl. 4 (Ualan); Wiglesworth, Ibis, 1893, p. 214 - (Kushai); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Museum, 23, 1894, p. 115 - (Kushai); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 110, 113 (Ualan); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 93 (Caroline - Islands); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 197 (Kusaie); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 189 (Kusaie); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 221 (Kusaie); Mayr, - Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 288 (Kusaie); _idem_, Audubon - Mag., 47, 1945, p. 280 (Kusaie). - - _Porzana tabuensis_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 23, 1894, p. - 111 (Kushai). - - _Pennula monasa_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 969 (Kuschai). - - _Porzana tabuensis tabuensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 42 (Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie (probably - extinct). - - _Characters._--Sharpe (1894:115) gives the following description: - "Adult. Black with a bluish-grey reflexion; quills and tail - somewhat browner; inner wing-coverts brownish with white spotting, - outer edge of first primary dull brownish, chin and middle of the - throat somewhat paler; bill blackish (Hartlaub.)." - -_Remarks._--Two specimens of this rail are known. The two were taken by -Kittlitz on his visit to Kusaie in December and January of 1827-'28. -Coultas made a search for the bird in 1931 and failed to obtain it; he -suggested that the high population of introduced rodents may have been a -factor contributing to its extinction. The bird is considered to be -extinct by the authors of the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et -al._, 1942:221). - -The two known specimens are in Leningrad, and Mayr sent examples of -_Porzana tabuensis_ there for comparison. The following is a translation -of the letter received by Mayr from Boris Stegmann dated at Leningrad, -December 7, 1937. - -"I have compared the two specimens of _Porzana tabuensis_ with our -specimens of _Aphanolimnas monasa_. The difference is in my opinion of -generic value. _Aphanolimnas_ is distinctly larger and more robust. The -bill is not only absolutely but also relatively longer. Its length -(measured from the forehead) reaches to the end of the second phalanx of -the middle toe while it not nearly reaches it in _tabuensis_. The -proportions of feet and toes are the same in both, but the feet are -distinctly heavier in _Aphanolimnas_. The wings are relatively shorter -in _Aphanolimnas_ and the wing feathers are very soft. The wing is also -much more rounded, the first primary is about 21 mm. shorter than the -wing tip. The tail consists of very soft loose feathers which resemble -only distantly true tail feathers. It is therefore questionable whether -this bird was at all able to fly. - -"The coloration is in general dull black, brownish black on head and -wings, chin and upper throat are dark slate colored lighter in the -middle. The under wing and tail-coverts are marked with scattered white -spots (querflecken). The first primary has an irregular whitish brown -margin on the outer web. The bill is dark and the feet yellowish." - -Possibly this rail represents an ancient colonization of Kusaie from an -ancestral stock of _Porzana_ in Polynesia. Mayr (1941b:203) is also of -this opinion, and if this is true there is no close relationship between -_Aphanolimnas_ and the rails at Guam and Wake, _Rallus owstoni_ and _R. -wakensis_, which are probably colonizers from the Philippines or the -Papuan area. Mayr (1943:46) remarks further that the Hawaiian -flightless rail (_Peuula_) is of doubtful taxonomic position, but may be -related to the "_Aphanolimnas_-_Porzanoidea_-_Nesophylax_ stock," -although there is no evidence that _Pennula_ is not related to _Rallus_. -Supposed colonization routes are shown in figure 9. - - -=Poliolimnas cinereus micronesiae= Hachisuka - -White-browed Rail - - _Poliolimnas cinereus micronesiae_ Hachisuka, Bull. British Ornith. - Club, 59, 1939, p. 151. (Type locality, Yap.) - - _Ortygometra quadristrigata_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 8, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 90, 107 (Pelew, Uap). - - _Ortygometra cinerea_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 5, 38 (Palau, Yap); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 - (Ruk); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 273 (Yap, Pelew); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 61 (Pelew, Yap, Ruk); Finsch, Deut. Ver. zum - Schulze der Vogelwelt, 18, 1893, p. 459 (Palau). - - _Ortygometra cinerea = quadristrigata_ Schmeltz and Krause, - Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 (Ruk). - - _Poliolimnas cinereus_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 23, 1894, - p. 130 (Pelew, Yap, Ruk); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 64 - (Guam); _idem_, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 9 (Ruk); Scale, Occ. - Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 30 (Guam); Safford, - Osprey, 1902, p. 67 (Mariannes); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, - p. 265 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 - (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 42 (Guam, Pelew, Yap, Ruk). - - _Porzana cinerea_ Stresemann, Novit. Zool., 21, 1914, p. 54 (Guam, - Truk). - - _Porzana cinerea ocularis_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 31, 1924, p. 264 - (Ruk, Guam). - - _Poliolimnas cinereus collingwoodi_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 95 (Pelew, Marianne, Carolines); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 197 (Guam, Koror, Yap, - Truk); Hachisuka, Birds Philippine Islands, 1, 1932, p. 236 - (Marianne, Pelew, Caroline); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, - 1934, p. 198 (Marianne, Caroline, Pelew); Bryan, Guam Rev., vol. - 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 288 (Guam, Palau, Yap, Truk, Bikini); Delacour and Mayr, - Birds Philippines, 1946, p. 64 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. - Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 48 (Ulithi?, Truk). - - _Porzana cinerea collingwoodi_ Rensch, Mitt. Zool., 1931, p. 468 - (Marianne, Karolinen, Palau). - - _Poliolimnas cinereus micronesiae_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. - 679 (Bikini); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 221 - (Guam, Babelthuap, Koror, Yap, Truk, Bikini). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; Palau - Islands--Koror, Babelthuap; Caroline Islands--Yap, Ulithi?, Truk; - Marshall Islands--Bikini. - - _Characters._--Adult: A slightly built, long-legged rail with - forehead and anterior crown light gray with darker, slate-colored - feather shafts; color more olive-brown on occiput and nape; - eyestripe dark slate extending to occiput; superciliary from bill - to eye, and stripe below eye, white; chin and throat ashy-white; - sides of head, neck and breast ashy-gray, lighter on breast and - whitish on abdomen; sides of abdomen ashy-brown becoming more - buffy on tibia and under tail-coverts; mantle olive-colored - becoming lighter and more brownish on back, rump, and scapulars; - wing-coverts similar in color but feathers with broad dark brown - shaft-marks; wings brown, first primary with whitish outer web; - under wing gray with some lighter streaks; tail dark brown, - lighter on edges; bill horn colored, tan below; feet brown; iris - vermillion. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but head more rufous, upper parts - marked with buffy rufous; eye stripe light rufous-brown; - underparts tinged with rufous. - - _P. c. micronesiae_ differs from _P. c. collingwoodi_ Mathews of - the Philippines by having more pale gray and less olivaceous-brown - on the nape and shoulder; darker on the under tail-coverts; and - having a shorter culmen. _P. c. brevipes_ (Ingram) of the Volcano - Islands differs from _P. c. micronesiae_ by being paler on upper - parts, particularly back and wing-coverts and more washed with buff - below; by having a shorter, thicker culmen; and by having a shorter - tarsus. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are shown in table 17. - - -TABLE 17. MEASUREMENTS OF THREE SUBSPECIES OF _Poliolimnas cinereus_ - - ========================+=====+========+=======+===========+=========== - LOCALITY | No. | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - ------------------------+-----+--------+-------+-----------+----------- - _Poliolimnas cinereus | | | | | - collingwoodi_ | | | | | - Philippines, | 13 | 98 | | 22.5 | 38.0 - Talaut. Celebes | | 92-108 | | 21.0-24.0 | 35.0-41.0 - | | | | | - _Poliolimnas cinereus | | | | | - micronesiae_ | | | | | - Guam | 10 | 95 | 51 | 21.0 | 37.0 - | | 91-102 | 50-53 | 20.0-22.5 | 34.5-39.0 - | | | | | - Palau | 10 | 93 | 51 | 21.0 | 37.0 - | | 89-95 | 51-53 | 20.0-23.0 | 34.0-38.0 - | | | | | - Truk | 5 | 95 | 51 | 21.0 | 36.0 - | | 94-97 | 51-53 | 20.5-22.5 | 35.0-37.0 - | | | | | - _Poliolimnas cinereus | | | | | - brevipes_ | | | | | - S. Dionisio Island | 8 | 96 | | 19.0 | 30.0 - | | 94-97 | | 17.0-20.0 | 29.0-32.0 - ------------------------+-----+--------+-------+-----------+----------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 25 (11 males, 13 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, AMNH--Guam, 10 (July 13, - Aug. 1, 5, 7, 13, 19, 23, 31); Palau Islands, AMNH--exact locality - not given, 10 (Nov. 11, 13, 15, 23, 25); Caroline Islands, - AMNH--Truk, 5 (June 3, 8, 16, 17, 18). - - _Nesting._--Hartert (1900:9) describes two nests found on swampy - ground. One contained three eggs, the other four eggs. He writes, - "The eggs are pale buff, or cream-colour, speckled all over with - brownish rufous, more frequently near the broad end. In some eggs, - these spots are larger, in others minute, and there are often some, - underlying pale purplish gray spots." - -_Remarks._--Superficially, the White-browned Rail of Micronesia is -distinct from its near relative, _P. c. collingwoodi_, but the -differences are not so well marked as they are between insular -populations of other species of rails. It is probably a comparatively -recent addition to the Micronesian avifauna, and its pattern of -distribution may represent an early stage in the development of endemism -in contrast to the pattern of later stages in the development of insular -forms shown by the isolated rails, _Rallus owstoni_ and _Aphanolimnas -monasa_. The fact that _Poliolimnas cinereus_ is found only on widely -separated islands in Micronesia does not necessarily mean that it has -become "extinct" on the intervening islands, but that it may be partial -to the larger, "high" islands, or that it is actually present but -remains to be discovered on these intervening islands when more -intensive field investigations are made. Hachisuka (1939a:151), in -naming the Micronesian form, comments that it has a shorter bill than -_P. c. collingwoodi_ of the Philippines and Celebes, and that it is -intermediate between this subspecies and _P. c. brevipes_ of the Volcano -Island to the north. Within these three subspecies there are trends -toward a shorter culmen and shorter tarsus and, less markedly, toward a -shorter wing. From the evidence at hand, it can be concluded that -_Poliolimnas_ first colonized Micronesia probably from the Philippine -area (or Papuan area) through the Palaus and Carolines, to the Marianas -and north to the Volcano Islands. Further, this has probably been a -relatively recent invasion, although the subspecies in the Volcano -Islands shows marked change in length of tarsus and culmen. This -extension of range to the islands north of the Marianas is unusual and -resembles somewhat the distribution of _Nycticorax caledonicus_ in the -same general area. - -The Micronesian White-browed Rail is a shy bird with the typical -skulking habits of most rails. The NAMRU2 party did not find the bird at -Guam, although reports were obtained that it was present in the marsh -and swamp areas. Coultas (field notes) tells of observing the rail at -Palau at a fresh water lake on Babelthuap, where it was difficult to -obtain and apparently rare. Seale (1901:30) obtained a female specimen -at Guam from native boys who snared it in a sweet potato patch near the -Agańa River. This bird, taken in June or July, had eggs ready for -laying. McElroy of the NAMRU2 party observed rails at Truk in brackish -swamps, where he found them to be fairly common. A male which was taken -in December had enlarged gonads. At Asor in the Ulithi Atoll, the NAMRU2 -party learned that a small rail (possibly of this species) was found at -taro patches in the early days of occupation, but that it was apparently -eliminated by clearing operations. The taking of a bird at Bikini, as -reported by Yamashina (1940:679), is further evidence that these birds -may subsist on coral atolls as well as on the high volcanic islands; -possibly the bird of the Marshalls may have been derived from the south -rather than from the west. Unlike _Rallus owstoni_, this bird is -apparently restricted to swampy areas, and may be eliminated from its -habitat by drainage or clearing by man. It may always persist, however, -in the taro patches maintained by the natives. - - -=Gallinula chloropus= subsp. near =orientalis= Horsfield - -Gallinule - - _Gallinula orientalis_ Horsfield, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, - 1821, p. 195. (Type locality, Java.) - - _Gallinula chloropus indicus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 197 (Babelthuap); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 44, 1932, p. 266 (Pelew, Coror). - - _Gallinula chloropus indica_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 221 (Babelthuap). - - _Gallinula chloropus_ subsp. Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 49 (Peleliu, Angaur). - - _Geographic range._--Malaysia from southern Malay Peninsula to - Celebes. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu, - Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _G. c. indica_ Blyth, _G. c. - lozanoi_ Lletget and _G. c. guami_ Hartert, but smaller and paler; - upper wing-coverts less olivaceous-brown and more slate-colored; - back, rump, and scapulars less richly washed with - olivaceous-brown. Resembles _G. c. orientalis_ from Java in size, - but much paler. - - _Measurements._--An unsexed adult bird from Angaur measures: wing, - 150; bill from rictes, 27.1; bill from nostril, 13.4; tarsus, 46. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 3 (2 males, 1 unsexed) from - Palau Islands, USNM--Angaur (Sept. 21). - -_Remarks._--Owing to the lack of sufficient material, I am unable to -determine the exact status of the resident gallinule in the Palau -Islands. On the basis of a single, unsexed adult and two immatures there -is not very much that can be said. The adult is smaller and paler than -_G. c. indica_, _G. c. lozonoi_, and _G. c. guami_. It resembles -specimens of the subspecies _G. c. orientalis_ in size but is also paler -than the skins of this race which I have examined. It seems closest to -this latter subspecies to which I tentatively refer it. If it is closest -to this subspecies, it probably reached Palau from the Celebean region, -rather than from the Philippines or some other route. Whether specimens -taken by the Japanese at Babelthuap and Koror are _G. c. indica_ is -questionable, unless the skins were from migrants which may visit Palau -from the west or northwest. The Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka -_et al._, 1942:177) records _G. c. indica_ from the Bonin Islands. - -The three Gallinules were taken by the NAMRU2 party at fresh and -brackish water swamps at Angaur on September 21, 1945. Several -Gallinules were seen in the area and several were observed also at -Peleliu Island. One of the immatures was just growing its wing feathers, -indicating that the birds must breed in the Palau Islands. - - -=Gallinula chloropus guami= Hartert - -Gallinule - - _Gallinula chloropus guami_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 24, 1917, p. - 268. Type locality, Guam). - - _Fulica chloropus_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., 1824, - p. 703 (Guam); Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guahan). - - _Gallinula galeata_ var. _sandwichensis_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. - Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 34 (Saypan, Tinian, Guam). - - _Gallinula chloropus_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 62 - (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 31 - (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 (Marianas); _idem_, Amer. - Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, - p. 265 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 - (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 101 (Marianen); - Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Wetmore, in Townsend and - Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 177 (Guam); - Strophlet, Auk, 63, 1946, p. 536 (Guam). - - _Gallinula chloropus guami_ Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 15, 1921, - p. 1843 (Guam); Kuroda, Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, p. 199 (Guam); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 43 (Guam, Tinian, - Saipan); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 99 - (Mariana Islands); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 44, - 1932, p. 226 (Pagan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 197 - (Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan); Hachisuka, Birds Philippine - Islands, 1, 1932, p. 241 (Guam); Peters, Checklist Birds World, 2, - 1934, p. 204 (Marianne Islands); Bryan, Guam. Rec., vol. 13, no. - 2, 1936, p. 15 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 222 (Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 288 (Marianas); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, - 1946, p. 92 (Tinian); Stott, Auk, 1947, p. 525 (Saipan); Baker, - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 49 (Guam, - Tinian, Saipan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Pagan, Saipan, - Tinian, Guam. - - _Characters._--Adult: Head and neck sooty black; upper back dark, - bluish slate-gray; lower back and wing-coverts brownish; tail - blackish-brown; wings dark brown, outer edge of first primary - white; breast and upper abdomen dark slate-gray, feathers on sides - of breast with longitudinal white streak; under wing dark with - white edges; lower abdomen grayish with white-tipped feathers; - vent black; under tail-coverts white; bill and frontal shield red, - tip of bill yellowish; legs and feet olive-green. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male but usually with smaller - frontal shield. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but forehead mottled white and brown, - with sides of head less distinctly speckled with brown; crown, - neck and upper back dusky brown; back, scapulars and upper - tail-coverts olivaceous-brown; chin and throat whitish; breast - feathers pearly-gray tipped with white; abdomen white; sides gray, - washed with buff. Older birds are darker above and more - brownish-gray below; frontal shield small. - - _G. c. guami_ resembles _G. c. indica_, but upper wing-coverts - darker and near "olivaceous black"; back, rump and scapulars - darker and less olivaceous brown, although not so dark as in _G. - c. orientalis_. From _G. c. lozanoi_, _G. c. guami_ differs in: - slightly darker upper wing-coverts; richer olivaceous-brown on - back, scapulars and rump; thinner culmen with possibly less yellow - coloring on tip. _G. c. guami_ resembles _G. c. sandvicensis_ - Streets of the Hawaiian Islands, but has less olive wash on the - feathers and a smaller frontal shield. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of _Gallinula chloropus_ are - presented in table 18. In general, females are smaller than males. - - -TABLE 18. MEASUREMENTS OF _Gallinula chloropus_ - - =====================+=====+=========+========+===========+======== - | | | Bill | Bill | - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing | from | from | Tarsus - | | | rictus | nostril | - ---------------------+-----+---------+--------+-----------+-------- - _G. c. indica_ | 15 | 164 | 27 | 14.4 | 48 - | | 158-173 | 24-29 | 13.1-18.1 | 44-50 - | | | | | - _G. c. orientalis_ | 3 | 152 | 27 | 13.8 | 45 - | | 146-152 | 26-29 | 13.1-14.4 | 44-46 - | | | | | - _G. c. lozanoi_ | 11 | 164 | 27 | 14.5 | 50 - | | 153-170 | 24-29 | 13.1-15.2 | 45-57 - | | | | | - _G. c. guami_ | 11 | 164 | 27 | 14.7 | 49 - | | 156-171 | 24-28 | 13.1-16.2 | 47-56 - | | | | | - _G. c. sandvicensis_ | 2 | 150-158 | 27 | 13.4 | 52-56 - ---------------------+-----+---------+--------+-----------+-------- - - - _Weights._--From Guam an adult male weighed 291 grams and an adult - female 256 (Baker, 1948:49). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 42 (16 males, 22 females, 4 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 5 (Feb. 24, May, - June 5, 7, 18--Tinian, 3 (Oct. 12, 18)--Saipan, 3 (Sept. 28, 30); - AMNH--Guam, 25 (Feb. 21, April 6, July 13, 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3, 6, 7, - 13, 19, 23, 30, 31, Sept. 3, 17, Dec. 11--Tinian, 5 (June 11, Sept. - 12, 13, 14). - - _Nesting._--Hartert (1898:63) reports nests of the Gallinule at - Guam in grass and on swampy ground in December and March. A male - with enlarged gonads was taken by the NAMRU2 party at Guam on June - 7. Marshall (1949:219) is of the opinion that this bird breeds all - year. - - _Food habits._--Seale (1901:31) found grass, insects, and larvae - in stomachs obtained at Guam. - -_Remarks._--The subspecies _G. c. indica_, _G. c. lozanoi_, _G. c. -guami_, and _G. c. sandvicensis_ bear a close resemblance to one another -in size and color. _G. c. guami_ and _G. c. lozanoi_ resemble each other -so closely that it would be difficult to separate unlabeled specimens of -the two subspecies. _G. c. orientalis_ differs from all of the -gallinules in smaller size and darker color. Study of these forms -indicates that the Gallinule has colonized the Marianas from Asia -probably by way of Japan and the Bonin and Volcano islands. The Hawaiian -subspecies is probably of American origin, as pointed out by Mayr -(1943:46), and is not a close relative of the Mariana subspecies. The -fact that these insular subspecies have not undergone much -differentiation does not necessarily mean that they are recent arrivals, -but probably is a reflection of the lack of plasticity of the species; -as a whole the species does not exhibit anywhere a great amount of -geographic variation. A thorough study of all insular populations of -this species (including specimens from the Azores, Seychelles, Réunion, -Mauritus, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles) might reveal the effect -of isolation on the species in general. Its ability to become -established on isolated islands is apparent, although it is indeed -peculiar that the species has not reached the Caroline Islands. - -The Gallinule in the Marianas is restricted to fresh water lakes, -marshes and swamps on the islands of Guam, Tinian, Saipan and Pagan. -Coultas (field notes), on visiting the island of Tinian in 1931, -comments that the bird is rare and found at only one lake on the island. -Downs (1946:92) noted the species in 1945, and Joe T. Marshall Jr. -obtained three specimens at Lake Hagoya in October of the same year. -Gleise (1945:220) estimated the population of Gallinules on Tinian in -1945 at 70 individuals. Stott (1947:525) reports that the birds were -abundant at Lake Susupe, Saipan, in 1945. Seale (1901:31) found the -Gallinule to be abundant at Guam in marshes and taro patches. In 1945, -the NAMRU2 party found fairly large populations of the Gallinule in -fresh water marshes and fallow rice paddies at Guam. The greatest -concentration of birds appeared to be in the Agańa Swamp and along the -Ylig River. They seldom ventured out into open water but preferred weedy -edges into which they could suddenly dart when disturbed. It was -interesting to note such wary behavior, for an observer would think that -after the bird had been in an environment virtually devoid of birds of -prey (except for an occasional migrant) for a number of generations, it -would have lost such behaviorisms as a result of the absence of the -selective processes involved in predation. - - -=Porphyrio porphyrio pelewensis= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Purple Swamphen - - _Porphyrio melanotus_ Temm. var. _pelewensis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, - Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 107. (Type locality, Pelew - Islands.) - - _Porphyrio melanotus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 8, 117, 118 (Pelew); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 3, - 1871, p. 64 (Pelew). - - _Porphyrio melanotus pelewensis_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 61 (Pelew); Bolau, - Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 70 (Palau); Dubois, - Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 976 (Pelew); Mathews, Birds Australia, 1, - 1911, p. 241 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 43 (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. - 100 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 197 (Palau); - Hachisuka, Birds Philippines, 1, 1932, p. 245 (Pelew). - - _Porphyrio pelewensis_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 5, 39 (Palau); Salvadori, Atti Accad. Sci. Torino, 14, 1879, p. - 1169 (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Finsch, Deut. Ver. zum Schutze der - Vogelwelt, 18, 1893, p. 459 (Palau); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British - Mus., 23, 1894, p. 206 (Pelew); Nehrkorn, Nat. Eiers., 1899, p. - 205 (Palau-Inseln); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 - (Palau); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 216 (Palauinseln); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 51 (Pelew). - - _Porphyrio cyanocephalus_ Elliot, Stray Feathers, 7, 1878, pp. 10, - 13 (Palau). - - _Porphyrio poliocephalus pelewensis_ Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 2, 1934, p. 208 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 222 (Koror). - - _Porphyrio porphyrio pelewensis_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 288 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 49 (Angaur). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large, purplish-blue, marsh bird with - crown and sides of head dusky-black; wing-coverts purplish-blue; - rest of upper parts dark, washed with olivaceous-brown; outer webs - of primaries and secondaries tinged with purplish-blue; chin, - axillaries and under wing-coverts dusky; under tail-coverts - whitish; rest of underparts purplish-blue, blacker on abdomen. - - _Porphyrio p. pelewensis_ resembles _P. p. palliatus_ Bruggemann - of Celebes and _P. p. melanopterus_ Bonaparte of the Moluccas and - New Guinea but upper parts paler and slightly less glossy; lesser - and primary wing-coverts more purplish-blue and less - greenish-blue; outer webs of primaries and secondaries lighter - purplish-blue; underparts less blue with patch on throat and - breast paler blue with less green (patch present on only one - specimen from the Palaus). - - _Measurements._--Measurements of one male: wing, 227; tail, 81; - culmen and shield, 62.5; tarsus, 77; of three females: wing, 212, - 218, 227; tail, 77, 81, 86; culmen and shield, 57, 61, 64; tarsus, - 75, 75, 77. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 6 (1 male, 3 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Angaur, 1 chick (Sept. - 21) AMNH--exact locality not given, 5 (Nov. 13, 19, Dec. 17-19, - undated). - - _Nesting._--A black, downy chick was captured on September 21, - 1945, at the edge of a fresh-water lake on Angaur by Davidson of - the NAMRU2 party (Baker, 1948:49). Two females taken by Coultas in - December had enlarged gonads. - -_Remarks._--The Purple Swamphen in the Palaus stands out as one of the -more distinctive subspecies of _P. porphyrio_. It also marks the most -northeastern extension of the range of this species. The subspecies in -the Palaus shows affinities to that found to the south and southwest and -probably reached Micronesia via the Papuan area, Celebes or the Moluccas -rather than from the Philippines. It is interesting that this bird, as -well as several other species, has been able to establish itself at the -Palau Islands, but has not extended its range farther into other islands -of Micronesia. Perhaps, the bird is now in an early stage in its island -occupation. - -The Purple Swamphen is probably not abundant in the Palaus. It is a -large and conspicuous bird, and its restriction to swamps and areas -around lakes may allow native hunters to obtain it rather easily, -particularly by snares or by organized drives. Coultas (field notes) -obtained specimens in taro swamps; he saw only 4 individuals and remarks -that the birds utter harsh cries at night. The NAMRU2 party flushed an -adult from lake side vegetation at Angaur on September 21, 1945. This -bird was not taken, but a downy young was obtained in the area the same -day. - - -=Fulica atra atra= Linnaeus - -Common Coot - - _Fulica atra_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 152. (Type - locality, Europe, restricted to Sweden.) - - _Fulica atra_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, pp. 64, 69 (Guam); - Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 32 (Guam); - Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas); _idem_, The Plant World, - 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 43 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 15 - (Guam). - - _Fulica atra atra_ Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 15, 1921, p. 1852 - (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 197 (Tinian, - Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 222, (Tinian, - Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Europe, northern Africa, and Asia. - Winters south to Africa, Malaysia, southern Asia. In Micronesia: - Mariana Islands--Tinian, Guam. - -_Remarks._--The Common Coot is a straggler to Micronesia in winter. It -has been recorded from Guam and Tinian. An unsexed specimen in the -collections of the American Museum of Natural History was taken at Guam -in the fall of 1896 by one of Owston's collectors. - - -=Squatarola squatarola= (Linnaeus) - -Black-bellied Plover - - _Tringa Squatarola_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 149. - (Type locality, Europe, restricted to Sweden.) - - _Charadrius squatarola_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 66 - (Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. - 35 (Micronesia); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 (Marianas). - - _Squatarola squatarola_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 9 - (Ruk); Safford, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 266 (Guam); _idem_, - Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Cox, Island of - Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam); Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. - 8, 1919, p. 72 (Ruk); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. - 15 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 216 (Saipan, - Truk); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 36 (Truk); Baker, - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 50 (Guam). - - _Squatarola helvetica_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. - 61 (Marianas, Ruk). - - _Squatarola squatarola hypomelaena_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 43 (Ruk, Saipan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 193 (Saipan, Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in arctic regions of Holarctica. - Winters in Southern Hemisphere. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam, Saipan; Caroline Islands--Truk; Marshall - Islands--Eniwetok. - - _Specimens examined._--One female from Mariana Islands. USNM--Guam - (Aug. 27). - -_Remarks._--The Black-bellied Plover is an uncommon visitor to -Micronesia. One bird was obtained by Markley of the NAMRU2 party at Guam -on August 27, 1945; Flavin recorded five of these birds from November, -1944, to January, 1946. Bryan and Greenway (1944:109) record this -species as an occasional visitor to the Hawaiian Islands. Gleise and -Genelly (1945:221) observed the Black-bellied Plover at Eniwetok in -1945. - - -=Pluvialis dominica fulva= (Gmelin) - -Pacific Golden Plover - - _Charadrius fulvus_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 687. - (Type locality, Tahiti.) - - _Charadrius pluvialis_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké., Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 287, 299, 304 (Ualan, Longounor, Guahan); - _idem_, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, - pp. 32, 55 (Ualan). - - _Charadrius virginianus_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Mariannen, Carolinen). - - _Charadrius longipes?_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 47 (Ladrone or Marian Islands, Oualan). - - _Pluvialis fulvus_ Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, 6, no. 29, 1865, p. 52 - (Micronesie). - - _Charadrius fulvus_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna - Central-polynesiens, 1867, p. 196 (Marianen, Ualan); Hartlaub and - Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 8, 117, 118 (Pelews); - Finsch and Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1870, p. 139 (Pelew); - Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1872, p. 52 (Pelew, Carolinen); - Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 104 - (Pelew, Mackenzie, Uap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, - p. 123 (Yap); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, 31 - (Palau); _idem_, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 18, 38 - (Ponapé); _idem_., Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 781 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ruk); - _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 293, 305 (Ponapé, Kuschai); - _idem_, Ibis, 1880, pp. 220, 331, 332 (Taluit); Schmeltz and - Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 353 (Ponapé, - Ruk); Finsch, Ibis, 1881, pp. 105, 106, 109, 113, 115 (Kushai, - Ponapé); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 395 (Carolines, - Pelews, Marianas); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 55 - (Jaluit, Milli, Kuschai); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 63 (Marshall Islands, - Ualan, Luganor, Ponapé, Ruk, Uap, Pelew, Marianne); Oustalet, - Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 46 (Guam, - Hogoleu, Marshalls, Palaos); Hartert, Novit. Zool. 5, 1898, p. 66 - (Guam); _idem_, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 9 (Ruk); Seale, Occ. - Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 36 (Micronesia); - Schnee, Ornith. Monatsber., 1901, p. 132 (Marshalls); Safford, - Osprey, 1902, p. 68 (Marianas); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, - p. 266 (Guam); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 389 - (Marschall-Inseln); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 51 - (Ponapé). - - _Charadrius dominicus fulvus_ Safford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, - 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam). - - _Charadrius dominicus_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 24, 1896, - p. 195 (Micronesia). - - _Pluvialis dominicus fulvus_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, - pt. 8, 1919, p. 89 (Kuschai, Pelew, Ruk, Marianas, Mackenzie, - Ponapé); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., - 63, 1919, p. 177 (Uala, Arhno, Rongelab); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 44 (Guam, Angaur, Ualan, Luganor, - Ponapé, Ruk, Yap, Arhno); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 216 (Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Babelthuap, Koror, Peliliu, Angaur, - Yap, Ulithi, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Mille, Arhno, Majuro, - Likieb). - - _Pluvialis apricarius fulvus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 193 (Saipan, Tinian, Babelthuap, Koror, Pelilieu, Angaur, - Yap, Uluthi, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Mille, Arhno, Majuro, - Likieb). - - _Pluvialis dominica fulva_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, - 1934, p. 244 (Oceania); Bryan, Guam, Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, - p. 24 (Guam); Stickney, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1248, 1943, p. 3 - (Saipan, Guam, Palau, Ponapé, Kusaie, Ruk, Tarawa); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 39 (Oceania); Downs, Trans. Kansas - Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 93 (Tinian); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 536 - (Guam); Borror, Auk, 1947, p. 417 (Agrihan); Stott, Auk, 1947, p. - 525 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 50 (Guam, Rota, Peleliu, Garakayo, Ulithi, Truk). - - _Pluvialis dominica_ Wharton and Hardcastle, Journ. Parasitology, - 32, 1946, pp. 306, 310, 313, 316, 318 (Ulithi, Guam); Wharton, - Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, pp. 174, 175 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds from Siberia to western Alaska. Winters - from India east to Oceania; stragglers occur west to Africa and - east to Pacific coast of North America. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, Agrihan, Asuncion; Palau - Islands--Angaur, Peleliu, Ngabad, Garakayo, Koror, Babelthaup; - Caroline Islands--Yap, Ulithi, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie; - Marshall Islands--Mille, Arhno, Rongelab, Majuro, Likieb, Bikini. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 69 (39 males, 26 females, 4 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 17 (July 8, 19, - 24, Aug. 31, Sept. 4, 17, 19, 26, Oct. 5, 8, 23, 24)--Rota, 5 (Oct. - 20, 25); AMNH--Guam, 6 (Mar. 7, 8, 27, Aug. 15)--Saipan, 1 (Sept. - 8)--Asuncion, 2 (Feb. 16); Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 9 (Sept. - 6-20)--Garakayo, 1 (Sept. 20); AMNH--exact locality not given, 7 - (Oct. 13, Nov. 13, 15); Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 4 (Aug. 16, - 21); AMNH--Kusaie, 9 (Mar. 10-30)--Ponapé, 2 (Dec. 15)--Truk, 3 - (Feb. 6); Marshall Islands, USNM--Bikini, 3 (Mar. 4, 7, May 3). - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174, 175) records the following - chiggers (Acarina) from _Pluvialis_ taken by the NAMRU2 party at - Guam: _Acariscus pluvius_, _A. anous_, _Neoschöngastia carveri_, - and _N. namrui_; and at Ulithi: _N. pauensis_ and _N. ewingi_. - - _Weights._--Birds taken at Guam and Rota weighed as follows: seven - males, 107-125 (117); four females, 109-120 (114). - -_Remarks._--The Pacific Golden Plover is one of the most abundant -migratory shore birds to visit Micronesia. So characteristic of -Micronesia is this species that almost all ornithologists who have made -observations in the area have recorded it. Finsch observed the plover in -the Carolines and Marshalls. Coultas made notes on, and collected -specimens of, it in the Marianas, Carolines, and Palaus. The Hand-list -of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et al._, 1942:216) lists _Pluvialis_ from -17 islands in Micronesia. - -Stickney (1943:3, 4) discusses the migrations of the Pacific Golden -Plover through Oceania, using as a basis for her remarks the data from -the extensive collections made by the Whitney South Sea Expedition. She -states that the northward migration begins in March from the southern -islands (New Zealand and southern Australia). At Guam in 1945, the -writer observed flocks of plover beginning on February 11. Birds were -seen in small groups in March and April. In the latter month most of the -birds seen were in nuptial plumage. For the year 1945, the latest spring -record at Guam was April 28. In the same year, Gleise (1945:220) -observed his last spring record at Tinian "between April 26 and 27." In -1946, Morrison obtained plover in nuptial plumage at Bikini on May 3. - -In an effort to obtain dates when shore birds appeared at Guam, field -parties of NAMRU2 made observations at several beaches in late spring, -summer, and early fall, as is shown in table 8. Pacific Golden Plovers -in post-nuptial molt were first observed and collected on July 8. -Following this date, small flocks and later large flocks were more -numerous; by September 29, plover were abundant. Similar findings were -obtained at Ulithi (see table 9) and in the Palau Islands (see table 10) -in August and September. The birds collected by the NAMRU2 party at -Guam, Ulithi, Peleliu, and Garakayo in July, August, September, and -early October were in postnuptial molt. Birds taken at Rota on October -20 and 26 were in winter plumage. Downs (1946:93) observed plover in -small flocks at Tinian in 1945, beginning after September 5. Borror -(1947:417) saw two birds at Agrihan on August 10, 1945. - -The flocks of plover seen by the NAMRU2 party varied in size from three -to 30 birds, the average being less than ten. Coultas (field notes) -noted "large flocks" at the Palaus from October to December, 1931. -Although plover was often found on the same beach as other birds, the -NAMRU2 observers rarely saw plover together with other shore birds. -However, on air strips _Pluvialis_ occasionally occurred with small -numbers of _Arenaria_, _Heteroscelus_ spp., and _Numenius phaeopus_. -_Pluvialis_ and _N. phaeopus_ were the only shore birds found to use -open grassy flats and other inland areas at Guam and Peleliu in 1945. - -Stickney (1943) records _Pluvialis_ in late spring and summer from -Polynesia, indicating these to be birds remaining in the winter range -during the breeding season. The NAMRU2 party observed no Pacific Golden -Plovers at Guam which might be regarded as non-migrants, but other -species of shore birds were found which might be considered as such. The -lingering of individuals in the winter range is not unusual among -migratory birds, and as Stickney points out, most of the non-migrants -retain their winter dress or assume an incomplete breeding plumage. - - -=Charadrius hiaticula semipalmatus= Bonaparte - -Semipalmated Plover - - _Charadrius semipalmatus_ Bonaparte, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., - 5, 1825, p. 98. New name for _Tringa hiaticula_ Ord. not - _Charadrius hiaticula_ Linnaeus, in Wilson's Amer. Ornith., Ord. - repr., 7, 1824, p. 65. (Type locality, Coast of New Jersey.) - - _Charadrius hiaticula_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 331 (Taluit); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 64 (Taluit or Bonham); Schnee, Zool. - Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 389 (Marschall-Inseln); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 45 (Taluit). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds from Arctic America south to coastal - Canada. Winters from southern United States to South America. In - Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - -_Remarks._--Finsch (1880d:331) reported this bird (sight record) at -Jaluit in the Marshall Islands. Other than this observation, there is no -history of the species in Micronesia. - - -=Charadrius dubius curonicus= Gmelin - -Ring-necked Plover - - _Charadrius curonicus_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 692. - (Type locality, Kurland.) - - _Charadrius dubius curonicus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 194 (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 217 - (Yap); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 37 (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Europe and Asia. Winters - from Africa east to Malaysia and Melanesia. In Micronesia: Caroline - Islands--Yap. - -_Remarks._--The Ring-necked Plover has been recorded at Yap by the -Japanese collectors. Mayr (1945a:37) remarks that the bird is an -occasional migrant through Micronesia. Gleise and Genelly (1945:221) -observed four "Papuan" Ring-necked Plovers at Eniwetok in 1945. -Apparently no specimen was obtained. - - -=Charadrius alexandrinus nihonensis= Deignan - -Kentish Plover - - _Charadrius alexandrinus nihonensis_ Deignan, Journ. Washington - Acad. Sci., vol. 31, 1941, p. 106. (Type locality, Aomori, Hondo.) - - _Charadrius cantianus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 117, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, p. 89 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. - 31 (Palau). - - _Aegialitis cantianus_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 64 (Pelew); Takatsukasa and - Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 (Pelew). - - _Aegialitis alexandrinus dealbatus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 45 (Pelew). - - _Charadrius alexandrinus dealbatus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 194 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 217 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 37 - (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Japan and possibly on adjacent parts - of the Asiatic mainland. Winters south to Malaya. In Micronesia: - Palau Islands--exact locality unknown. - -_Remarks._--The Kentish Plover is known from a single record obtained by -Semper in the Palau Islands. It is tentatively assigned to _C. a. -nihonensis_, which breeds directly north of the Palau Islands on Japan. -_C. a. dealbatus_ (Swinhoe) breeds more to the west on the Asiatic -mainland and adjacent islands south of Japan. Additional specimens are -needed before the subspecific status of migrants to Micronesia can be -accurately determined. - - -=Charadrius mongolus stegmanni= Stresemann - -Mongolian Dotterel - - _Charadrius mongolus stegmanni_ Stresemann, Ornith. Monatsb., 48, - 1940, p. 55. New name for _Charadrius mongolus littoralis_ - Stegmann, 1937, preoccupied. (Type locality, Behring Island.) - - _Charadrius sanguineus_ Lesson, Man. d'Ornith., 2, 1828, p. 330 (No - type locality = Mariana Islands, _ex_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 48); _idem_, Traité d'Ornith., - 1831, p. 544 (no locality = Mariana Islands); Hartlaub, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1854, p. 167 (Mariannen). - - _Charadrius mongolicus_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 48 (Guam, Jaluit, Palaos, Carolines); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 66 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers - Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 36 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, - 1902, p. 68 (Guam). - - _Aegialitis mongolus_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 9 (Ruk). - - _Aegialis mongola_ Safford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. - 80 (Guam). - - _Aegialites mongola_ Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam). - - _Ochthodromus mongolicus_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, - p. 62 (Marianas, Ruk). - - _Charadrius mongolus_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 132 (Ruk); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 38 - (Micronesia). - - _Charadrius mongolus mongolus_ Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 11-12, - 1920, p. 1543 (Marianen, Karolinen); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 194 (Guam, Truk, Iuripik, Kusaie, Jaluit, Majuro); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 253 (Carolines, - Marianas); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 (Guam); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 50 (Guam, - Peleliu, Ulithi). - - _Cirrepidesmus mongolus mongolus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 44 (Guam, Ruk). - - _Charadrius mongolus stegmanni_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 217 (Guam, Peliliu, Truk, Iuripik, Kusaie, Jaluit, - Majuro). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Siberia and Bering Sea - area. Winters south to eastern Malaysia, Melanesia, and Australia. - In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; Palau Islands--Angaur, - Peleliu; Caroline Islands--Ulithi, Truk, Iuripik, Kusaie; Marshall - Islands--Jaluit, Majuro. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 10 (4 males, 5 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 2 (June 7, Sept. - 1); AMNH--Guam, 3 (Aug. 15, 18, Nov. 30); Palau Islands, - USNM--Peleliu, 3 (Sept. 7-12); Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 1 - (Aug. 22); AMNH--Truk, 1 (Feb. 8). - -_Remarks._--According to Oustalet (1896:48), Lesson used two specimens -of this species, which were collected in the Marianas by the expedition -in the "Uranie," as types for his _Charadrius sanguineus_. - -The Mongolian Dotterel is a regular visitor to western Micronesia. It is -recorded also from the Marshall Islands, which it probably reaches from -the westward by way of the Carolines, since the species has not been -recorded in the Hawaiian Islands. - -A bird taken by the writer at Guam on June 7, 1945, was in winter -plumage and probably nonmigratory. The species was recorded also at Guam -in September. At Peleliu in September, 1945, the Mongolian Dotterel was -seen frequently on tidal flats by the NAMRU2 party. On September 8 there -was a flock of approximately fifty birds, in company with _Charadrius -leschenaultii_, at Akarakoro Point. In August at Ulithi, birds were on -the beaches in company with _Crocethia alba_. At Angaur on September 21, -1945, the species was with other shore birds in small groups at fresh -water ponds. - -I am tentatively referring all specimens examined to _C. m. stegmanni_ -although at this writing (1948) I am inclined to the opinion that a -critical reexamination of the referred specimens might reveal one or a -few individuals of the subspecies _C. m. mongolus_ Pallas. - - -=Charadrius leschenaultii= Lesson - -Large Sand Dotterel - - _Charadrius Leschenaultii_ Lesson, Dict. Sci. Nat., ed. Levrault, - 42, 1826, p. 36. (Type locality, Pondichery, India.) - - _Charadrius griseus_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 544 - (Oulan). - - _Charadrius geoffroyi_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 117, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 89 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, - 1875, pp. 5, 31 (Palau). - - _Aegialitis geoffroyi_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. - 299 (Ualan, Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 64 (Pelew, Ualan). - - _Ochthodromus geoffroyi_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 24, - 1896, p. 217 (Pelew, Ualan); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 62 (Pelew). - - _Pagoa leschenaultii_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 44 (Pelew, Kusaie, Yap). - - _Charadrius leschenaultii leschenaultii_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 193 (Yap, Kusaie, Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - 3d ed., 1942, p. 216 (Yap, Kusaie, Palau). - - _Charadrius leschenaultii_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 38 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 51 (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Asia south to Persia. Winters from - Malaysia east to Australia and Melanesia. In Micronesia: Palau - Islands--Peleliu; Caroline Islands--Yap, Kusaie. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 9 (2 males and 7 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 7 (Sept. 6-12); AMNH--exact - locality not given, 2 (Nov. 21, 25). - -_Remarks._--The Large Sand Dotterel is a regular visitor to the Palau -Islands. It has been recorded also at Yap and Kusaie in the Carolines, -where it may be considered as an uncommon visitor. - -At Peleliu, the species was seen on several occasions in September, -1945, by the NAMRU2 party. The birds were found on tidal flats in -company with _Charadrius mongolus stegmanni_ in flocks of 10 to 30 -individuals. - - -=Numenius phaeopus variegatus= (Scopoli) - -Whimbrel - - _Tantalus variegatus_ Scopoli, Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr., fasc. - 2, 1786, p. 92. (Type locality, Luzon, _ex._ Sonnerat.) - - _Scolopax phaeopus_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 566 - (Marianas). - - _Numenius phaeopus_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 287, 304 (Ualan, Guahan), Hartlaub, Journ. - f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 (Mariannen); Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. - Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 129 (Ualan); Hartlaub, - Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), p. 831 (Pelew, Matelotas); - Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 8, 118 - (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 106 (Uap, - Pelews); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 123 (Yap); - Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, 35 (Palau); _idem_, - Journ. f Ornith., 1880, pp. 294, 307 (Ponapé, Kuschai); _idem_, - Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ruk); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, - pp. 107, 109, 115 (Kushai, Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. - Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 299, 353 (Ponapé, Mortlock, - Ruk); Wharton and Hardcastle, Journ. Parasitology, 32, 1946, pp. - 308, 316, 318, 320 (Ulithi, Guam); Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, - 1946, pp. 174, 175 (Guam). - - _Numenius tenuirostris_ Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. - und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 55 (Marianas, Ualan). - - _Numenius uropygialis_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 3, 1871, p. 43 - (Pelew). - - _Numenius variegatus_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 332 - (Pelew, Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 66 (Marianne, Pelew, - Matalotas, Luganor, Ruk, Ponapé, Ualan); Sharpe, Cat. Birds - British Mus., 24, 1896, p. 361 (Micronesia); Safford, The Plant - World, 7, 1904, p. 266 (Guam). - - _Numenius phaeopus variegatus_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 39 (Mariannes, Palaos, Carolines, - Jaluit); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 65 (Guam); _idem_, - Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 8 (Ruk); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. - Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 34 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 - (Marianas); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 - (Guam); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 (Marianas, - Carolines, Pelews); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); - Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 13-14, 1921, p. 1649 (Guam); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 192 (Marianas, Carolines, Palaus, - Marshalls); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 261 - (Caroline, Marianne, Pelew); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, - 1936, p. 24 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 215 - (Guam, Koror, Babelthuap, Ngulu, Yap, Uluthi, Iuripik, Truk, - Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Jaluit, Wotze); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 39 (Micronesia); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 537 - (Guam); Stott, Auk, 1947, p. 525 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. - Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 51 (Guam, Angaur, Peleliu, - Ulithi). - - _Phaeopus phaeopus variegatus_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 178 (Guam); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 45 (Palaus, Carolines, - Marians). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia. Winters from - Malaysia east to Oceania. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; - Palau Islands--Angaur, Peleliu, Koror, Babelthuap; Caroline - Islands--Ngulu, Yap, Ulithi, Truk, Lukunor, Iuripik, Ponapé, - Kusaie; Marshall Islands--Jaluit, Wotze. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 26 (9 males, 17 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 16 (June 4, 6, July 24, 26, - 27, Sept. 1, 19, 25, Oct. 8); Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 5 - (Sept. 8, 12, 14)--Angaur, 4 (Sept. 21); Caroline Islands, - USNM--Ulithi, 1 (Aug. 17). - - _Weights._--At Guam, the NAMRU2 party obtained the weights of two - males, 373 and 435, and of six females, 295-426 (384). - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174, 175) lists the following species - of chiggers (Acarina) taken from the Whimbrel at Guam: _Acariscus - pluvius_, _A. anous_, _Neoschöngastia strongi_, and _N. carveri_; - and at Ulithi: _N. namrui_ and _N. atollensis_. - -_Remarks._--The Whimbrel is an abundant visitor to western Micronesia. -It was first taken by Quoy and Gaimard, who found it in the Marianas. It -is recorded in the Marshall Islands (Jaluit and Wotze), but apparently -reaches these islands from the west, since the species is unknown in the -Hawaiian Islands. - -As shown in table 8, the NAMRU2 party observed the Whimbrel at Guam on -spring migration in March, 1945, the last record being on March 21. In -June and July, single birds or small groups were occasionally seen on -the tidal flats. Some of these birds may have been nonmigratory. -Beginning on July 24, more birds were recorded as they began to migrate -south after their nesting season. Whimbrels were numerous from August -until the conclusion of the observations in October. Birds were abundant -at the Palaus in September; only a few were noted at Ulithi in late -August. The Whitney South Sea Expedition of the American Museum of -Natural History made collections of this species at several islands in -Micronesia. At Ponapé, Coultas (field notes) writes that in November and -December, 1930, a few birds were seen on the reefs and at the edges of -mangrove swamps. At Peleliu in October to December, 1931, he found -Whimbrels concentrated on a small islet between Koror and Babelthuap. At -both Ponapé and Palau Coultas received reports that the birds remain at -the islands throughout the year. - - -=Numenius tahitiensis= (Gmelin) - -Bristle-thighed Curlew - - _Scolopax tahitiensis_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 656. - (Type locality, Tahiti, Society Islands, based on the Otaheiti - Curlew of Latham, Gen. Syn., 3, pt. 1, 1785, p. 122, no. 4.) - - _Numenius femoralis_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, pp. 220, 331, 332 - (Jaluit, Arno). - - _Numenius tahitiensis_ Seebohm, Geogr. Dist. Charadriidae, 1887, - p. 332 (Marshalls); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 66 (Marianne?, Marshalls); - Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 24, 1896, p. 367 (Marianas, - Marshalls); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 - (Marschall-Inseln); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 - (Marianas, Pelews); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 49 (Marianas, Marshalls); Bent, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 146, - 1929, p. 143 (Jaluit); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 192 (Saipan, Marshalls); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, - p. 261 (Marshalls); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 677 (Jarchi); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 215 (Saipan, Jaluit, - Arhno, Maloelab, Wotze, Ailuk, Ringelab, Larchi); Stickney, Amer. - Mus. Novit., no. 1248, 1943, p. 4 (Ponapé, Marshalls); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 39 (Marshalls, straggler to Carolines - and Marianas). - - _Phaeopus tahitiensis_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. - Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 179 (Rongelab); Ridgway, Bull. U. - S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, 1919, p. 407 (Marianas, Marshalls). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in western Alaska. Winters in eastern - and central Polynesia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Saipan; - Caroline Islands--Ponapé; Marshall Islands--Jaluit, Arhno, - Moloelab, Wotze, Ailuk, Rongelab, Larchi, Bikini. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 6 (3 males, 3 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, AMNH--Ponapé, 2 (Dec. 15); Marshall - Islands, USNM--Bikini, 4 (Mar. 10, 14, April 2, 30). - -_Remarks._--The Bristle-thighed Curlew is a regular migrant through the -Marshall Islands of eastern Micronesia. It is recorded as a straggler to -the Caroline and Mariana islands. Stickney (1943:4, fig. 1) shows a map -and discusses the breeding and wintering ranges of this curlew. As can -be observed from her map, the principal wintering areas are east and -south of Micronesia. She records the species from the Bonin Islands, -which is the westernmost record. - -It is difficult to offer plausible reasons for the present migratory -habits of the Bristle-thighed Curlew. It is related to both the Asiatic -form, _N. phaeopus_, and to the American species, _N. hudsonicus_, but -its origin is not understood. The characteristics of its route of -migration resemble that of some continental migrants and might have come -about by a slow adjustment of the species to its environment, probably -through an expansion of range from the west. - - -=Numenius madagascariensis= (Linnaeus) - -Long-billed Curlew - - _Scolopax madagascariensis_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, 1, 1766, - p. 242. (Type locality, Madagascar, error = Manila, Philippine - Islands, _fide_ Stresemann.) - - _Numenius cyanopus_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 65 (Guam); - Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 35 - (Micronesia); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 (Marianas); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 266 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. - Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 - (Guam); Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 13-14, 1921, p. 1645 (Guam); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 45 (Guam); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 192 (Guam). - - _Numenius madagascariensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 214 (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 40 - (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 51 (Guam, Ngesebus). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in eastern Siberia. Winters from - Malaysia east to Australia and Melanesia. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam; Palau Islands--Peleliu, Ngesebus. - -_Remarks._--The Long-billed Curlew is a regular visitor to western -Micronesia, especially to the Palau Islands. It is apparently a less -common migrant in the Marianas, although it has been recorded from Guam. -At Guam, the NAMRU2 party observed a single bird on June 6 and two on -October 3 at tidal beaches. At Peleliu these large curlews were seen on -several occasions between September 9 and 16, 1945. They were found -usually as singles feeding on tidal flats in company with other -shorebirds. - - -=Limosa lapponica baueri= Naumann - -Pacific Godwit - - _Limosa Baueri_ Naumann, Naturg. Vög. Deutschl., 8, 1836, p. 429. - (Type locality, New Holland = Victoria, _apud_ Mathews; Novit. - Zool., 18, 1912, p. 220.) - - _Limosa uropygialis_ Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 299 (Mortlock). - - _Limosa novae-sealandiae_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 66 (Luganor). - - _Limosa lapponica baueri_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 65 - (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 34 - (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 (Marianas); _idem_, The Plant - World, 7, 1904, p. 266 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, - 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 101 - (Marianen); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Hartert, Vögel - pal. Fauna, 13-14, 1921, p. 1641, (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 46 (Carolines, Marianas); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 191 (Marianas, Carolines); Bryan, - Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 (Guam); Stickney, Amer. Mus. - Novit., no. 1248, 1943, p. 5 (Guam, Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 41 (Oceania); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 537 - (Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 52 - (Guam, Peleliu). - - _Limosa lapponica novazealandiae_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, - p. 8 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 214 (Guam, - Truk). - - _Limosa rufa uropygialis_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, - p. 62 (Marianas, Ruk). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia and northwestern - North America. Winters from Malaysia east to Oceania. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; Palau Islands--Peleliu; Caroline - Islands--Truk. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 5 (2 males, 3 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, AMNH--Guam, 2 (Sept. 26); Palau Islands, - USNM--Peleliu, 1 (Sept. 7); AMNH--exact locality not given, 2 (Nov. - 21, 23). - -_Remarks._--The principal wintering grounds of the Pacific Godwit are -probably in Australia and New Zealand according to Stickney (1943:5). -The bird reaches these areas from Arctic breeding grounds by migrating -to a great extent along the edge of the Asiatic Continent. It may also -be considered as a regular migrant in western Micronesia, and probably -reaches eastern Micronesia as an uncommon visitor, since it is -occasionally recorded in the Hawaiian Islands. - -At Guam in 1945, the NAMRU2 party found the Pacific Godwit at tidal -beaches on April 26 and October 15. Strophlet (1946:537) recorded one -bird from Guam on October 20, 1945. At Peleliu, the NAMRU2 party found -birds at beaches on September 7 and 16. Coultas (field notes) reported -that "a few" were seen at Peleliu from October to December, 1931. -McElroy did not find any of these birds at Truk in December, 1945. - - -=Tringa nebularia= (Gunnerus) - -Greenshank - - _Scolopax nebularis_ Gunnerus, in Leem, Beskr. Finm. Lapper, 1767, - p. 251. (Type locality, District of Trondhjem, Norway.) - - _Glottis nebularius_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 47 (Yap); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 44, 1932, - p. 225 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 191 (Yap, - Truk). - - _Tringa nebularis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 214 - (Yap, Truk); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 41 (Yap, - Truk); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 52 - (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Eurasia. Winters in - Mediterranean area, Africa, southern Asia, Malaysia, Australia and - Melanesia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Peleliu; Caroline - Islands--Yap, Truk. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 4 (1 male, 3 females) from - Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu (Aug. 28, Sept. 14, 15). - -_Remarks._--The Greenshank has been recorded at the Palau Islands and at -Yap and Truk in the Caroline Islands. It is apparently a regular visitor -to western Micronesia. It probably reaches the western Carolines as an -occasional visitor from the region of the Palaus to the westward, -rather than from the northward, since the bird has not been observed in -the Marianas. - -The NAMRU2 party observed two small flocks of these birds at Peleliu in -August and September, 1945. One group of six birds was found wading in -the shallow water of a mangrove swamp on August 28. Another group of -three birds was seen on a tidal beach on September 14 and 15, where they -were observed feeding apart from other species of shore birds. - - -=Tringa melanoleuca= (Gmelin) - -Greater Yellow-legs - - _Scolopax melanoleuca_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 659. - (Type locality, Sandy shores of Labrador = Chateau Bay, Labrador.) - - _Tringa melanoleuca_ Kuroda, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 46, 1934, p. 313 - (Jaluit); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 214 (Jaluit). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Alaska and Canada. Winters from - California east to the Gulf States and the West Indies and south to - South America. In Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - -_Remarks._--Kuroda records one specimen of the Greater Yellow-legs from -Jaluit Atoll in the Marshall Islands. It is a straggler to Oceania and -has not been recorded in the Hawaiian Islands. - - -=Tringa glareola= Linnaeus - -Wood Sandpiper - - _Tringa glareola_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 149. - (Europe, restricted type locality, Sweden.) - - _Totanus glareola_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, - (3), 8, 1896, p. 43 (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, pp. - 65, 69 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, - p. 34 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Guam); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam). - - _Rhyacophilus glareola_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 48 (Guam, Angaur). - - _Tringa glareola_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 191 - (Guam, Angaur, Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 213 (Guam, Anguar, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 41 (Guam, Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 52 (Anguar). - - _Tringa glariola_ Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Eurasia from Norway and - Germany east to Siberia, Sakhalin, and Kamchatka. Winters from - Africa east to southern Asia, Malaysia, and Australia. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam; Palau Islands--Anguar, Koror. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 2 (1 male, 1 female), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Angaur, 1 (Sept. 21); AMNH--exact - locality not given, 1 (October 26). - -_Remarks._--Marche, in 1877, first recorded the Wood Sandpiper in -Micronesia (at Guam). In the Marianas it is apparently an uncommon -migrant but it is considered to be a regular visitor in the Palau -Islands. At the Palaus in September, 1945, the writer found the bird at -a fresh water pond on Angaur. It was not observed on the tidal beaches -at Peleliu. - - -=Actitis hypoleucos= Linnaeus - -Common Sandpiper - - _Tringa Hypoleucos_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1858, p. 149 - (Europe, restricted type locality, Sweden.) - - _Totanus hypoleucos_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 552 - (Marianas). - - _Totanus (Tringoides) hypoleucus_ Gray, Birds Trop. Is. Pacific - Ocean, 1859, p. 51 (Marianas). - - _Actitis hypoleuca_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, p. 8 (Pelew). - - _Actitis hypoleucus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, p. 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. - 89, 106 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 36 - (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, - pp. 299, 353 (Ruk, Mortlock); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 64 (Luganor, Marianne, - Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris (3), 8, 1896, - p. 43 (Guam, Palaos, Luganor). - - _Tringoides hypoleucos_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 3, 1871, p. 46 - (Pelew, Ladrone); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 318 - (Pelew). - - _Tringoides hypoleucus_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 24, 1896, - p. 456 (Micronesia); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, pp. - 51, 62 (Pelews, Marianas). - - _Totanus hypoleucus_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 65 - (Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. - 34 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Mariannes); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam). - - _Actitis hypoleucos_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 372 (Micronesia); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 47 (Marianas, Carolines, Pelews); Peters, Check-list - Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 269 (Micronesia); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. - 13, no. 1, 1936, p. 24 (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 42 (Micronesia); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 537 (Guam); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 52 (Guam, - Peleliu, Ulithi). - - _Tringa hypoleucos_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 191 - (Marianas, Carolines, Pelews); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed. - 1942, p. 214 (Saipan, Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu, Angaur, Ulithi, - Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Europe and Asia. Winters from Africa - east to Polynesia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Saipan; - Palau Islands--Angaur, Peleliu, Koror, Babelthuap; Caroline - Islands--Ulithi, Truk, Lukunor. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 12 (4 males, 7 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 4 (July 16, - Sept. 20); AMNH--Saipan, 1 (July 27); Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, - 3 (Sept. 9, 14).--Koror, 1 (Nov. 7); AMNH--exact locality not - given, 2 (Nov. 11, 19); Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 1 (Aug. - 22). - - _Weights._--The present author (1948:52) recorded the weight of one - male taken at Guam as 67 grams, and of two females as 57 and 63 - grams. These were fall migrants taken by the NAMRU2 party. - -_Remarks._--The Common Sandpiper has been known from Micronesia since -the time of Lesson. Tetens, Peters and Kubary obtained specimens in the -Palaus; the latter collector obtained the bird at Lukunor and probably -also at Truk. In recent years several collectors have taken the birds in -western Micronesia, where the species appears to be a regular visitor. -Field observations by the NAMRU2 party indicate that the birds are -usually found as singles and remain apart from other species of -migratory shorebirds which visit the islands. The margins of inland -ponds and beaches consisting of rocks and pebbles appear to be -preferred over the sandy, tidal flats. At Peleliu on September 9, 1945, -two birds were taken at a bare bank of coral at an inland pond. These -were the only two Common Sandpipers seen at the island. A specimen taken -by the NAMRU2 party at Ulithi on August 22 at a beach, piled with debris -from ships, has its entire and underparts stained by fuel oil. - - -=Heteroscelus brevipes= (Vieillot) - -Gray-tailed Tattler - - _Totanus brevipes_ Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., 6, 1816, p. - 410. (No locality given, the type is from Timor.) - - _Totanus pedestris_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 552 - (Marianne, Ualan). - - _Totanus brevipes_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 287, 299, 304 (Ualan, Lougounor, Guahan); - Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 51 (Ladrone or - Marian Is.); Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, p. 129, 162 - (Puynipet, Ualan). - - _Totanus incanus_ Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna - Centralpolynesians, 1867, p. 187 (Mariannen, Ualan, Puynipet); - Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 322 (Micronesia); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 65 (Mulgrave, Taluit, Ualan, Ponapé, Ruk, - Luganor, Uap, Pelew, Marianas); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 41 (Saypan, Guam, Jaluit, - Carolines, Palaos). - - _Heteractitis brevipes_ Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., - 1, 1901, p. 35 (Marianas); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 - (Marianas); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 - (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Wetmore, in - Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 180 - (Uala = Truk); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. - 170 (Carolines). - - _Heteractitis brevis_ Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, pp. - 47, 101 (Marianen). - - _Heteroscelus brevipes_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 367 (Western Pacific); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, - 1934, p. 270 (Carolines). - - _Tringa incana brevipes_ Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 13-14, 1921, - p. 1623 (Guam, Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 191 - (Palaus, Carolines); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 213 (Babelthuap, Koror, Angaur, Yap, Iuripik, Faraulep, Truk, - Ponapé). - - _Heteroscelus incanus brevipes_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 47 (Pelew, Yap, Ruk); Kuroda, Avifauna Riu - Kiu, 1925, p. 177 (Micronesia); Stickney, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 1248, 1943, p. 5 (Saipan, Guam, Palau, Ruk, Kusaie); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 43 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. - Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 52 (Guam, Peleliu, Truk). - - _Heteroscelus incanus_ Wharton and Hardcastle (part), Journ. - Parasitology, 32, 1946, pp. 296, 316, 318 (Guam, Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in eastern Siberia and adjacent areas. - Winters south to Malaysia and east to Australia and Oceania. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Saipan; Palau Islands--Angaur, - Peleliu, Koror, Babelthuap; Caroline Islands--Yap, Truk, Iuripik, - Faraulep, Ponapé, Kusaie. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 39 (11 males, 27 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 16 (June 4, 6, - July 16, 24, Aug. 6, 27, Sept. 4, 6, 27, Oct. 23); AMNH--Saipan, 1 - (Sept. 8),--Guam, 5 (Feb. 11, Mar. 4, 13, Sept. 14, Dec. 5); Palau - Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 7 (Sept. 6-8, 16); AMNH--exact locality not - given, 4 (Nov. 8); Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 1 (Dec. 13); - AMNH--Truk, 3 (Feb. 6, 26, Oct. 14),--Kusaie, 2 (Mar., April). - - _Weights._--Weights of birds obtained by the NAMRU2 party were as - follows: three males from Guam, 90-104 (95); six females from Guam, - 99-116 (104). - -_Remarks._--It is not clear whether some of the accounts cited above -refer to this species or to the species, _Heteroscelus incanus_. Owing -to the fact that specimens used in some of these early reports have not -been examined by me, the identifications of the birds concerned cannot -be verified and consequently it is impossible to be certain to which -species some of the references pertain. In listing these accounts in the -literature, I am following Sharpe (1896:455) whenever possible. - -Tattlers were among the first birds observed and taken in Micronesia. -Quoy and Gaimard found them in the Marianas, and Kittlitz and Kubary -recorded the species in the Carolines. Kubary also reported the birds at -the Palaus. - -The Gray-tailed Tattler apparently does not reach the Marshall Islands -but visits only the western part of Micronesia. Stickney (1943:2) shows -a map of the known geographic range of this species in Micronesia. The -separation of _H. brevipes_ and _H. incanus_ in the field is not always -possible. For identification, the NAMRU2 party depended primarily on -specimens collected. At Guam, specimens of _H. brevipes_, thought to be -nonmigratory, were taken in early June. These were in winter plumage. -Beginning in mid-July there was an increase in the number of tattlers -seen; apparently fall migration had begun. At Peleliu in September, -1945, the NAMRU2 party found tattlers to be numerous. Apparently all -were of this species; no _H. incanus_ were taken there. On September 8, -approximately 75 individuals in small and large flocks were counted at -Akarakoro Point on the tidal flats. The birds remained apart from the -other shorebirds which were feeding at the same locality. - - -=Heteroscelus incanus= (Gmelin) - -American Wandering Tattler - - _Scolopax incana_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 658. (Type - locality, Eimeo = Moorea, Society Islands and Palmerton Islands.) - - _Totanus oceanicus_ Lesson, Mamm. et Ois., 2, 1847, p. 244 - (Kusaie); Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 1852, p. 135 - (Carolinen); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, pp. 167, 168 - (Carolinen, Mariannen). - - _Tryanga glareola_ Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und - Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 365, 2, pp. 55, 86 (Ualan). - - _Totanus incanus_ Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, 5, no. 27, 1864, p. 74 - (Micronésie); Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 322 - (Ualan, Puynipet, Marshalls, Mariannis); Wiglesworth (part), - Abhandl. und. Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 65 (Mulgrave, Taluit, Ualan, Ponapé, Ruk, Luganor, Uap, Marianne, - Pelew); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), - 8, 1896, p. 41 (Saypan, Guam, Jaluit, Carolines, Palaos); Hartert, - Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 64 (Guam); _idem_, Novit. Zool. 7, 1900, - p. 8 (Ruk); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 389 - (Marschall-Inseln). - - _Actitis incanus_ Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna - Centralpolynesions, 1867, p. 187 (Mariannen, Ualan, Puynipet); - Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - pp. 89, 106 (Uap, Ualan); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, - p. 123 (Yap); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, 36 - (Palau); _idem_, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 18, 38 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 294, 306 (Ponapé, - Kuschai, Marshalls); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 105, 109, 115 (Kushai, - Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, - p. 299 (Mortlock); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 55 - (Jaluit, Arno, Kuschai). - - _Actitis incana_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. - 781 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ruk); - _idem_, Ibis, 1880, pp. 219, 220, 330, 332 Milli or Mulgrave, - Taluit). - - _Heteractitis incanus_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 24, 1906, - p. 455 (Oceania); Safford, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 - (Guam); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 (Yap, Ruk, - Ponapé, Kusaie); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. - Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 179 (Kusaie); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 70 (westcentral Pacific). - - _Heteroscelus incanus_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 367 (Carolines, Marianas); Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 2, 1934, p. 270 (Micronesia); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, - no. 2, 1936, p. 24 (Guam): Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 42 - (Guam); Wharton and Hardcastle (part), Journ. Parasitology, 32, - 1946, pp. 296, 316, 318 (Guam, Peleliu); Downs, Trans. Kansas - Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 93 (Tinian); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 537 - (Guam); Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, pp. 174, 175 (Guam); - Borror, Auk, 1947, p. 417 (Agrihan). - - _Tringa incana incana_ Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 13-14, 1921, p. - 1623 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 191 - (Marianas, Carolines, Marshalls, Palaus); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 214 (Saipan, Guam, Koror, Angaur, Yap, - Faraulep, Lamatrek, Truk, Ponapé, Kusaie, Jaluit, Mille, Arhno, - Majuro, Maloelab, Wotze, Likieb, Ailuk). - - _Heteroscelus incanus incanus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 46 (Kusaie, Ruk, Ponapé, Yap, Marianas, - Mulgrave, Taluit, Pelew); Stickney, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1248, - 1943, p. 7 (Guam, Palau, Ponapé, Ruk, Kusaie); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 42 (Palau, Marianas); Baker, Smithson. - Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 53 (Guam, Rota, Ulithi). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Alaska south to Prince William - Sound. Winters in North and South America and west in Oceania to - Melanesia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Rota, Saipan, - Agrihan; Palau Islands--Angaur, Koror; Caroline Islands--Yap, - Ulithi, Truk, Faraulep, Lamatrek, Ponapé, Kusaie; Marshall - Islands--Jaluit, Mille, Arhno, Majuro, Maloelab, Wotze, Likieb, - Ailuk, Bikini. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 47 (23 males, 20 females, 4 - unsexed) as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 13 (May 21-29, - Sept. 19-27, Oct. 10, 23),--Rota, 2 (Oct. 23, 25); AMNH--Guam, 4 - (April 23, Aug. 16); Palau Islands, AMNH--exact locality not given, - 1 (no date); Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 3 (Aug. 20, 22); - AMNH--Truk, 1 (June 25),--Ponapé, 1 (Dec. 15),--Kusaie, 19 (Feb., - Mar., April 1-10); Marshall Islands, USNM--Bikini, 3 (Feb. 26, 28, - April 28). - - _Weights._--In 1948 (1948:53) I listed weights of two males from - Guam as 175 (May) and 109 (September); weights of two females from - Guam were 175 and 192 (both in May). These data were obtained by - the NAMRU2 field party. - - _Parasites._--Wharton and Hardcastle (1946:296, 316, 318) list the - following chiggers (Acarina) from tattlers taken by NAMRU2 - collectors at Guam and Peleliu: _Neoschöngastia bougainvillensis_, - _N. ewingi_, _N. carveri_, and _N. namrui_. Wharton (1946:174, - 175) records the chiggers, _Acariscus pluvius_ and _A. anous_, - from tattlers from Guam. It is not certain from which species of - _Heteroscelus_ these chiggers were obtained. - -_Remarks._--Records indicate that the American Wandering Tattler is a -regular visitor to eastern Micronesia, and that it only occasionally -reaches the Palau Islands in western Micronesia. - -The NAMRU2 field parties found _H. brevipes_ as singles or in small -groups of five or less. They remained apart from other species and -appeared to prefer rocky beaches and coral-reef rocks to the sandy -beaches. At Guam in 1945, the latest spring migrants were taken on May -29. These birds were in nuptial plumage. Birds taken at Bikini by -Morrison on February 26 and April 28, 1946, were in worn, winter -plumage. At Guam, the NAMRU2 observers obtained the first fall migrants -on September 19. These observations in 1945, showed that _H. incanus_ -arrived at Guam on its southbound flight fully one month after the first -individuals of _H. brevipes_ began to appear (mid-July). This difference -may partly result from the fact that the distance to the Asiatic -breeding grounds of _H. brevipes_ is not so great as that to the -American breeding grounds of _H. incanus_. - -Whether the two tattlers, _H. brevipes_ and _H. incanus_, are distinct -species (allopatric species insofar as breeding ranges are concerned), -or whether they are mere subspecies (geographic races) is open to -question. I failed to find evidences of intergradation in the few -specimens which I examined critically; however, the final answer to the -problem might be obtained by collecting series of birds from breeding -grounds where ranges closely approach each other or overlap (if they -do). Stickney (1943:6, 7) lists the distinctive differences in these two -birds, particularly the character of the nasal groove, and does not -mention having found any evidence of intergradation. Wetmore (in -Townsend and Wetmore, 1919:180) gives evidence that they belong to two -separate species. - - -=Arenaria interpres interpres= (Linnaeus) - -Turnstone - - _Tringa Interpres_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 148. - (Type locality, Europe and North America, restricted to Gotland, - Sweden.) - - _Tringa interpres_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., 1824, - p. 708 (Guam). - - _Strepsila collaris_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 287, 299, 304 (Ualan, Lougounor, Guahan); - _idem_, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. - 32 (Ualan). - - _Strepsilas interpres_ Kittlitz, Denk. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. - und Kamchat., 2, 1858, pp. 32, 55, 86 (Ualan); Pelzeln, Reise - "Novara," Vögel, 1865, p. 117 (Mariannen); Finsch and Hartlaub, - Fauna Ornith. Centralpolynesian, 1867, p. 200 (Mariannen); - Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), p. 831 (Pelew); - Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 8, 118 - (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 104 (Pelew, - Uap, Mackenzie); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 123 - (Yap); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, 32 (Palau); - _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 781 (Ponapé); - _idem_, Ibis, 1880, pp. 220, 330, 332 (Taluit); _idem_, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1880, pp. 294, 306 (Ponapé, Kuschai); _idem_, Proc. Zool. - Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ruk); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 105, 109, - 115 (Kushai, Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 330, 353 (Ponapé, Nukuor, Ruk); - Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 289 (Pelew, Mariannis); - Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 56 (Jaluit, Kuschai); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891); p. 63 (Ualan, Ponapé, Luganor, Nukuor, Ruk, Mackenzie, - Pelew, Marianne); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), - 8, 1896, p. 45 (Guam, Saypan, Hogoleu, Marshalls, Mackensie, - Palaos); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 66 (Guam); _idem_, - Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 9 (Ruk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 51 (Ponapé); Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, p. 489 - (Ponapé). - - _Cinclus interpres_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 48 (Ladrones). - - _Arenaria interpres_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 24, 1896, p. - 92 (Micronesia); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 37 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 68 (Marianas); - _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 266 (Guam); Schnee, Zool. - Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 389 (Marshall Islands); Safford, Contr. - U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam), Cox, Island of Guam, - 1917, p. 22 (Guam); Wharton and Hardcastle, Journ. Parasitology, - 32, 1946, pp. 316, 320 (Guam, Peleliu); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. - Sci., 49, 1946, p. 105 (Tinian); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 537 - (Guam); Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, pp. 174, 175 (Guam); - Borror, Auk, 1947, p. 417 (Agrihan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., - vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 53 (Guam, Rota, Peleliu, Truk). - - _Arenaria interpres oahuensis_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 66, 1919, p. 177 (Jaluit, Rongelab, Uala); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 45 (Guam, Saipan, - Pelew, Angaur, Kusaie, Ponapé, Luganor, Nukuor, Ruk, Yap, - Mackenzie, Taluit, Rongelab). - - _Arenaria interpres interpres_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, - pt. 8, 1919, p. 45 (Micronesia); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 194 (Guam, Saipan, Anguar, Kusaie, Ponapé, Luganor, - Nukuor, Ruk, Yap, Mackenzie, Taluit, Rongelab, Mille, Majuro, - Wotze, Likieb); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 217 (Guam, - Saipan, Angaur, Kusaie, Ponapé, Luganor, Ruk, Yap, Mackenzie, - Taluit, Rongelab, Mille, Majuro, Wotze, Likieb); Stickney, Amer. - Mus. Novit., no. 1248, 1943, p. 8 (Guam, Palau, Ponapé, Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern parts of the Northern - Hemisphere. Winters to Southern Hemisphere. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam, Rota, Saipan; Palau Islands--Angaur, Peleliu, - Caroline Islands--Yap, Ulithi, Truk, Lugunor, Nukuor, Ponapé, - Kusaie; Marshall Islands--Jaluit, Rongelab, Mille, Majuro, Wotze, - Likieb, Bikini. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 36 (17 males, 16 females, 3 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands. USNM--Guam, 7 (Oct. - 10-26)--Rota, 2 (Oct. 20, Nov. 2); AMNH--Guam, 4 (Mar. 22, 27, Aug. - 18); Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 1 (Sept. 8); AMNH--exact - locality not given, 3 (Dec. 8); Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 1 - (Dec. 22); AMNH--Ponapé, 4 (Dec. 16)--Truk, 4 (Feb. 5, 7, July - 14)--Kusaie, 7 (Mar. 10-30); Marshall Islands, USNM--Bikini, 3 - (Feb. 26, Mar. 4). - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party obtained the weights of four males - taken at Guam and Rota as 77-99 (92) and one female from Guam as - 90. These birds were obtained in October and November. - - _Parasites._--Wharton and Hardcastle (1946:316, 320) list the - following chiggers (Acarina) from the Turnstone from Guam and - Peleliu: _Neoschöngastia carveri_ and _N. strongi_. Wharton - (1946:174) records also _Acariscus anous_ from the Turnstone at - Guam. Uchida (1918:489) records the bird louse (Mallophaga), - _Colpocephalum pediculoides_, from this bird at Ponapé. - -_Remarks._--The Turnstone is a regular visitor to Micronesia and to most -other parts of Oceania. As pointed out by Stickney (1943:8), the -material obtained by the Whitney South Sea Expedition yields evidence -that the population which winters in Oceania is as widespread as that of -_Pluvialis dominica fulva_ but less abundant. The writer's observations -at Guam, Ulithi and the Palaus are in agreement with this evidence. -Stickney suggests that the reason the Turnstone was not recorded by the -Whitney South Sea Expedition in eastern Polynesia was because of "a -tendency of the turnstone to hug the continental coasts more closely, -avoiding extensive overseas migrations." - -At Guam in 1945, the NAMRU2 party recorded the Turnstone on its -northward migration as late as March 19; on its southward migration it -was first seen at Guam on July 24. On its southward migration the bird -was not numerous until September. Our observations indicated that in -1945, the principal waves of migration of the Turnstone appeared -approximately two weeks after those of the Pacific Golden Plover and the -Whimbrel. Stickney remarks that the spring migratory season in Oceania -is completed in May and that the fall migratory season begins in August. -Borror (1947:417) found small flocks on the beaches at Agrihan on August -10 and 11, 1945. - -Bryan and Greenway (1944:112) indicate that the subspecies, _Arenaria -interpres morinella_, which breeds in North America, east of Point -Barrow, Alaska, may reach the Hawaiians. Careful examination of -specimens from eastern Micronesia might reveal its presence there also. -The name _Areneria interpres oahuensis_ (Bloxham) may apply to specimens -from eastern Micronesia but Peters (1934:271) considers _oahuensis_ to -be inseparable from _Arenaria interpres interpres_ (Linnaeus). - - -=Gallinago megala= Swinhoe - -Marsh Snipe - - _Gallinago megala_ Swinhoe, Ibis, 1861, p. 343. (Type locality, - Between Takoo and Pekin, China. - - _Gallinago heteroeaca_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 5, 36 (Palau). - - _Gallinago megala_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 337 - (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 67 (Pelew); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., - 24, 1896, p. 624 (Pelew); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 65 - (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 33 - (Mariannas); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 67 (Mariannas); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 266 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. - Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 - (Guam); Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 13-14, 1921, p. 1665 (Palau, - Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 44 (Guam, Palau); - Strophlet, Auk, 63, 1946, p. 537 (Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. - Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 54 (Angaur). - - _Subspilura megala_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 49 (Guam, Pelew). - - _Capella megala_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 193 - (Guam, Koror); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam); Robinson and Chasen, Birds Malay Peninsula, 3, 1936, p. - 170 (Pelew, Marianne); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 316 (Guam, Koror). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in east-central Asia. Winters south to - Malaysia, Australia, and parts of Melanesia. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam; Palau Islands--Koror, Angaur. - - _Specimens examined._--One female from Palau Islands, USNM--Angaur - (Sept. 21). - -_Remarks._--The Marsh Snipe is a regular visitor to western Micronesia, -being recorded from the Mariana and Palau islands. At Angaur on -September 21, 1945, the NAMRU2 party observed four birds at the edge of -a brackish water swamp, which was margined with reeds and other -vegetation. Birds were not seen on tidal beaches at Peleliu. Strophlet -(1946:537) records the Marsh Snipe at Guam on October 21 and December 3, -1945. - - -=Gallinago gallinago gallinago= (Linnaeus) - -Common Snipe - - _Scolopax Gallinago_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 147. - (Europe, restricted type locality, Sweden.) - - _Capella gallinago roddei_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 44, 1932, p. 224 (Saipan). - - _Capella gallinago gallinago_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 193 (Saipan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 216 (Saipan). - - _Gallinago gallinago_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 44 - (Saipan). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Eurasia. Winters in - southern part of breeding range and south to Africa and east to - Malaysia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Saipan. - -_Remarks._--From Micronesia there is a single record of the taking of -this bird at Saipan, apparently by Japanese collectors. It is probably -an occasional straggler to the area, but owing to its similarity to -_Gallinago megala_ it may not often be recognized in the field. - - -=Crocethia alba= (Pallas) - -Sanderling - - _Trynga alba_ Pallas, in Vroeg's Cat., 1764, Adumbr., p. 7. (Type - locality, Coast of the North Sea.) - - _Calidris arenaria_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, pp. 331, 332 (Taluit); - _idem_, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 56 (Jaluit); Seale, - Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 33 (Guam); - Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Mariannes); _idem_, The Plant World, - 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam); Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 - (Marschall-Inseln). - - _Tringa arenaria_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 64 (Taluit); Hartert, Novit. - Zool., 5, 1898, pp. 65, 69 (Guam). - - _Calidris alba_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, 1919, - p. 308 (Marshall Islands). - - _Crocethia alba_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 48 (Taluit, Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 193 - (Taluit, Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 215 (Jaluit, - Guam); Stickney, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1248, 1943, p. 9 (Guam, - Jaluit); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 44 (Marianas, - Marshalls); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, - p. 54 (Ulithi). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern - Hemisphere. Winters to Southern Hemisphere. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam; Caroline Islands--Ulithi; Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 5 (2 males, 3 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, AMNH--Guam, 4 (Dec. 2-4); Caroline - Islands, USNM, 1 (Aug. 21). - -_Remarks._--Stickney (1943:8, 9) summarizes the available information -concerning the Sanderling in Oceania. The bird may be classed as a -regular visitor in eastern Micronesia; the most western record is from -Ulithi in the western Carolines. It has been recorded also at Guam and -Jaluit. - -The NAMRU2 party secured one Sanderling from a flock of approximately -thirty birds containing this species and _Charadrius mongolus stegmanni_ -at Pau Island, Ulithi Atoll, on August 21, 1945. - - -=Calidris tenuirostris= (Horsfield) - -Asiatic Knot - - _Totanus tenuirostris_ Horsfield, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, pt. - 1, 1821, p. 192. (Type locality, Java.) - - _Calidris tenuirostris_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, - no. 15, 1948, p. 54 (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Siberia. Winters from - India east to Malaysia and Australia. In Micronesia: Palau - Islands--Peleliu. - - _Specimens examined._--Four males from Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu - (Sept. 16). - -_Remarks._--The Asiatic Knot was observed and obtained by the NAMRU2 -party at Peleliu in September, 1945. Flocks containing fifteen to twenty -birds were noted at the tidal flats of Akarakoro Point on September 8 -and 16. The birds appeared to remain apart from other shore birds in -this area. - - -=Erolia minuta ruficollis= (Pallas) - -Little Stint - - _Trynga ruficollis_ Pallas, Reise versch. Prov. Russ. Reichs, 3, - 1776, p. 700. (Type locality, "Circa lacus salsos Dauriae - campestris" = Kulussutai, southern Transbaikalia.) - - _Tringa minuta_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 8, 118 (Pelew); Gray, Hand-list Birds, pt. 3, 1871, p. - 50 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - pp. 89, 106 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 5, 36 (Palau). - - _Tringa albescens_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 316 - (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 64 (Pelew). - - _Limonites minuta_ Takatsukasa and Kudora, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 - (Pelew). - - _Pisobia ruficollis_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 290 (Pelew). - - _Pisobia minuta ruficollis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 48 (Palau, Ulithi); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 192 (Palau, Ulithi). - - _Calidris ruficollis ruficollis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 215 (Palau, Ulithi). - - _Calidris minuta ruficollis_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 45 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 54 (Rota, Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds from northeastern Siberia to - northwestern Alaska. Winters south from the Malay area to - Australia. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Rota; Palau - Islands--Angaur, Peleliu; Caroline Islands--Ulithi. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 16 (4 males, 12 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Rota, 1 (Oct. 20); Palau Islands, - USNM--Peleliu, 14 (Sept. 6-14)--Angaur, 1 (Sept. 21). - -_Remarks._--The Little Stint is apparently a regular visitor to the -Palau Islands and a less common visitor to the Mariana Islands. At -Peleliu and Angaur the NAMRU2 party found these birds in small flocks -of 10 to 15 at tidal flats and at inland ponds. On tidal flats the -species appeared to remain apart from other kinds of shore birds, but at -inland ponds the Little Stint was found in company with other species. -On shooting into a mixed flock of shore birds at an island pond at -Angaur, the writer secured specimens of this species and also of _Erolia -acuminata_. - - -=Erolia subminuta= (Middendorff) - -Least Sandpiper - - _Tringa subminuta_ Middendorff, Reise Nord. und Ost. Siberien, 2, - Th. 2, 1853, p. 222, pl. 19, fig. 6. (Type locality, Western slopes - of the Stanovoi Mountains and mouth of the Udá.) - - _Pisobia minutilla subminuta_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 192 (Koror). - - _Calidris minutilla subminuta_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 215 (Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 45 - (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia. Winters south to - India and east to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror. - -_Remarks._--The Least Sandpiper has been recorded in the Palau Islands -by the Japanese investigators. It is probably an uncommon visitor to -this area. - - -=Erolia melanotos= (Vieillot) - -Pectoral Sandpiper - - _Tringa melanotos_ Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., 34, 1819, p. - 462. (Type locality, Paraguay.) - - _Pisobia melanota_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 192 - (Ponapé). - - _Calidris melanotos_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 215 (Ponapé). - - _Calidris melanota_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 45 - (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds on the Arctic coast of northeastern - Asia and eastward into Arctic America. Winters to South America. In - Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - -_Remarks._--The Pectoral Sandpiper has been recorded from Ponapé. Bryan -and Greenway (1944:114) list the species as an "accidental" visitor to -the Hawaiian Islands from North America. - - -=Erolia acuminata= (Horsfield) - -Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - - _Totanus acuminatus_ Horsfield, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, pt. - 1, 1821, p. 192. (Type locality, Java.) - - _Tringa acuminata_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 8, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - pp. 89, 106 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 5, 35 (Palau); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 314 - (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 64 (Pelew); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, - p. 65 (Marianne); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 33 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas); - _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam). - - _Heteropygia acuminata_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 24, 1896, - p. 566 (Pelew); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 8 (Ruk); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 (Marianas, Ruk, - Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 48 (Pagan, - Pelew, Ruk). - - _Tringa maculata_ var. _acuminata_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3) 8, 1896, p. 44 (Pagan, Palaos). - - _Pisobia acuminata_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 276 (Caroline Islands). - - _Erolia acuminata_ Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, 11-12, 1920, p. 1586 - (Palau, Karolinen); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam). - - _Pisobia acuminatus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 192 - (Ponapé, Truk, Pagan, Jaluit, Koror). - - _Calidris acuminata_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 215 (Pagan, Jaluit, Koror, Truk, Ponapé); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 45 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., - vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 54 (Guam, Angaur). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Siberia. Winters from - the Malay Archipelago and Australia to the Southwest Pacific. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Pagan; Palau Islands--Angaur; - Caroline Islands--Truk, Ponapé; Marshall Islands--Jaluit. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 4 (2 males, 2 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 1 (Sept. 17); Palau Islands, - USNM--Angaur, 3 (Sept. 21). - -_Remarks._--The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper is a regular visitor to western -Micronesia and an uncommon visitor to eastern Micronesia. It was first -recorded from the Palau Islands in 1868, where the bird was taken by -Tetens, Heinsohn, and Kubary. In 1896 and 1898, records of this bird in -the Mariana and Caroline islands were published by Oustalet and Hartert. - -The NAMRU2 party obtained one specimen at Guam on September 17 and three -at Angaur on September 21. At Angaur several birds of this species were -seen at fresh water ponds in company with _Erolia minuta ruficollis_, -_Limicola falcinellus sibirica_, _Tringa glareola_, and other shore -birds. - - -=Erolia ferruginea= (Pontoppidan) - -Curlew Sandpiper - - _Tringa ferrugineus_ Pontoppidan, Danske Atlas, 1, 1763, p. 624. - (No type locality = Denmark.) - - _Calidris ferruginea_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 55 (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Asia. Winters from Africa - east to Australia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Peleliu. - - _Specimens examined._--One female from Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu - (Sept. 6). - -_Remarks._--The NAMRU2 party obtained one female on September 6 at a -tidal flat on Peleliu. The Curlew Sandpiper is seemingly a rare visitor -to the Palau Islands from Asia. In using this specific name, I am -following Mayr (in Delacour and Mayr, 1945:107). - - -=Limicola falcinellus sibirica= Dresser - -Broad-billed Sandpiper - - _Limicola sibirica_ Dresser, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1876, p. 674. - (Type locality, Siberia and China.) - - _Limicola falcinellus sibirica_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 55 (Angaur). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia. Winters from - India east to Australia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Angaur. - - _Specimens examined._--One male from Palau Islands, USNM--Angaur - (Sept. 21). - -_Remarks._--A single male bird was taken by the NAMRU2 party at a fresh -water pond on Angaur Island on September 21, 1945. This is the only -known record for this bird from Micronesia. - - -=Phalaropus lobatus= (Linnaeus) - -Northern Phalarope - - _Tringa lobata_ Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 1758, p. 148, in - Emendanda, p. 824. (Type locality, Hudson Bay.) - - _Geographic range._--Breeds throughout Arctic region. Winters at - sea in tropical and subtropical waters. - -_Remarks._--The Northern Phalarope has not been found in Micronesia. -Mayr (1945a:46) records it in the pelagic areas north of the New Guinea -region. The occurrence there suggests that migration is through the -Micronesian area. - - -=Larus argentatus vegae= Palmén - -Herring Gull - - _Larus argentatus_ Brünn. var. _Vegae_ Palmén, in Nordenskiöld, - Vega-Exped. Vetensk. Iakttag., 5, 1887, p. 370. (Type locality, - Pidlin, northeastern Siberia.) - - _Larus vegae_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, - 1896, p. 56 (Agrigan); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 - (Marianne); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. - 20 (Marianas); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas); _idem_, - The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam?). - - _Larus vegae_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 - (Marianas). - - _Larus argentatus vegae_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 49 (Agrigan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 196 (Agrigan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 220 - (Agrigan). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northern Siberia. Ranges east to - Alaska and south to the Philippines and the China coast. In - Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Agrihan. - -_Remarks._--The Herring Gull is ascribed to Micronesia on the basis of -one bird obtained by Marche in January, 1889, at Agrihan in the northern -Marianas and reported on by Oustalet (1896:56). The gull is considered a -straggler to the northern Marianas from the northward. Stott (1947:525) -observed a gull, which was thought to be this species or _Larus -ridibundus_, at Lake Susupe, Saipan, in 1945. - - -=Chlidonias leucopterus= (Temminck) - -White-winged Black Tern - - _Sterna leucoptera_ Temminck, Man. d'Ornith., 1815, p. 483. (Type - locality, Coasts of the Mediterranean.) - - _Hydrochelidon leucoptera_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 57 (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, - p. 67 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, - p. 20 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 70 (Marianas); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 268 (Guam); Hartert, Vögel pal. Fauna, - 13-14, 1921, p. 1686 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 51 (Guam). - - _Chlidonias leucoptera_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 194 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 217 (Guam); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 55 - (Angaur). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in central and southern Eurasia. - Winters from Africa east to Australia. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam; Palau Islands--Angaur. - - _Measurements._--One adult male has the following measurements: - wing, 211; tail, 72; exposed culmen, 27; tarsus, 20; one adult - female: wing, 210; exposed culmen, 25.5. These specimens were - taken at the Palau Islands. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 6 (3 males, 3 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Angaur, 1 (Sept. 21); AMNH--exact - locality not given, 5 (Oct. 13). - -_Remarks._--The White-winged Black Tern was first collected at Guam in -October, 1887, by Marche and reported on by Oustalet (1896:57). It was -later taken at the Palau Islands by Coultas in 1931, and by the NAMRU2 -party at Angaur in 1945. The bird is seemingly an uncommon winter -visitor to Micronesia. - -At Angaur, the NAMRU2 party obtained one of four terns seen at a small -fresh water lake. Coultas took five birds at the Palau Islands. He -writes (field notes) that a flock of 14 of the terns appeared at the -island following a heavy typhoon. All birds examined are in winter -plumage (September and October). - - -=Sterna hirundo longipennis= Nordmann - -Black-billed Common Tern - - _Sterna longipennis_ Nordmann, in Erman's Verz. Thier. Pflanz., - 1835, p. 17. (Type locality, Mouth of the Kutchui River, Sea of - Okhotsk.) - - _Sterna longipennis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 90, 112 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 5, 41 (Palau); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 440 - (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 74 (Pelew); Saunders, Cat. Birds British - Mus., 25, 1896, p. 67 (Pelew); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 62 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 21 (Pelew). - - _Sterna hirundo longipennis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 195 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 218, - (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 25 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia. Winters south to - Melanesia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality unknown. - -_Remarks._--Finsch (1875:41) states that Heinsohn and Kubary obtained -specimens of this tern from the Palau Islands for the Godeffroy Museum. -These are the only records for the occurrence of the Black-billed Common -Tern in Micronesia. - - -=Sterna sumatrana sumatrana= Raffles - -Black-naped Tern - - _Sterna Sumatrana_ Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. London, 13, pt. 2, - 1822, p. 329. (Type locality, Sumatra.) - - _Sterna melanauchen_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 306, 308 (Guahan, Ouleai); Hartlaub and - Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 90, 113 (Pelew, Uap); - Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 123 (Yap); Finsch, - Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, 41 (Palau); _idem_, Ibis, - 1880, pp. 220, 330, 332 (Taluit); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, - p. 295 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 - (Ruk); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 113, 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and - Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 299, 330, - 353 (Ponapé, Mortlock, Nukuor, Ruk); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, - 3, 1882, p. 444 (Pelew, Mackenzie, Ruk, Ponapé, Marshalls); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 74 (Pelew, Uap, Ruk, Luganor, Nukuor, Ponapé, - Taluit); Sanders, Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, p. 126 - (Carolines, Pelews, Marshalls); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. - 222 (Palau); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 10 (Ruk); Schnee, - Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall-Inseln); Takatsukasa - and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 (Ruk, Ponapé); Uchida, Annot. - Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. 483, 488 (Ponapé). - - _Sterna sumatrana_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. - Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 186 (Arhno). - - _Gygisterna sumatrana_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 52 (Pelew, Mackenzie, Yap, Ruk, Luganor, Nukuor, Ponapé, - Taluit, Arhno). - - _Gygisterna sumatrana sumatrana_ Kuroda, Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, - p. 192 (Carolines, Pelews). - - _Sterna sumatrana sumatrana_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 410 - (Aruno); Hachisuka, Birds Philippines, 2, 1932, p. 335 (Caroline, - Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 195 (Palau, Guam, - Saipan, Yap, Truk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, Jaluit, Namu, Arhno, - Majuro, Aurh); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, p. 336 - (Caroline Islands); Mayr, List New Guinea Birds, 1941, p. 36 - (Micronesia); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 218 - (Babelthuap, Koror, Yap, Truk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, Jaluit, - Namu, Arhno, Majuro, Aurh); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 24 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 55 (Peleliu, Ulithi). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia, central Polynesia, northern - Australia, Malaysia, west to India, and north to the Riu Kiu - Islands. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu; - Caroline Islands--Yap, Ulithi, Truk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé; - Marshall Islands--Jaluit, Namu, Majuro, Aurh, Bikini. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small tern with a long, forked tail and - white plumage often with pinkish cast except for mantle, back, - rump, tail, wing-coverts, and scapulars which are pale pearl-gray; - band across nape, spot in front of eye, and outer web of outer - primary black; bill and feet black. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but black and white mottling on upper - parts. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 19. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 15 (8 males, 6 females, 1 - female?), as follows: Palau Islands, AMNH--exact locality not - given, 4 (Oct.-Dec.); Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi Atoll, 6 (Aug. - 15, 16, 20, 22); AMNH--Truk, 1 (Feb. 10); Marshall Islands, - USNM--Bikini, 4 (March 26, April 30). - - _Nesting._--Nehrkorn (1899:222) recorded eggs taken at the Palau - Islands. Yamashina (1932a:410) listed the finding of three nests - containing one egg each on September 26, 1931, at Arhno in the - Marshall Islands. The NAMRU2 party obtained no evidence of nesting - at Ulithi or Palau in August and September, 1945. Coultas (field - notes) obtained reports of the finding of two eggs at the Palau - Islands in the period October to December, 1931. - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:483, 488) records the following - Mallophaga taken at Ponapé from this tern: _Docophorus - albemarlensis_, _Colpocephalum milleri_, and _Colpocephalum - impertunum_. - -_Remarks._--There are no records for the Black-naped Tern from the -Mariana Islands, although the species is known from the Palau, Caroline -and Marshall Islands. At Ulithi Atoll, the NAMRU2 party observed these -terns at the islands of Potangeras, Mangejang, Pau, and Losiep in -August, 1945. They were found in groups of 4 to 15, either sitting on -sandy beaches or rocky exposures or flying over the reefs. Unlike the -Crested Tern, these birds appeared quite unafraid of man and would hover -over a freshly killed or wounded individual of their own kind, making of -themselves easy targets. The writer saw only one Black-naped Tern at the -Palau Islands (Peleliu, on September 16, 1945). The birds seem to prefer -the "low" atolls to the "high" volcanic islands of Micronesia. - -Two subspecies of _Sterna sumatrana_ are recognized by Peters -(1934:336): _Sterna sumatrana mathewsi_ known from islands of the -western Indian Ocean and _Sterna s. sumatrana_ from islands of Oceania, -Australia, Malaysia, and China coast. There is a considerable area -separating these subspecies. For populations in the Pacific area, other -names which have been proposed are _Sterna sumatrana kempi_ Mathews for -birds from Torres Straits and _Gygis decorata_ Hartlaub for birds from -the Fiji Islands. A study of 201 specimens of this species from various -parts of its range (in the collections of the American Museum of Natural -History and the United States National Museum) shows that there is -little color variation within the species. This observation is the same -as that of Mathews (1912:372). - -As listed in table 19, measurements of the length of the wing show -little variation. The length of the tail of birds from localities more -remote from the continent of Asia (Micronesia, Phoenix, Union, Fiji, -Samoa, Tonga, and the islands of the Indian Ocean: Aldabra and -Providence) is, on the average, shorter than the length of the tail of -birds from islands nearer the Asiatic mainland. This shortness is -reflected also in the measurement of the difference between the shortest -and longest tail feather. - - -TABLE 19. MEASUREMENTS OF SPECIMENS OF _Sterna sumatrana_ - - Columb headings: - - A: No. - B: Wing - C: Tail - D: Difference: Longest and shortest tail feather - E: Exposed culmen - F: Tarsus - - ===================+===+=========+=========+=======+==========+========== - LOCALITY | A | B | C | D | E | F - -------------------+---+---------+---------+-------+----------+---------- - _S. s. sumatrana_ | | | | | | - Micronesia | 13| 221 | 127 | 65 | 37 | 20.5 - | | 211-225 | 117-138 | 54-79 | 35-39 | 20.0-21.0 - | | | | | | - Phoenix and Union| 5| 228 | 113 | 66 | 37 | 19.5 - | | | | | 36-38 | 18.5-20.0 - | | | | | | - Fiji, Samoa, | 29| 221 | 131 | 63 | 38 | 20.0 - Tonga | | 218-229 | 122-142 | 51-74 | 36-41 | 18.0-21.0 - | | | | | | - New Caledonia, | 8| 224 | 141 | 72 | 39 | 19.5 - Loyalty, New | | 221-230 | 135-148 | 68-81 | 37-41 | 18.5-20.0 - Hebrides | | | | | | - | | | | | | - Queensland, | 4| 229 | 142 | 78 | 38 | 19.5 - Torres Straits | | | 139-148 | 71-83 | 36-40 | 18.5-20.0 - | | | | | | - Solomons | 52| 227 | 144 | 77 | 36 | 19.0 - | | 220-232 | 129-162 | 66-95 | 34.0-38.5| 18.5-20.5 - | | | | | | - New Guinea, | 10| 224 | 143 | 76 | 34 | 19.5 - Bismarcks | | 219-231 | 135-146 | 67-81 | 32.0-36.5| 18.5-20.0 - | | | | | | - Malay area | 49| 228 | 141 | 74 | 34 | 20.0 - | | 220-234 | 125-153 | 63-84 | 32.0-37.0| 19.0-20.5 - | | | | | | - China coast, | 21| 223 | 144 | 77 | 35 | 19.5 - Riu Kiu | | 212-234 | 130-151 | 67-85 | 31.5-38.0| 19.0-20.0 - | | | | | | - _S. S.mathewsi_ | | | | | | - Indian Ocean: | 10| 220 | 125 | 71 | 38 | 19.0 - Aldabra, | | | | | 35.0-40.0| 18.0-20.0 - Providence | | | | | | - -------------------+---+---------+---------+-------+----------+---------- - - -The differences in the length of the exposed culmen of these terns shows -that birds from islands more remotely oceanic possess longer bills than -do those from islands closer to the Asiatic continent. Murphy (1938:538) -has written that this phenomenon is characteristic among some species -which have both continental and insular populations (or subspecies). -Figure 10 shows the southeastern part of the range of the subspecies, -_Sterna s. sumatrana_, and gives the average measurements of the exposed -culmen of birds from several localities. These localities are given in -table 19. Terns with longer bills (37-39) were taken in Micronesia, in -the Polynesian islands, and in northern Australia. Terns with shorter -bills (34-36) were taken in Melanesia, Malaysia, and the coastal region -of China, but there appears to be no abrupt line of demarkation between -them. Further evidence of this tendency may be obtained from the -literature. Kuroda (1925:191) gives the measurements of the exposed -culmen of seven males and five females from the Riu Kius as averaging 35 -mm. (range 31-40.5). It is also of interest to note that the length of -the exposed culmen of the males averages one to two mm. longer than that -of the females. The status of _Sterna sumatrana mathewsi_ may be -questioned. I find no characters separating my series of mostly poor -specimens. The systematic position of this subspecies from the Indian -Ocean (and likewise the status of subspecies of other sea birds which -range into the Indian Ocean) may not be known with certainty until -additional material is obtained. - -[Illustration: FIG. 10. Geographic variation in the average length of -the exposed culmen of _Sterna sumatrana sumatrana_.] - - -=Sterna lunata= Peale - -Spectacled Tern - - _Sterna lunata_ Peale, U. S. Expl. Exped., 8, 1848, p. 277. (Type - locality, Vincennes Island, Paumotu Group.) - - _Sterna lunata_ Hartlaub, 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, pp. 90, - 113 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, 41 - (Palau); Saunders, Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, p. 100 - (Pelew); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, 1, 1915, p. 62 (Ruk, Pelew); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 195 (Palau); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 218 (Palau); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 26 (Micronesia). - - _Onychoprion lunatus_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 451 - (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 76 (Pelew). - - _Melanosterna lunata_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 52 (Pelew). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Oceania from the Hawaiian Group - south to Fiji and the Tuamotus and west to the Moluccas. In - Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality not known. - -_Remarks._--Finsch (1875:41) recorded specimens taken by Tetens, Peters -and Kubary at the Palau Islands. Coultas obtained one immature male at -sea south of the eastern Caroline Islands at 1° 25´ N and 159° E on -October 19, 1930. The Spectacled Tern ranges throughout the tropical -Pacific, spending considerable time at sea, and probably reaches most -parts of Micronesia in its travels. - - -=Sterna anaetheta anaetheta= Scopoli - -Bridled Tern - - _Sterna Anaethetus_ Scopoli, Del. Flor. et Faun., Insubr., fasc. 2, - 1786, p. 92. (Type locality, "In Guinea" = Panay, Philippine - Islands, _ex._ Sonnerat.) - - _Sterna anaestheta_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 - (Pelew). - - _Melanosterna anaestheta anaestheta_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 52 (Pelew). - - _Sterna anaethetus anaethetus_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 195 (Palau); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 678 (Bikar); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 218 (Palau, Bikar). - - _Sterna anaetheta anaetheta_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 26 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds from Malaysia to Australia and Oceania - and north to Formosa. Ranges west to Ceylon and north to Japan. In - Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality not known; Marshall - Islands--Bikar. - - _Measurements._--Four adult males from the Palau Islands have the - following measurements: wing 246-254, longest tail feather - 147-177, shortest tail feather 71-72, exposed culmen 40-44, tarsus - 21-23; one adult female: wing 266, exposed culmen 40.5, tarsus - 22.5. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 7 (4 males, 3 females) from - Palau Islands, AMNH--exact locality not given (Dec. 20). - -_Remarks._--The Bridled Tern is known from the Palau Islands and from -Bikar in the Marshall Islands. In Micronesia, the species apparently -reaches the northeastern extent of its range. In the Palaus, Coultas -found the terns on small outlying islands. He observed them to fly to -sea early in the day and to return to the islands in the evening. Of the -seven specimens obtained by him, two males and one female had enlarged -gonads (Dec. 20). - - -=Sterna fuscata oahuensis= Bloxham - -Sooty Tern - - _Sterna Oahuensis_ Bloxham, Voy. "Blonde," 1826, p. 251. (Type - locality, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands.) - - _Sterna fuliginosa_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. - 18, 39 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. - 781 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 295 (Ponapé); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 (Ponapé). - - _Onychoprion fuscata infuscata_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 51 (Ponapé). - - _Sterna fuscata nibilosa_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 195 (Ponapé); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 677 (Helen Reef); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 218 (Ponapé, Helen - Reef). - - _Sterna fuscata oahuensis_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 25 (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds from the Hawaiian, Marcus, and Bonin - islands south to the Phoenix Islands and Micronesia. In Micronesia: - Mariana Islands--Asuncion; Palau Islands--Helen Reef; Caroline - Islands--Ponapé. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 1 unsexed from Mariana - Islands, AMNH--Asuncion (Jan. 18). - -_Remarks._--The systematic position of the Sooty Tern in Micronesia is -uncertain; in using this name I am following Peters (1934:338), who -comments that the species "is badly in need of revision." Coultas -obtained one immature female at O° 90´ S and 159° 50´ E, a position -south of the eastern Caroline Islands. The bird is tentatively placed in -the subspecies _S. f. oahuensis_. The Sooty Tern probably does not breed -in large numbers in Micronesia, unless it be in the northern Marianas. -Bryan (1903:97) reports that this species is very abundant at Marcus -Island, which is north and east of the Marianas. - - -=Sterna albifrons sinensis= Gmelin - -Least Tern - - _Sterna sinensis_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 608. (Type - locality, China, ex Latham.) - - _Sterna albifrons_ Marshall, Condor, 51, 1949, p. 221 (Saipan). - - _Geographic range._--Found on coastal areas from Korea and China - south to New Guinea. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Saipan. - - _Specimens examined._--One female from Mariana Islands, - USNM--Saipan (Sept. 26). - -_Remarks._--Marshall (1949:221) took one of two Least Terns at Lake -Susupe on Saipan on September 26, 1945. The specimen taken, a female, is -in post juvenal molt. - - -=Thalasseus bergii pelecanoides= (King) - -Crested Tern - - _Sterna pelecanoides_ King, Surv. Intertrop. and Western Coasts - Australia, 2, 1827, p. 422. (Type locality, Torres Strait, northern - Queensland.) - - _Sterna bergii_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 50 - (Palau); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 781 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, 1880, pp. 330, 332 (Ratak Chain); _idem_, - Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 295 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 113, 115 - (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, pp. 281, 299, 330, 353 (Ponapé, Mortlock, Nukuor, Ruk); - Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 434 (Ruk, Ponapé, - Marshalls); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 51 - (Jaluit); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. - 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 74 (Pelew, Luganor, Nukuor, Ruk, Ponapé, - Marshall Islands); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 10 (Ruk); - Saunders, Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, p. 89 (Ponapé, - Marshalls); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 (Ponapé); - Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. 483, 488 (Ponapé). - - _Sterna bergeri_ Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 - (Marschall-Inseln). - - _Sterna bergii cristata_ Stresemann, Novit. Zool., 21, 1914, p. 58 - (Truk). - - _Thalasseus bergii pelecanoides_ Oberholser, Proc. U. S. Nat. - Mus., 49, 1915, p. 523 (Marshall Islands); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 51 (Luganor, Nukuor, Ruk, Ponapé, - Marshall Islands); Kuroda, Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, p. 188 - (Marshall Islands); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 194 - (Palau, Faraulep, Truk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, Jaluit, Mille, - Aurh, Maloelab, Ailuk); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 677 (Helen - Reef, Babelthuap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 218, - (Babelthuap, Helen Reef, Faraulep, Truk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, - Jaluit, Mille, Aurh, Maloelab, Ailuk). - - _Thalasseus bergii cristatus_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, - 1934, p. 342 (Carolines, Marshalls); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 26 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., - vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 55 (Peleliu, Ngajangel [Kayangel], - Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Malaysia and east coast of Australia south to - Tasmania, east to Melanesia and Polynesia, north to Phoenix Islands - and Micronesia (see figure 11). In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Helen - Reef, Peleliu, Babelthuap; Caroline Islands--Ulithi, Truk, - Faraulep, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé; Marshall Islands--Jaluit, - Mille, Aurh, Moloelab, Ailuk, Bikini. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large, white tern with back, rump, tail, - wing-coverts, wing, and axillaries pearl gray; outer edges of - primaries pearly grayish-black; crown black with crest; bill - greenish-yellow with blackish base; feet black. Crown black, - mottled with white and mantle paler in postnuptial plumage. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but crown and back dark, mottled with - white and crest small. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of Crested Terns of the Pacific area - are listed in table 20. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 10 (6 males, 4 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 1 (Aug. 21); AMNH--Truk, 2 - (May 7, Dec. 5)--Ponapé, 3 (Nov. 1, 7); Marshall Islands, - USNM--Bikini, 4 (March 4, 11, 12). - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:483, 488) obtained the following species - of bird lice (Mallophaga) from the Crested Tern at Ponapé: - _Docophorus albemarlensis_ and _Colpocephalum importunum_. - -_Remarks._--Oberholser (1915:520-526, pl. 66) lists five subspecies (_T. -b. cristatus_, _T. b. halodramus_, _T. b. pelecanoides_, _T. b. -rectirostris_, and _T. b. poliocercus_) in the region including the -coast of China, the Riu Kiu Islands, Malaysia, Melanesia, eastern -Australia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. Only one subspecies, _T. b. -cristatus_, is recognized in this area by Stresemann (1914:58), Hartert -(1921:1695-1696), and Peters (1934:341-342), who mention that there is -much variation in size and coloring. - - -TABLE 20. MEASUREMENTS OF _Thalasseus bergii_ IN THE PACIFIC AREA - - Column headings: - - A: No. - B: Wing - C: Longest tail feather - D: Shortest tail feather - E: Exposed culmen - F: Tarsus - - =========================+====+=========+=========+=======+=======+====== - LOCATION | A | B | C | D | E | F - -------------------------+----+---------+---------+-------+-------+------ - _Thalasseus bergii pelecanoides_ | | | | - Palaus, Carolines, | 6 | 343 | 168 | 82 | 60 | - Marshalls | | 334-352 | 153-184 | 80-85 | 58-65 | - | | | | | | - Christmas, Phoenix, | | | | | | - Tuamotus, Society, | 48 | 344 | 170 | 83 | 58 | 27 - Fiji, Loyalty, | | 329-362 | 145-198 | 77-92 | 54-64 | 25-29 - New Hebrides | | | | | | - | | | | | | - Eastern Australia | 14 | 345 | 165 | 88 | 58 | 27 - | | 338-349 | 152-174 | 84-92 | 55-63 | 26-29 - | | | | | | - New Guinea, Bismarck, | 18 | 342 | 168 | 81 | 59 | 27 - Archipelago, Moluccas| | 332-361 | 144-194 | 75-87 | 53-64 | 26-28 - +----+---------+---------+-------+-------+------ - Totals | 86 | 344 | 169 | 83 | 58 | 27 - | | 329-362 | 144-198 | 75-92 | 53-65 | 25-29 - | | | | | | - _Thalasseus bergii cristatus_ | | | | | - Philippines, China, | 18 | 332 | 162 | 81 | 58 | 28 - ormosa, Riu Kius | | 324-342 | 149-182 | 78-87 | 55-64 | 26-30 - | | | | | | - _Thalasseus bergii gwendolenae_ | | | | - Western Australia | 14 | 354 | 171 | 86 | 58 | 27 - | | 339-369 | 162-182 | 81-91 | 53-65 | 25-29 - -------------------------+----+---------+---------+-------+-------+------ - - -Measurements, as shown in table 20, indicate a wide range of sizes but, -in most series, the averages are nearly the same. Nevertheless, it is -evident that birds from the coast of China, the Riu Kius, Formosa, and -the Philippines have a distinctly shorter wing than birds from the -Moluccas, Melanesia, eastern Australia, Polynesia, and Micronesia. -Further evidence of this is presented by Kuroda (1925:186) who lists the -measurements of the wing of eight Crested Terns from the Riu Kiu Islands -as 322 to 340 (average 330). The occurrence of populations with shorter -wings has already been pointed out in the work of Oberholser -(1915:520-526), who divided the short-winged birds into two subspecies. -It seems advisable to recognize but one subspecies, _T. b. cristatus_, -for the birds with short wings and another subspecies, _T. b. -pelecanoides_, to include the birds with the longer wings (see figure -11). The average measurements of the length of wings of these two -subspecies, 332, and 344, differ significantly, although there is some -overlap in measurements. A few specimens at hand from the western part -of Malaysia are in poor condition and not measurable. - -[Illustration: FIG. 11. Geographic distribution of _Thalasseus bergii_. -(1) _T. b. bergii_; (2) _T. b. thalassinnus_; (3) _T. b. velox_; (4) _T. -b. cristatus_; (5) _T. b. gwendolenae_; (6) _T. b. pelecanoides_.] - -Most specimens of _T. b. cristatus_ and _T. b. pelecanoides_ have -lighter-colored upper parts than specimens of _T. b. velox_, but not so -light-colored as specimens of _T. b. gwendolenae_. Size probably is a -better character than color to use in separating these groups. - -In Micronesia, the NAMRU2 party observed Crested Terns at Ulithi, -Peleliu and Truk, in August, September, and December, 1945, -respectively. Birds were seen as singles or in small groups flying over -the reefs. The birds were wary and difficult to approach, but they were -conspicuous and easily identified. - - -=Procelsterna cerulea saxatilis= W. K. Fisher - -Blue-gray Tern - - _Procelsterna saxatilis_ W. K. Fisher, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 26, - 1903, p. 559. (Type locality, Necker Island, Hawaiian Islands.) - - _Procelsterna cerulea saxatilis_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 678 - (Bikar); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 219 (Bikar); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 27 (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Known from Marcus Island and the western - Hawaiian Islands. In Micronesia: Marshall Islands--Bikar. - - - -_Remarks._--Yamashina (1940:678) recorded the taking of eight of these -terns (5 adult males, 3 adult females) on July 10, 1932, at Bikar in the -Marshall Islands. He gives the following measurements: wing, 180.5-188; -tail, 104-113.5; exposed culmen, 24-26.5. This is the only known record -for the species in Micronesia. - - -=Anous stolidus pileatus= (Scopoli) - -Common Noddy - - _Sterna pileata_ Scopoli, Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr., fasc. 2, - 1786, p. 92. (No type locality = Philippines, _ex._ Sonnerat.) - - _Sterna stolida_ Chamisso, in Kotzebue's Voy. "Rurick," 3, 1821, - pp. 150, 157 (Marshall Islands); Kittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. - Vögel, 3, 1833, p. 27, pl. 36, fig. 1 (Mordloks-Inseln); _idem_, - Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 286, - 299, 308, 309 (Ualan, Lougounor, Ouleai); _idem_, Denkw. Reise - russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 364, 2, pp. 77, 86 - (Ualan); Wiglesworth, Ibis, 1893, p. 212 (Marshalls). - - _Anous stolidus_ Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, p. 137 - (Mortlock); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 (Carolinen); - Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 59 (Carolines); - Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 236 - (Mordlocks, Puynipet = Ponapé); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. - Soc. London, 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 90, 112 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 8, 1875, pp. 6, 42 (Palau); _idem_, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 18, 40 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 781 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 295, - 307 (Ponapé, Ruck, Kuschai); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1880, p. 577 (Ruk, Ponapé, Kuschai); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 105, - 109, 115, 246, 247 (Kuschai, Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, - Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 299, 330, 353 (Mortlock, - Nukuor, Ruk); Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 455 - (Pelews, Carolines, Marshalls); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, - 1884, p. 51 (Jaluit, Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 76 (Pelew, Mortlock, - Ruk, Nukuor, Ponapé, Ualan, Marshalls); Saunders, Cat. Birds - British Museum, 25, 1896, p. 136 (Pelew, Carolines, Marshalls); - Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 59 - (Saypan, Guam, Rota, Agrigan, Hogoleu = Truk, Kushai, Ponapi, - Marshalls); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 (Guam); Seale, - Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 21 (Guam); - Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 66 (Mariannas); Bryan, Occ. Papers - Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 2, 1903, p. 101 (Guam); Schnee, Zool. - Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marshall-Inseln); Safford, The Plant - World, 7, 1904, p. 267 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, - 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 100 - (Marianen); Takastukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 51 (Ponapé, - Ruk); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam); Uchida, Annot. - Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. 484, 488 (Palau, Ponapé); Wharton, - Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, p. 174 (Guam); Wharton and Hardcastle, - Journ. Parasitology, 32, 1946, pp. 292, 296, 306 (Guam, Ulithi). - - _Anous pileatus_ Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, pp. 155, - 162 (Puynipet = Ponapé). - - _Anous stolidus pileatus_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 9 - (Ruk); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., - 63, 1919, p. 183 (Kusaie); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 49 (Guam, Saipan, Pelew, Mortlock, Ruk, Wolea, Nukuoro, - Ponapé, Kusaie, Marshalls); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 195 (Koror, Urukthapel, Angaur, Saipan, Guam, Wolea, Truk, - Mortlock, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, Kusaie, Jaluit, Mille, Aurh, - Wotze); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 (Guam); - Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 678 (Assongsong, Babelthuap); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 219 (Saipan, - Assongsong, Guam, Babelthuap, Koror, Urukthapel, Peliliu, Angaur, - Wolea, Truk, Mortlock, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, Kusaie, Taluit, - Mille, Aurh, Wotze); Borror, Auk, 1947, p. 417 (Agrihan); Baker, - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 56 (Rota, Guam, - Peleliu, Ngabad, Ulithi, Truk). - - _Anous stolidus unicolor?_ Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. - 8, 1919, p. 547 (Guam). - - -TABLE 21. MEASUREMENTS OF _Anoüs stolidus_ OF THE PACIFIC AREA - - ======================================+=====+=========+=========+======== - | | | | Exposed - LOCATION | No. | Wing | Tail | culmen - --------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------- - _Anoüs stolidus ridgwayi_ | 18 | 278 | 158 | 41 - Isabella, Cocos, Clipperton Islands | | 260-295 | 147-166 | 38-42 - | | | | - _Anoüs stolidus galapagensis_ | 11 | 277 | 151 | 40 - Galapagos Islands | | 274-282 | 142-160 | 38-42 - | | | | - _Anoüs stolidus pileatus_ | 35 | 281 | 162 | 42 - Hawaiian Islands: Nihoa to Midway | | 268-299 | 149-176 | 38-40 - | | | | - Wake Islands | 8 | 278 | 159 | 41 - | | 273-285 | 152-170 | 39-43 - | | | | - Mariana Islands: Guam, Rota | 12 | 280 | 167 | 41 - | | 275-288 | 159-187 | 39-43 - | | | | - Palau Islands | 9 | 278 | 161 | 41 - | | 268-283 | 155-166 | 39-42 - | | | | - Caroline Islands | 41 | 282 | 164 | 42 - | | 270-291 | 150-173 | 39-45 - | | | | - Marshall Islands | 3 | 282 | 164 | 42 - | | 270-289 | 154-174 | 41-43 - | | | | - Ellice, Phoenix, Danger, Suvarov | 27 | 284 | 162 | 41 - Islands | | 265-295 | 152-174 | 39-44 - | | | | - Christmas Island | 13 | 287 | 162 | 43 - | | 280-292 | 152-174 | 40-46 - | | | | - Marquesas Islands | 19 | 282 | 163 | 42 - | | 275-291 | 155-170 | 40-43 - | | | | - Tuamotu Archipelago | 38 | 287 | 165 | 42 - | | 277-299 | 154-173 | 39-46 - | | | | - Society, Austral, Cook, Rapa | 16 | 290 | 290 | 43 - Islands | | 280-301 | 155-173 | 40-45 - | | | | - Oeno, Henderson, Ducie, Easter | 6 | 293 | 164 | 44 - Islands | | 154-175 | 154-175 | 41-45 - | | | | - Samoa, Fiji, Tonga | 19 | 285 | 164 | 42 - | | 153-173 | 153-173 | 39-44 - | | | | - Kermadecs, Norfolk | 23 | 276 | 158 | 41 - | | 269-289 | 148-173 | 38-43 - | | | | - New Hebrides, Solomons, New Guinea | 31 | 278 | 158 | 41 - area | | 265-287 | 150-172 | 3 -44 - | | | | - Northwest Australia | 9 | 263 | 145 | 40 - | | 258-267 | 138-152 | 38-42 - | | | | - South China Sea area, Strait of | 4 | 271 | 153 | 39 - Malacca | | 262-278 | 148-257 | 37-40 - | | | | - Riu Kius, Japan | 5 | 268 | 148 | 39 - | | 259-275 | 143-155 | 37-40 - | | | | - Indian Ocean area: Seychelles, | 20 | 276 | 154 | 41 - Aldebra, Providence, Somaliland | | 270-286 | 146-164 | 39-42 - --------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------- - - - _Geographic range._--Islands in the Indian Ocean east to tropical - parts of western and central Pacific. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Agrihan, Asuncion, Saipan, Rota, Guam; Palau - Islands--Kayangel, Babelthuap, Koror, Urukthapel, Ngabad, Peleliu, - Angaur; Caroline Islands--Ulithi, Truk, Wolea, Mortlock, Lukunor, - Nukuoro, Ponapé, Kusaie; Marshall Islands--Jaluit, Mille, Aurh, - Wotze, Bikini, Kwajalein. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large, dark-brown tern with grayish crown - and whitish forehead; line above eye white; crescent of white on - lower eyelid; lores blackish; bill black; feet brownish, iris - dark. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but lighter and browner and top of head - grayish-brown. - - _A. s. pileatus_ resembles _A. s. ridgwayi_, but darker and less - brownish, although not so dark as _A. s. galapagensis_; forehead - and crown usually duller; length of wing and tail average larger - (282 and 161) than in _A. s. ridgwayi_ (278 and 158) and _A. s. - galapagensis_ (277 and 151). - - _Measurements._--Measurements of the Common Noddy of the Pacific - area are listed in table 21. - - _Weights._--In 1948 (1948:56) I listed the weights of specimens - from Guam and Rota as follows: four adult males 187-204 (197); - three adult females 177-203 (189). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 92 (43 males, 39 females, 10 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 7 (May 24, June - 15, July 6, 21)--Rota, 3 (Oct. 18, 24); AMNH--Guam, 4 (April 21, - 27, Aug. 18)--Asuncion, 1 (Jan. 18); Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, - 2 (Sept. 1)--Ngabad, 1 (Sept. 11); AMNH--exact locality not given, - 6 (Nov. 3, 8); Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 3 (Aug. 15)--Kusaie, - 1 (Feb. 8); AMNH--Truk, 15 (Feb. 1, 8, 25, March 10, May 6, June - 12, 13, Nov. 25, Dec. 25)--Ponapé, 20 (Dec. 3, 5, 8, 12, - 15)--Kusaie, 24 (Jan., March 10-30, April 1-10); Marshall Islands, - USNM--Bikini, 5 (Feb. 28, March 2, 19). - - _Nesting._--Murphy (1936:1152) writes that the Atlantic subspecies, - _A. s. stolidus_, breeds in tropical localities every month of the - year, although there may be a part of the resident population away - at sea at any given time. In the Pacific area, Kirby (1925:187) - found nests "on platforms of sticks built on tufts of grass" at - Christmas Island in August. In Micronesia, Coultas obtained young - birds at Kusaie in January and April and commented (field notes) - that they probably nest "spasmodically at all times of the year." - At Ponapé, Coultas observed nests in high trees in December, and - birds obtained by him in that month had enlarged gonads. At Bikini, - Morrison obtained eggs on March 2 and 19, and young on March 19. At - Palau, Coultas took one female tern in postnatal molt on November - 8. Adults obtained by him in that month had enlarged gonads. At - Ulithi, the NAMRU2 party recorded one nest containing a single egg - on August 21. At the same atoll the NAMRU2 party received reports - of a large colony of nesting noddys in May to July, 1945. In the - following August few noddies were seen by the NAMRU2 party. McElroy - found nests on cliffs and in coconut trees at Truk in December, - 1945. Hartert (1900:10) reports on eggs taken at Truk in the period - from March to July 1. The NAMRU2 party observed birds carrying nest - materials at Peleliu on August 28 but failed to find the nests. At - Guam, the writer found terns in numbers varying from 4 to 75 in May - to July, 1945, along the rocky cliffs but no evidence of nesting - activity was obtained. Strophlet (1946:537) reports that nests may - have been present on Orote Peninsula at Guam on December 13, 1945. - Coultas (field notes) is of the opinion that the birds do not nest - at Guam but do nest farther north in the Marianas. Borror - (1947:417) found two colonies at Agrihan on August 10, 1945. Thus, - there are records of nesting in nine months of the year in - Micronesia; although I suspect that the larger flocks of terns have - more regular breeding habits correlated with their pelagic feeding - activities. "Stragglers" probably nest irregularly. - - _Food habits._--The author (1948:56) records small fish and - crustaceans in stomachs of terns taken at Ulithi and Peleliu. At - Ypao Point, Guam, birds were seen to fly back and forth in the day - from their roosts on the sea-cliffs. On one occasion I saw these - birds feeding approximately a half mile from shore. - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174) and Wharton and Hardcastle - (1946:292, 296, 306) list the following species of chiggers - (Acarina) from the Common Noddy from Guam and Ulithi: - _Neoschöngastia bougainvillensis_, _N. americana solomonis_, _N. - egretta_, _Acariscus pluvius_, and _A. anous_. Uchida (1918:484, - 488) found the bird louse (Mallophaga), _Nirmus separatus_, on - terms at Palau and at Ponapé he found _Colpocephalum milleri_ on - the bird. Bequaert (_in litt._) has identified a fly - (Hippoboscidae) as _Olfersia aenescens_ from a tern from Rota. - -_Remarks._--Of the Common Noddy Tern of the Pacific area, three -subspecies are recognized by Peters (1934:346-347). _Anoüs stolidus -ridgwayi_ is known from islands off the western coast of Mexico and -Central America; _A. s. galapagensis_ is recorded from the Galapagos -Archipelago; and _A. s. pileatus_ is found on tropical islands -throughout the Pacific and west to Madagascar and the African coast in -the Indian Ocean. These subspecies differ from one another principally -in color, as noted by Ridgway (1919:545); _A. s. galapagensis_ is the -darkest form, _A. s. ridgwayi_ is less blackish and more brownish in -color of body, and _A. s. pileatus_ is between the two in coloring. _A. -s. pileatus_ averages larger in length of wing and tail, but these -measurements do not appear to be significant from a taxonomic -standpoint. - -As shown in table 21, measurements of length of wing for specimens from -throughout most of the Pacific area are almost the same. Length of tail -is correspondingly uniform. There is a gradual increase in size of birds -in the Tuamotus and Societies and east to Easter Island. In this region -the average measurement for length of wing is 293 millimeters. The -lengths of wing and tails are shorter in specimens from the Kermadecs -and Norfolk Island, which may indicate relationships with the smaller -birds of the Australian area, Western Melanesia and possibly Malaysia -and the Riu Kiu Islands. I am unable to determine the subspecific status -of the birds from the Kermadecs and Norfolk Island, because of the lack -of sufficient material from the Australian region and Malaysia. Possibly -Mathews' name, _A. s. gilberti_, is valid for the noddys of Australia -and also for the birds at Norfolk and the Kermadecs. The small-sized -birds of the Riu Kiu Islands have been designated as _A. s. pullus_ by -Bangs. When specimens from the type locality of _A. s. pileatus_ in the -Philippine Islands are available, the true relationships of the -populations from Micronesia and the other areas in the Pacific can be -ascertained. - -The tern found in the Hawaiians has the palest body and the most -chalky-white forehead of any of the birds of the Pacific. Bryan -(1903:101) found terns from Marcus Island to agree with specimens from -Guam and to be "slightly darker" than birds from Midway and Laysan in -the Hawaiian chain. The birds from the Riu Kius are darker and thus -similar to the few specimens seen from Malaysia. Birds from Polynesia -and Melanesia possess the most sooty underparts while those from -Micronesia are only slightly less pale. This condition also seems to be -true for the birds in the Australian area and for specimens seen from -islands in the Indian Ocean. With fading, or wear, or both, there is a -change from dusky black to dusky brown in the plumage; effort was made -by me to compare specimens with relatively similar conditions of -plumage. In summary, the systematic position of the Common Noddy Terns -of the Pacific seemingly depends on the characteristics of specimens -from the type locality in the Philippines. When topotypes are available -for study, they may be found to be nearer the darker forms of Malaysia -or may tend toward the paler, oceanic forms. The Hawaiian population -probably is distinct. - -In Micronesia the Common Noddy Tern is not a conspicuous bird except -during its breeding period. Probably it spends most of its life at sea, -being unlike _Gygis alba_ in this respect. Large flocks seem less wary -of man than are small groups and singles, which are often easily -disturbed. Birds of this species appear to prefer the low atolls and -offshore islets where both tall vegetation and bare ground are utilized -for nesting or roosting. At Ponapé, Coultas (field notes) observed the -birds to fly to sea at daybreak and to begin to return to their roosts -by 4:00 pm. Wallace (field notes) observed similar activities at -Kwajalein in May, 1944, where he saw approximately forty individuals in -a flock with _Gygis alba_. - -_Anoüs stolidus_ is divided naturally into an Atlantic subspecies, which -is distinguished by its browner color, and into several subspecies which -are distinguished by their blacker color in the Pacific and Indian -oceans. Whether the genus and species evolved in the Atlantic or in the -Pacific region is not known. If it were the Pacific region, the center -of differentiation may very well have been the islands of Oceania. -There, relatively little variation is observable within populations -covering a large area. To the eastward, birds along the American coast -are darker or lighter, to the northward, the birds of Hawaii are paler, -to the southward and southwestward, the birds are smaller and to the -westward, the birds are smaller and darker. The virtual absence of -ground-living, predatory animals which might prey on nesting colonies -has probably been a reason for the lack of discrimination by this tern -in selecting breeding sites. This is probably true of other birds which -nest in colonies. - - -=Anous tenuirostris marcusi= (Bryan) - -White-capped Noddy - - _Micranous marcusi_ Bryan, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 2, - 1903, p. 101. (Type locality, Marcus Island.) - - _Sterna tenuirostris_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 286, 308 (Ualan, Ouleai); _idem_, Denkw. - Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 64 (Ualan). - - _Anous tenuirostris_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 90, 113 (Pelew, Carolines); Finsch, Journ. Mus. - Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 6, 42 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, - Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 299, 330 (Mortlock, - Nukuor); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 526 (Saipan). - - _Anous melanogenys_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), - p. 781 (Palau); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 295, 308 - (Ponapé, Kuschai); _idem_, Ibis, 1880, pp. 219, 220, 332 (Taluit, - Arno); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk); _idem_, - Ibis, 1881, pp. 107, 109, 115 (Kuschai, Ponape); Salvadori, Ornith. - Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 456 (Pelew, Ponapé, Marshalls); Finsch, - Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 52 (Jaluit, Arno, Kuschai); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1901 (1891), p. 77 (Pelew, Ualan, Ponapé, Nukuor, Luganor, - Ruk); Hartert, Katalog Vogelsamml. Senckenb., 1891, p. 238 (Ualan); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 62 (Ruk); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 50 (Pelew, Ruk, Wolea, - Luganor, Nukuor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Marshalls). - - _Anous leucocapillus_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 781 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 410 - (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 281 (Ponapé); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. - 52 (Jaluit); Tristram, Cat. Coll. Birds, 1889, p. 10 (Pelew); - Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 457 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, - Abhandl. und Ber Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 77 (Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, - 1896, p. 60 (Saypan, Palaos, Ruk, Luganor, Nukuor, Ponapé, - Kuschai, Bonham); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 68 - (Marianne); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. - 20 (Saipan?); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 66 (Marianas); _idem_, 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). - - _Micranous leucocapillus_ Saunders, Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, - 1896, p. 145 (Pelew, Caroline Islands); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., - 1899, p. 222 (Kusai); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 9 (Ruk); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 51 (Pelew). - - _Megalopterus minutus marcusi_ Mathews, Birds Australia, 2, 1912, - p. 423 (Marianas?); Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 553 (Mariannes?); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, - 1, 1927, p. 146 (Mariannes); Hachisuka, Birds Philippines, 2, - 1932, p. 343 (Mariannes). - - _Megalopterus tenuirostris leucocapillus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 50 (Saipan, Pelew, Ruk, Ponapé, - Kusaie). - - _Megalopterus minutus minutus_ Fisher and Wetmore, Proc. U. S. - Nat. Mus., 79, 1931, p. 45 (Caroline Islands). - - _Anous minutus worcesteri_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 409 - (Coror, Namo, Iringlab); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 195 (Saipan, Babelthuap, Koror, Truk, Ponapé, Kusaie, Ebon, - Namorik, Jaluit, Elmore, Mille, Aurh, Wotze, Ailuk); Yamashina, - Tori, 10, 1940, p. 678 (Assongsong, Saipan); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 219 (Assongsong, Saipan, Babelthuap, - Koror, Peliliu, Truk, Ponapé, Kusaie, Ebon, Namorik, Jaluit, - Elmore, Mille, Aurh, Wotze, Ailuk). - - _Anous minutus marcusi_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, - p. 347 (Caroline Islands). - - _Anous minutus_ Bequaert, Mushi, 12, 1939, p. 82 (Ponapé); _idem_, - Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, p. 253 (Ponapé, - Palau). - - _Anous tenuirostris marcusi_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 27 (Micronesia); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 56 (Peleliu, Ulithi, Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Marcus, Wake, and Micronesia. In Micronesia: - Mariana Islands--Asuncion, Saipan, Guam?; Palau - Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu; Caroline Islands--Ulithi, - Truk, Ponapé, Luganor, Nukuor, Wolea; Marshall Islands--Ebon, - Namorik, Jaluit, Elmore, Mille, Aurh, Wotze, Ailuk. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small tern with sooty-black plumage, - grayer on rump and tail; forehead and crown white becoming grayer - on nape to merge with blackish on shoulder; narrow, black - superciliary stripe; lores black, lower eyelid with white streak, - upper eyelid with white spot. Resembles _A. t. melanogenys_ but - wing and tail longer and superciliary stripe narrower. Resembles - _A. t. minutus_ but with narrower, black superciliary stripe. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but crown more whitish, this coloration - ending abruptly at nape, with mottling in some birds; plumage of - body with brownish wash. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 22. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 51 (27 males, 22 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, AMNH--Asuncion, 1 (Jan. 18); - Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 2 (Sept. 9, 12); AMNH--exact locality - not given, 2 (Nov. 3); Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 4 (Aug. 20); - AMNH--Truk, 5 (Nov. 16, 21, 22)--Ponapé, 15 (Dec. 15)--Kusaie, 17 - (Jan. 10, March 10-30, April 1-10); Marshall Islands, USNM--Bikini, - 4 (May 2, 14); AMNH--no locality given, 1 (Sept. 3). - - -TABLE 22. MEASUREMENTS OF _Anoüs tenuirostris_ OF THE PACIFIC AREA - - =======================================+=====+=========+=========+======= - | | | |Exposed - LOCATION | No. | Wing | Tail |culmen - ---------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+------- - _Anoüs tenuirostris melanogenys_ | | | | - Hawaiian Islands | 29 | 222 | 113 | 41 - | | 210-229 | 105-120 | 41-48 - | | | | - _Anoüs tenuirostris marcusi_ | | | | - Wake Islands | 8 | 227 | 118 | 45 - | | 218-231 | 112-124 | 44-48 - | | | | - Mariana Islands | 1 | 223 | 117 | 44 - | | | | - Palau Islands | 3 | 228 | 122 | 43 - | | 227-228 | 117-126 | 41-45 - | | | | - Caroline Islands | 32 | 229 | 120 | 44 - | | 220-240 | 113-127 | 40-47 - | | | | - Marshall Islands | 5 | 224 | 118 | 44 - | | 222-229 | 114-123 | 41-46 - | | | | - _Anoüs tenuirostris minutus_ | 13 | 227 | 120 | 44 - Christmas Island | | 220-234 | 108-128 | 41-46 - | | | | - Phoenix, Howland, Union, Danger, | 9 | 229 | 119 | 46 - Suvarov Islands | | 226-233 | 113-124 | 42-48 - | | | | - Marquesas Islands | 10 | 226 | 117 | 45 - | | 220-233 | 115-124 | 42-48 - | | | | - Tuamotu Archipelago | 17 | 229 | 118 | 45 - | | 222-234 | 112-126 | 42-47 - | | | | - Society, Cook, Austral Islands | 12 | 230 | 118 | 46 - | | 223-238 | 114-120 | 43-47 - | | | | - Samoa, Fiji, Tonga Islands | 6 | 228 | 118 | 44 - | | 224-231 | 115-121 | 42-47 - | | | | - Kermadec, Norfolk Isl'ds, New Zealand| 15 | 226 | 116 | 44 - | | 219-235 | 112-121 | 42-47 - | | | | - New Hebrides, Solomon, Bismarck, | 34 | 229 | 117 | 43 - Admiralty Islands, New Guinea | | 222-237 | 109-130 | 40-46 - | | | | - _Anoüs tenuirostris diamesus_ | | | | - Clipperton, Cocos Islands | 14 | 230 | 120 | 44 - | | 224-237 | 114-127 | 41-47 - ---------------------------------------+-----+---------+---------+------- - - - _Nesting._--Few reports have been obtained concerning the nesting - of the White-capped Noddy in Micronesia. Finsch (1881b:107) - recorded nests, and Nehrkorn (1899:222) reported on eggs taken at - Kusaie. Yamashina (1932a:409) recorded the taking of eggs at Koror - in the Palau Islands on January 19 and November 10 and in the - Marshalls at Namo on October 19, and at Iringlab on October 21. No - evidence of nestings was obtained by the NAMRU2 party in 1945, - although a number of birds were seen at Ulithi in August. Coultas - (field notes) writes that a colony of approximately 20 birds began - nesting about Christmas time on a small offshore island near - Ponapé. Nests were placed in the crotches of limbs of mangroves, 8 - to 15 feet above the ground. - - _Food habits._--The NAMRU2 party found small fish in the stomachs - of terns taken at Ulithi and Peleliu. - - _Parasites._--Bequaert (1939:82 and 1941:253) records the fly - (Hippoboscidae), _Alfersia aenescens_, from the White-capped Noddy - taken at Ponapé and Palau. - -_Remarks._--The subspecies of _Anoüs tenuirostris_ are well -differentiated by color and to a lesser extent by measurements. Table 22 -lists measurements which show that the Hawaiian subspecies, _A. t. -melanogenys_, has the shortest wing and the shortest tail whereas the -subspecies from Cocos and Clipperton islands, _A. t. diamesus_, has the -longest wing and the longest tail. The exposed culmen varies in length -but little among the four subspecies. The systematic position of _A. t. -worcesteri_ from Cavilli Island in the Sula Sea has not been determined -because of lack of material. In the third edition of the Hand-list of -Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et al._, 1942:219) the birds from Micronesia -are referred to _A. t. worcesteri_ as they are also in other recent -publications by the Japanese. Specimens from the Philippines are needed -for examination to determine satisfactorily the subspecies status of the -birds under consideration. - -Field observations indicate that the White-capped Noddy is not abundant -in the Mariana Islands. According to Oustalet (1896:60), Marche obtained -a female at Saipan in June, 1888, and Yamashina (1940:678) records five -adults from Assongsong (Asuncion). Owston's collectors obtained a -specimen at Asuncion on January 18, 1904. In the Palaus, Carolines, and -Marshalls birds of this species are numerous and have been observed or -collected at many of the islands. Coultas with the Whitney South Sea -Expedition obtained specimens at Kusaie, Ponapé and Palau. He found them -along the shores of the large islands and, especially, on the smaller -offshore islets. At Ulithi Atoll in August, 1945, the NAMRU2 party -observed small flocks of four to ten individuals flying offshore and -feeding inside the reef. They were frequently observed in company with -_Sterna sumatrana_. Fewer birds were seen in September, 1945, at the -Palau Islands by the NAMRU2 party. - - -=Gygis alba candida= (Gmelin) - -White Tern - - _Sterna candida_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 607. (Type - locality, Christmas Island.) - - _Gygis candida_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 220 (Taluit); Saunders - (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, p. 149 (Marshalls); - Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 390 (Marschall-Inseln). - - _Gygis alba_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, pp. 330, 332 (Taluit); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 78 (Marshalls); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. - Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 8, 1896, p. 58 (Saypan, Pagan, - Agrigan, Marshalls); Safford, Guam, 1912, p. 19 (Guam); Strophlet, - Auk, 63, 1946, p. 537 (Guam); Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. 125 - (Guam); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 525 (Saipan); Baker (part), - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 57 (Guam, Rota, - Saipan). - - _Gygis alba kittlitzi_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 67 - (Saipan, Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 21 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, 66 (Marianas); _idem_, - The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 267 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. - Herb., 9, 1905, p. 80 (Guam); Mathews (part), Birds Australia, 2, - 1912, p. 443 (Marianas); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, - p. 100 (Marianan); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 22 (Guam); - Ridgway (part), Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, 1919, p. 559 - (Mariannes); Kuroda, Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, p. 193 (?Mariannes); - Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1931, p. 410 (Saipan); Yamashina, Tori, 7, - 1932, p. 409 (Iringlab, Namo, Aruno); Hand-list Japanese Birds - (part), rev., 1932, p. 196 (Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan, Agrigan, - Jaluit, Mille, Aurh, Wotze, Likieb, Mejit); Yamashina (part), - Tori, 10, 1940, p. 678 (Assongsong). - - _Gygys alba_ Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam). - - _Gygis albus kittlitzi_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 50 (Guam, Saipan, Pagan, Agrigan, Marshalls). - - _Leucanous albus kittlitzi_ Mathews (part), Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 143 (Marianne). - - _Gygis alba microrhyncha_ La Touche (part), Handbook Birds Eastern - China, 2, 1933, p. 335 (Marianne). - - _Gygis alba candida_ Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. 219 - (Guam, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan, Agrigan, Assongsong, Jaluit, Mille, - Aurh, Wotze, Likieb, Mejit); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, - 1946, p. 94 (Tinian); Borror, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 417 (Agrihan). - - _Geographic range._--Northern Pacific from Bonins and Marianas east - to Wake and Hawaiian Chain, south to Marshall, Phoenix, Christmas - and Fanning islands (see figure 12). In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, Pagan, Agrihan; Marshall - Islands--Jaluit, Mille, Aurh, Wotze, Likieb, Mejit, Eniwetok, - Bikini, Kwajalein. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small tern with ivory-white plumage except - for black, narrow, orbital ring; shafts of primary quills dark - brown; shafts of tail feathers blackish; bill black with bluish - base; tarsus dark bluish with yellowish webs; iris and skin black. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but with light brown mottlings on upper - parts, especially on the mantle; feathers softer, bill shorter. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed on table 23. - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party obtained weights of 11 adult males - from Guam and Rota as 110 (97-124); weights of 6 adult females - from Guam as 108 (100-116). These specimens were taken from May to - October, 1945. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 41 (23 males, 14 females, 4 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 20 (May 24, 29, - June 6, 8, 14, 15, 16, 18, 23, July 10, 19, 20)--Rota, 2 (Oct. 19, - 27)--Saipan, 1 (Sept. 26); AMNH--Guam, 4 (March 7, 9, 20)--Tinian, - 1 (Sept. 8)--Asuncion, 4 (Jan. 1, 18, 25); MCZ--Saipan, 3 (Jan. 7, - March 20, April 17); Marshall Islands, USNM--Bikini, 6 (Feb. 27, - March 2, 16, 19). - - _Nesting._--_Gygis alba_ does not construct a nest but places its - single egg rather precariously in the crotch of a branch in a tree - (or on rock). In Micronesia nesting activities have been observed - at various times of the year. Yamashina (1932a:409, 410) reported - on eggs taken in the Marianas at Saipan on February 2 and in the - Marshalls at Arhno on September 26, at Iringlab on October 21 and - at Namo on October 19. At Guam a pair of White Terns was seen in a - large tree on March 27, 1945, by the NAMRU2 observers. Because of - their behavior, it was suspected that they had an egg or young in - the tree. Further inspection revealed, on March 31, a downy young - sitting in the tree. The young bird was attended by the parents - until it began to fly on April 17. Hartert (1898:68) reports that - eggs of the White Tern were taken at Saipan on July 28 and August - 11. Morrison obtained a male nestling on March 16 and eggs on March - 22 at Bikini in 1946. - -_Remarks._--The White Tern is usually restricted to the remote islands -in the Pacific, Indian and South Atlantic oceans; there, according to -the latest treatment, which is that of Peters (1934:348, 349), six -subspecies are recognized. In studying the geographical variation of the -species, the writer has examined 595 adult specimens, including -previously unstudied material collected by the Whitney South Sea -Expedition, which is deposited in the American Museum of Natural -History. - -This ivory-white species presents an unusual problem in that there are -few characters available to distinguish the subspecies. Measurements of -taxonomic value include those of the wing, tail, exposed culmen, and -depth and the shape of the culmen. There appears to be no significant -secondary sexual difference between males and females, and measurements -of the two sexes are combined. The chief problem within this species -seems to hinge on how to classify isolated, but relatively similar, -populations. The examination of the large series of specimens from the -Whitney collections has yielded more complete information to assist in -the solution of this problem. - -_Gygis alba alba_ (Sparrman) of the South Atlantic Ocean (Fernando de -Noronha, South Trinidad, Ascension, and St. Helena islands) and _G. a. -monte_ Mathews of the Indian Ocean (Seychelles, Aldabra, Mascarene and -Chagos islands) are isolated populations. Specimens examined are those -which have previously been studied by other workers; measurements are -shown in table 23. - -With the exception of _G. a. microrhyncha_, _G. a. monte_ has the -smallest average length of wing of all of the subspecies of _G. alba_. -In _G. a. alba_ the length of wing as well as most of the other -measurements differ but slightly from those of some of the populations -in the Pacific area although the slender bill of the Atlantic bird is a -distinctive character, as pointed out by Murphy (1936:1166). - - -TABLE 23. MEASUREMENTS OF SUBSPECIES OF _Gygis alba_ FROM THE ATLANTIC -AND INDIAN OCEAN AREA - - Column headings: - - A: No. - B: Wing - C: Longest tail feather - D: Shortest tail feather - E: Exposed culmen - F: Depth culmen - G: Tarsus - - ===================+====+=======+======+=====+=====+=======+========= - SUBSPECIES | A | B | C | D | E | F | G - -------------------+----+-------+------+-----+-----+-------+--------- - _Gygis alba alba_ | 24 | 246 | 99 | 71 | 40 | 8.0 | 14.5 - | |239-256|93-111|68-77|35-44|7.5-9.0|13.0-16.5 - | | | | | | | - _Gygis alba monte_ | 35 | 232 | 106 | 71 | 39 | 8.5 | 13.5 - | |224-244|98-116|64-81|37-44|8.0-8.5|12.5-14.0 - -------------------+----+-------+------+-----+-----+-------+--------- - - -The taxonomic position of the White Terns of the Pacific area has been -one of uncertainty for a long time; as Peters (1934:349) puts it, "It is -obvious that the last word on the Pacific races of Gygis has not yet -been said." A principal feature of the problem in this region is the -presence in the Marquesas of a well-marked subspecies, _G. a. -microrhyncha_, virtually surrounded by a wide-ranging and relatively -undifferentiated form, _G. a. pacifica_ (Lesson) (see figure 12). The -small cormorant (_Phalacrocorax melanoleucus brevicauda_ Mayr) from -Rennell Island, Solomons, is another example of a distinct form -surrounded by a widely distributed subspecies. - -In all, 55 adult specimens of _G. a. microrhyncha_ have been examined -from the following islands in the Marquesas Group: Mukahiva, Eiau, -Motane, Hivaoa, Uapu, Tahuata, Uahuka, Fatuhiva. The measurements are -listed in table 24, and show that the White Tern in the Marquesas is a -much smaller bird than the other subspecies and has a shorter bill, -wing, and tail. The tail possesses a shallow fork as compared with the -deeper fork of the tail of other subspecies. In addition, the depth of -the culmen averages two millimeters less in the subspecies in the -Marquesas. The presence of a wider, black eye-ring is also a -distinguishing character in this subspecies. - -_Gygis a. microryhncha_ was for a long time treated as a species -distinct from _G. alba_ but has recently been considered as a subspecies -_G. alba_ by Peters and others. On the islands of Hatutu and Motane in -the Marquesas, the Whitney South Sea Expedition obtained some birds -which appear to be intergrades between the two subspecies of White -Terns in the area. The measurements of nine birds which show -intergradation between _G. a. microrhyncha_ and _G. a. pacifica_ are -listed in table 24. Probably the Marquesas population is tending toward -complete reproductive isolation. - -[Illustration: FIG. 12. Geographic distribution of _Gygis alba_ in the -Pacific area. (1) _G. a. candida_; (2) _G. a. pacifica;_ (3) _G. a. -microrhyncha;_ (4) _G. a. royana_.] - -Peters (1934:348, 349) recognizes three other subspecies from the -Pacific area: _G. a. rothschildi_ Hartert from Laysan, Lisiansky, and -Krusenstern islands; _G. a. candida_ (Gmelin) from "the Carolines east -to Christmas Island and south to the Tonga and Society Islands"; and _G. -a. royana_ Mathews from Norfolk and the Kermadec Islands. Birds from -Revilla Gigedo, Cocos and Clipperton islands, although geographically -isolated, are placed in _G. a. candida_. On the basis of a critical -study of specimens at hand, the populations in the Pacific fit into -three groups. Small birds, _G. a. candida_, are found in the North -Pacific from the Bonins and Marianas east to Wake and the Hawaiian Chain -and south to the Marshall, Phoenix, Christmas and the Fanning islands -(see figure 12). Larger birds, _G. a. pacifica_, are found in the -Central Pacific and South Pacific from the Carolines in the west -southeastward through Melanesia and eastward through Samoa, to the -Tuamotus and Easter to Cocos, Clipperton, and Revilla Gigedo islands. In -the Southwest Pacific, at Norfolk and the Kermadec Islands, a -longer-winged population occurs; it is separable as _G. a. royana_. The -measurements of these birds are given in table 24. - - -TABLE 24. MEASUREMENTS OF _Gygis alba_ FROM THE PACIFIC AREA - - Column headings: - - A: No. - B: Wing - C: Longest tail feather - D: Shortest tail feather - E: Exposed culmen - F: Depth Culmen - G: Tarsus - - ======================+====+=======+=======+=====+=====+=======+========= - LOCATION | A | B | C | D | E | F | G - ----------------------+----+-------+-------+-----+-----+-------+--------- - _Gygis alba candida_ | | | | | | | - (Gmelin) | | | | | | | - | | | | | | | - Japan, Bonins | 4 | 238 | 109 | 65 | 36 | | - | | | | |34-38| | - | | | | | | | - Mariana Islands | 35 | 237 | 111 | 69 | 38 | 9.0 | 13.0 - | |227-246| 98-120|61-75|36-41| |12.0-14.0 - | | | | | | | - Wake Islands | 10 | 236 | 109 | 69 | 38 | | 13.0 - | |232-243|101-118|64-77|37-41| |13.0-14.0 - | | | | | | | - Hawaiian Islands | 36 | 235 | 109 | 68 | 37 | 8.5 | 13.0 - | |220-246|102-118|64-74|33-40|8.0-9.0|12.0-14.0 - | | | | | | | - Marshall Islands | 4 | 234 | 111 | 71 | 39 | | - | |231-238|107-115|70-73|38-40| | - | | | | | | | - Phoenix, Howland, | | | | | | | - Hull, Canton Islds.| 8 | 238 | 107 | 70 | 39 | 8.5 | 14.0 - | |237-240|101-116|64-76|37-41| | - | | | | | | | - Fanning, Washington,| | | | | | | - Christmas Islands | 19 | 238 | 107 | 68 | 38 | 8.0 | 13.5 - | |227-242| 97-119|65-72|37-42|7.5-9.0|12.0-15.0 - +----+-------+-------+-----+-----+-------+--------- - Totals |116 | 236 | 109 | 69 | 38 | 8.5 | 13.0 - | |220-246|107-120|61-77|33-42|7.5-9.0|12.0-15.0 - | +=======+=======+=====+=====+=======+========= - _Gygis alba pacifica_ | | | | | | | - (Lesson) | | | | | | | - | | | | | | | - Caroline, Palau | | | | | | | - Islands | 33 | 245 | 116 | 73 | 42 | 8.5 | 13.5 - | |236-253|112-125|67-76|38-44| |13.0-13.5 - | | | | | | | - Bismarck Arch., | | | | | | | - Solomon Islands | 12 | 247 | 116 | 74 | 42 | | - | |242-256|105-129|68-78|39-45| | - | | | | | | | - Samoa, Wallis, Fiji,| | | | | | | - Tonga, Niue Islands| 20 | 247 | 115 | 71 | 42 | | - | |239-254|110-127|67-78|39-44| | - | | | | | | | - Line, Danger Islands| 13 | 245 | 115 | 73 | 41 | | - | |238-252|107-118|69-78|39-42| | - | | | | | | | - Cook,Austral Islands| 29 | 247 | 114 | 73 | 42 | | - | |241-255|104-124|65-78|40-45| | - | | | | | | | - Society Islands | 37 | 249 | 113 | 71 | 42 | 8.5 | 13.5 - | |241-257|107-126|62-76|40-45|8.0-9.0|12.0-14.0 - | | | | | | | - Tuamotu Arch |118 | 245 | 114 | 72 | 42 | | - | |236-252|107-127|62-82|38-46| | - | | | | | | | - Rapa, Bass Rocks, | | | | | | | - Oeno, Henderson, | | | | | | | - Ducie, Pitcairn, | | | | | | | - Easter Islands | 54 | 247 | 113 | 73 | 41 | | - | |240-255|106-126|63-84|40-45| | - | | | | | | | - Clipperton, Cocos | | | | | | | - Islands | 10 | 245 | 115 | 72 | 40 | 8.5 | 13.5 - | |240-253|110-120|71-73|38-43|8.5-9.5|13.0-14.0 - +----+-------+-------+-----+-----+-------+--------- - Totals |326 | 246 | 114 | 72 | 42 | 8.5 | 13.5 - | |236-257|104-129|62-84|38-46|8.0-9.5|12.0-14.0 - | +=======+=======+=====+=====+=======+========= - Intergrades between | | | | | | | - _G. a. microrhyncha_| | | | | | | - and _G. a. pacifica_| 9 | 237 | 105 | 74 | 38 | 7.5 | 13.0 - | |230-247| 93-122|67-89|36-41|7.0-8.0|12.0-14.0 - | | | | | | | - _Gygis alba | | | | | | | - microrhyncha_ | 55 | 218 | 78 | 64 | 36 | 6.5 | 12.0 - | |211-235| 72-96 |60-75|32-39|6.0-8.0|11.0-12.5 - | | | | | | | - _Gygis alba royana_ | | | | | | | - Mathews | | | | | | | - | | | | | | | - Norfolk Islands | 16 | 250 | 113 | 73 | 42 | | - | |242-257|105-124|68-79|41-44| | - | | | | | | | - Kermadec Islands | 12 | 251 | 115 | 75 | 43 | | - | |244-255|110-121|71-81|40-46| | - +----+-------+-------+-----+-----+-------+--------- - Totals | 28 | 250 | 114 | 74 | 42 | | - | |242-257|105-124|68-81|40-46| | - ----------------------+----+-------+-------+-----+-----+-------+--------- - - -The measurements indicate that there is a gradient in size from small in -the north to large in the south; however, there is a definite separation -in average measurements--ten millimeters in length of wing and four -millimeters in length of exposed culmen--between the two populations -which are designated as _G. a. candida_ and _G. a. pacifica_. In -studying material from Micronesia and the Hawaiian Islands, I (1948:57) -pointed out the similarities between birds of the Marianas and the -Hawaiians and separated these from terns found in the Caroline Islands. -The systematic position of the White Tern in the Gilbert and Ellice -islands will remain in doubt until specimens are available for -examination. - -_G. a. royana_ is provisionally retained as the name for the Fairy Tern -of the Kermadecs and Norfolk Island; there is considerable overlap in -measurements between _G. a. royana_ and _G. a. pacifica_. Measurements -have given evidence of the degrees of structural resemblance of the -White Terns of the different islands, but it is not certain that the -groupings made on this basis are natural; more data is needed on ecology -and life history. Of particular importance is to learn whether these -birds fly regularly from island to island. On the basis of eleven months -of rather continuous observation in Micronesia, I suspect that the White -Tern has little tendency to make inter-island migrations. This might -account for the differences in size in the populations at Guam in the -Marianas (_G. a. candida_) and at Ulithi in the Carolines (_G. a. -pacifica_) where only approximately 400 miles of open water separate the -two islands. The occurrence of the distinct _G. a. microrhyncha_ in the -Marquesas may be accounted for by such nonmigratory behavior. Mayr -(1945a:27), however, is of the opinion that White Terns found in the -Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomons, Santa Cruz and New Hebrides islands -may not breed there, which is another way of saying that they are -migrants. Swarth (1934:221) and Murphy (1936:1268) record the wandering -of the White Tern to the Galapagos Islands, probably from breeding -grounds at Cocos Island. Swarth suggests that the tern is not -established at the Galapagos because of the presence of colder water in -the area. Murphy (1936:1166) is of the opinion that the South Atlantic -White Terns are sedentary, but reports evidence of pelagic migration in -the Pacific at the Kermadecs. The fact that _G. alba_ is restricted in -its distribution to widely separated groups of islands in tropical and -subtropical areas of the South Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans may -indicate that the birds at one time had a more extensive range than at -present, probably including even coastal regions of the continents and -large continental islands. - - -=Gygis alba pacifica= (Lesson) - -White Tern - - _Sterna pacifica_ Lesson, Ann. Sci. Nat., 4, 1825, p. 101. (Type - locality, Society Islands, Paumotu Islands, and Bora Bora.) - - _Sterna alba_ Kittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 3, 1833, p. - 28 (Carolinen); _idem_, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 286, 299, 308 (Ualan, Lougounor, Ouleai). - - _Gygis candida_ Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, p. 137 - (Carolinen); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen); Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und - Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 382, 2, 1858, pp. 39, 60 (Ualan); Gray, Cat. - Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 59 (Caroline Islands); - Saunders (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 25, 1896, p. 149 (Pelew, - Carolines); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 51 (Ruk, - Pelew). - - _Gygis alba_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna Centralpolynesiens, 1867, - p. 233 (Carolinen); Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 - (1868), p. 832 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 9, 118 (Pelew); Finsch and Hartlaub, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1870, p. 140 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. - Soc. London, 1872, pp. 90, 114 (Pelew, Uap, Ualan); Gräffe, Journ. - Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 123 (Yap); Finsch, Journ. Mus. - Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 6, 43 (Palau); _idem_, Journ. Mus. - Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 18, 40 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1877 (1878), p. 782 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1880, pp. 295, 309 (Ponapé, Kuschai); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1880, p. 577 (Ruk); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 105, 106, 109, - 115, 246, 247 (Kushai, Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. - Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 299, 330, 353 (Mortlock, Nukuor, - Ruk); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 52 (Kuschai); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 78 (Pelew, Uap, Luganor, Nukuor, Ruk, Ponapé, - Ualan); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), - 8, 1896, p. 58 (Palaos, Carolines); Baker (part), Smithson. Misc. - Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 57 (Peleliu, Ulithi, Truk, - Kusaie). - - _Gygis alba kittlitzi_ Hartert, Katalog Vogelsamml. Senckenb., - 1891, p. 237 (Type locality, Ulea = Wolea); _idem_, Novit. Zool., - 7, 1900, p. 10 (Ruk); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 1020 - (Carolines); Mathews (part), Birds Australia, 2, 1912, p. 443 - (Carolines); Ridgway (part), Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 50, pt. 8, - 1919, p. 559 (Carolines); Kuroda (part), Avifauna Riu Kiu, 1925, - p. 193 (Carolines); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), rev., 1932, - p. 196 (Pelew, Yap, Wolea, Luganor, Ruk, Ponapé, Kusaie); - Yamashina (part), Tori, 10, 1940, p. 678 (Babelthuap). - - _Gygis albus kittlitzi_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 50 (Pelews, Yap, Wolea, Luganor, Nukuor, Ruk, - Ponapé, Kusaie). - - _Leucanous albus kittlitzi_ Mathews (part), Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 143 (Carolines). - - _Gygis alba candida_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 2, 1934, p. - 349 (Carolines); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. - 219 (Babelthuap, Koror, Angaur, Yap, Wolea, Truk, Lukunor, - Nukuoro, Ponapé, Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Central and southern Pacific from Carolines - southeast through Melanesia and east through Samoa to Tuamotus, - Easter to Cocos and Clipperton (see figure 12). In Micronesia: - Palau Islands--Angaur, Peleliu, Garakayo, Koror, Babelthuap, - Kayangel; Caroline Islands--Yap, Ulithi, Wolea, Truk, Lukunor, - Ponapé, Kusaie. - - _Characters._--Resembles _G. a. candida_, but size larger, wing - length of adult males and females 236-253 (245); length of exposed - culmen 38-44 (42). - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 24. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 36 (22 males, 12 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 1 (Sept. 1); - AMNH--exact locality not given, 1 (Nov. 13);-Caroline Islands, - USNM--Ulithi, 12 (Aug. 14, 15, 16, 20, 21)--Truk, 1 (Dec. 13); - AMNH--Truk, 7 (Mar. 8, May 7, June 8, Nov. 11, 26)--Ponapé, 1 - (undated)--Kusaie, 10 (Jan., Feb., March 20-30, April 1-10); - MCZ--Yap, 3 (Jan. 13). - - _Nesting._--The NAMRU2 party learned that in May and June, 1945, - several young White Terns were seen at Asor, Ulithi Atoll, by - service personnel. These young were observed in breadfruit trees - within a recreational area; the presence of the service personnel - seemingly had little disturbing effect on the terns. At Bulubul, - another island of this atoll, a downy young was obtained on August - 22. Hartert (1900:10) reports that eggs of the White Tern were - found on the ground and in forks of branches of trees at Truk in - June. - - _Food Habits._--The author (1948:58) reports that stomachs of - birds taken at Ulithi and Peleliu contained fish, insects and - marine crustaceans. Probably the birds feed to a large extent - along the edge of the tidal reef. They almost certainly obtain - food also on the islands as indicated by the presence of insects - in stomach contents; this is not surprising since the birds - frequent woodland habitats. - -_Remarks._--_Gygis alba_ is one of the most characteristic birds in -Micronesia. It is seemingly more numerous at the coral atolls than at -the high, volcanic islands. At the latter islands the birds prefer the -coastal coconut grove environment. At Pau and Bulubul, two small islands -in the Ulithi Atoll, the writer counted approximately 100 birds on -August 21, 1945. Kittlitz was the first to publish an account of these -birds in the Caroline Islands. Tetens, Peters, Semper and Kubary -reported their presence in the Palaus. No doubt, these terns attract the -attention of every traveler in the islands owing to their conspicuously -white beauty and their seemingly friendly behavior toward man. Their -habit of hovering in small flocks close over the head of the observer is -indeed spectacular. - - -=Columba livia= Gmelin - -Blue Rock Pigeon - - _Columba domestica [Greek: b] livia_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, pt. 2, - 1789, p. 769. (No type locality = Europe.) - - _Columba livia_ Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam); Marshall, Condor, vol. 51, 1949, p. 221 (Tinian). - - _Geographic range._--Europe and Asia Minor. Introduced to many - parts of the world. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Tinian. - -_Remarks._--In 1945, the NAMRU2 party observed pigeons about the towns -on Guam, particularly at the town of Inarajan. Bryan (1936:24) writes -that the birds were introduced by the United States Navy and Marine -Corps at Guam; the stock originating from escaped carrier pigeons. -Marshall (1949:221) records this bird from Tinian. - - -=Ptilinopus porphyraceus ponapensis= (Finsch) - -Crimson-crowned Fruit Dove - - _Ptilinopus ponapensis_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 779. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Ptilinopus? fasciatus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, - pp. 18, 37 (Ponapé). - - _Ptilopus fasciatus_ Elliot, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1878, p. 536 - (Ponapé); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 44 (Ponapé). - - _Ptilopus ponapensis_ Schmeltz, Verhandl. Ver. nat. Unterhaltung - Hamburg, 1877 (1879), pp. 178, 179 (Ponapé); Finsch, Proc. Zool. - Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ruk, Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1880, pp. 291, 303 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1880, p. 578 (Ruk, Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 113, - 115 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Ibis, 1891, p. 583 (Ponapé, Ruk); - _idem_, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 50 (Ponapé, Ruk); Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., - 21, 1893, p. 93 (Ponapé, Ruk); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat., Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 222 (Ponapé); Nehrkron, Kat. Eiers., - 1899, p. 180 (Ruk); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 736 (Ruck, - Ponapé); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 354 (Ruk, Ponapé); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 (Ruk, Ponapé); - Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, - 1919, p. 189 (Uala, Ponapé). - - _Ptilinopus ponapensis_ Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. - 7 (Ruk, Ponapé); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 42 (Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 - (Ruck, Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. - 32 (Ponapé); Bequaert, Mushi, 12, 1939, pp. 81, 82 (Ponapé); Mayr. - Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1939 (1941), p. 204 (Ponapé); - Bequaert, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, pp. 266, - 290 (Ponapé). - - _Ptilinopus Ponapensis_ Christian, The Caroline Islands, 1899, p. - 357 (Ponapé). - - _Ptilinopus ponepensis ponapensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 57 (Ponapé, Ruk); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, - p. 408 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 190 - (Ponapé, Ruk); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. 31 - (Ruk, Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 213 - (Ponapé, Truk). - - _Ptilinopus porphyraceus ponapensis_ Ripley and Birckhead, Amer. - Mus. Novit., no. 1192, 1942, p. 7 (Ruk, Ponapé); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Truk, Ponapé); Baker, Smithson. - Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 59 (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk, Ponapé. - _Characters._--Adult male: A green fruit dove with forehead, - anterior lores and crown near "pansy purple," faintly margined with - yellow; occiput, sides of head, neck, upper breast grayish-green - with bifid feathers of midbreast more olivaceous; chin and - midthroat light yellow; breast, sides and tibia green; midpart of - lower breast dark bluish-green, tinged with dark purple; lower - abdomen, vent, and undertail yellow, under tail-coverts deeper - yellow tinged with orange; upper parts dark green; wings metallic - green on outer webs and tips, inner secondaries and some posterior - scapulars with purple spots near tips; primaries and secondaries - edged on outer webs with yellowish; underwing gray with yellow - edges on hind, under wing-coverts; upper side of tail metallic - green with terminal, broad yellow band; under side of tail gray; - bill lead-colored, feet wine-brown, iris whitish to pale brown. - Adult female resembles adult male, but slightly smaller and duller. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but entirely green with yellow edgings - on feathers and lacking crimson crown and colored breast patch. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of subspecies of _P. porphyraceus_ - in Micronesia are presented in table 25. - - -TABLE 25. MEASUREMENTS OF _Ptilinopus porphyraceus_ IN MICRONESIA - - ===================+============+===============+============+=========== - | | | Exposed | - SUBSPECIES | Number | Wing | culmen | Tarsus - -------------------+------------+---------------+------------+----------- - _P. p. ponapensis_ | 12 males | 137 (133-141) | 14 (13-15) | 25 (24-27) - | 11 females | 133 (126-137) | 14 (13-15) | 25 (24-26) - | | | | - _P. p. hernsheimi_ | 6 males | 134 (130-138) | 13 (12-14) | 25 (24-26) - | 5 females | 127 (125-130) | 13 (12-13) | 25 (24-25) - | | | | - _P. p. pelewensis_ | 10 males | 133 (131-134) | 15 (13-15) | 25 (23-26) - | 4 females | 133 (130-138) | 15 (14-15) | 24 (23-24) - -------------------+------------+---------------+------------+----------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 81 (52 males, 26 females, 3 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 4 (Feb. 16, - Dec. 24); AMNH--Truk, 24 (Jan., June, Oct.)--Ponapé, 53 (Nov., - Dec). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:408) reports on eggs taken at Ponapé - on the following dates: July 10, 12, August 1, 12, 15, 21. Only one - egg was found to a nest. Hartert (1900:8) records nests containing - eggs in May and June at Truk. Coultas (field notes) describes the - nest as a flimsy affair. At Ponapé in November and December he - found nests on low branches (10 to 20 feet from the ground) each - containing a single egg. Nests were found also in the tops of tree - ferns. Females taken in these months had enlarged gonads. - - _Parasites._--Bequaert (1939:81, 82, and 1941:266, 290) records - the two flies (Hippoboscidae), _Ornithoctona plicata_ and _O. - pusilla_, from the fruit dove at Ponapé. - -_Remarks._--McElroy of the NAMRU2 party found the birds in mountainous -areas at Truk in December, 1945. At Ponapé in November and December, -1931, Coultas (field notes) comments that the bird is rapidly -disappearing owing to persistent hunting by the natives and, at that -time, by the Japanese. He found the birds to be strictly forest-living -and to frequent the larger fruit-bearing trees of the lowlands and the -mountain sides. Coultas writes that the Japanese hunters attracted the -doves by the use of calls. The natives catch the birds with a gum -mixture obtained from bread-fruit gum and coconut oil. - - -=Ptilinopus porphyraceus hernsheimi= (Finsch) - -Crimson-crowned Fruit Dove - - _Ptilopus Hernsheimi_ Finsch., Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 303. - (Type locality, Kuschai.) - - _Ptilopus hernsheimi_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. - 577 (Kuschai); Reichenow and Schalow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1881, p. - 75 (Kuschai); Finsch, Ibis, 1881, pp. 106, 107, 108 (Kushai); - Wiglesworth, Ibis, 1891, p. 583 (Ualan); _idem_, Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 51 (Ualan); - Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 94 (Ualan); - Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 222 - (Oualan); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 736 (Kuschai); - Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 355 (Kuschai); Wetmore, in - Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 189 - (Kusaie). - - _Ptilinopus hernsheimi_ Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 - (Ualan); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 33 - (Kusaie). - - _Ptilinopus ponapensis hernsheimi_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 57 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 190 (Kusaie); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. - 31 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 212 - (Kusaie). - - _Ptilinopus marshallianus_ Peters and Griscom, Proc. New England - Zool. Club, 10, 1928, p. 104 (Type locality, Ebon); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 190 (Ebon). - - _Ptilinopus ponapensis marshallianus_ Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 3, 1937, p. 31 (Ebon); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 213 (Ebon). - - _Ptilinopus porphyraceus hernsheimi_ Ripley and Birckhead, Amer. - Mus. Novit., no. 1192, 1942, p. 6 (Kusaie, Ebon); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie; Marshall - Islands--Ebon (extinct?). - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _P. p. ponapensis_, but occiput, - nape, sides of head more gray and less greenish-yellow; chin and - midthroat paler; crown coloring very faintly margined with yellow; - tail band brighter yellow; under tail-coverts more orange; - abdominal spot may be present as a brownish-red tinge; abdomen - slightly more yellowish. - - Immature: Resembles immature of _P. p. ponapensis_. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 25. Ripley and - Birckhead (1942:7) give the measurements of the only known - specimen from Ebon (Marshall Islands) as: wing, 124; tail, 74; - bill from base, 15. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 11 (6 males, 5 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Kusaie, 1 (Feb. 9); AMNH--Kusaie, - 10 (Jan., Feb., March, April). - -_Remarks._--I am following Ripley and Birckhead (1942:6) in identifying -the dove from Ebon Island as of the subspecies _P. p. hernsheimi_. This -specimen from Ebon may, however, represent the final vestige of a -formerly well-distributed population in the Marshall Islands. This -distribution is of particular interest because it may show the pathway -by which these small fruit pigeons invaded eastern Micronesia from -Polynesia. - -The small fruit dove at Kusaie has apparently the same habitat -requirements as others of the species. Coultas (field notes) comments -that in 1931 the birds were "quite common." He found them in the high -trees on the mountain sides away from the native villages and gardens. - - -=Ptilinopus porphyraceus pelewensis= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Crimson-crowned Fruit Dove - - _Ptilinopus pelewensis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, p. 7. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Ptilinopus pelewensis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, p. 118 (Pelew); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. - 225 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - pp. 89, 101 (Pelew); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 1, 1873, pl. - 7, fig. 5 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, - 24 (Palau); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. 37 - (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, - p. 407 (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Palau); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 56 (Pelew); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 32 (Pelew); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 190 (Palau); Peters, - Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. 31 (Babeltop, Korror); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 213 (Babelthuap, - Koror). - - _Ptilonopus pelewensis_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1874, p. - 94 (Pelew). - - _Ptilopus pelewensis_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 366 - (Pelew); Elliot, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1878, p. 531 (Palau); - Schmeltz, Verhandl. Ver. nat. Unterhatlung Hamburg, 1877 (1879), - p. 178 (Pelew); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 44 (Pelew); - Wiglesworth, Ibis, 1891, p. 584 (Pelew); _idem_, Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 48 (Pelew); - Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 86 (Pelew); - Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 736 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die Vögel, - 1, 1913, p. 354 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. - 52 (Pelew). - - _Ptilinopus porphyraceus pelewensis_ Ripley and Birckhead, Amer. - Mus. Novit., no. 1192, 1942, p. 7 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 60 (Peleliu, Ngabad, Garakayo). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad, Anguar. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A green fruit pigeon with anterior - lores and crown purple, margined with pale yellow; forehead paler - than crown; chin and midthroat pale yellow; neck, sides of head, - and breast greenish-gray, darker on occiput; feathers of upper - breast cross-banded with partly concealed violet bands; abdomen - orange, its lower part and region of vent yellow; sides greenish; - tibia grayish; under tail-coverts near "Indian lake" with - yellowish-orange edgings; upper parts green; wings metallic green, - secondaries and primaries margined on outer webs with yellow; - inner secondaries spotted with violet-blue near tips; under wing - gray; upper side of tail green with pale yellow terminal band; - under side of tail gray; bill lead-colored; feet dark blood-red. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but upper parts greener with - upper side of wing and upper tail-coverts washed with - olivaceous-brown; breast duskier. Immature resembles adult, but - lacks purple crown, violet breast spot, orange abdomen and maroon - under tail-coverts; upper and lower parts margined with yellow; - forehead pale green; supercillary stripe pale yellow. - - _P. p. pelewensis_ resembles _P. p. ponapensis_, but crown more - purple; yellow tail-bar narrower; bifurcated, central breast - feathers violet; abdomen orange; and under tail-coverts near - "Indian lake". - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 25. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 14 (10 males, 4 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 3 (Nov. 14, Dec. 3)--Garakayo, - 1 (Sept. 19)--Peleliu, 3 (Aug. 27, Sept. 1, 4)--Ngabad, 2 (Sept. - 11)--Pelew, 2 (Mar. 1, 2); AMNH--Palau, 3 (Oct., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--At Ngabad Island on September 11, 1945, the NAMRU2 - party found a nest in jungle in a low tree about six feet above the - ground. It was loosely constructed and contained a single white - egg, size 31 by 23 mm. Another nest was found at Ngabad the same - day. It was on the branch of a tree approximately 20 feet from the - ground. The nest was not examined other than to observe a parent - bird on the nest. Three males obtained in August and in September - had enlarged testes. Males taken in December by Coultas had - enlarged testes. - - _Food Habits._--Stomachs examined by the NAMRU2 party contained - fruit parts and seeds. This species seemingly obtains its foods - from the large fruit-producing trees and to a lesser extent from - the smaller shrubs or from ground berries. - -_Remarks._--_P. p. pelewensis_ was found in small numbers at all islands -visited in the southern Palaus by the NAMRU2 party in 1945. At Peleliu, -the bird was restricted to undisturbed woodlands and thickets, although -some were seen in the thickly growing vegetation covering over the -battle areas. The bird evidently lives a solitary existence; it was only -rarely observed in pairs. It was often located by its calls. Coultas -(field notes) reports that in 1931 the species was becoming rare in the -Palaus, owing to persistent hunting by the Japanese, who sold the bird -for 25 sen each. - - -=Ptilinopus roseicapillus= (Lesson) - -Marianas Fruit Dove - - _Columba roseicapilla_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 6, 1831, p. 472. - (Type locality, Marianne Islands.) - - _Columba roseicapilla_ Lesson, Compl. de Buffon, 2d ed., 2, - Oiseaux, 1838, p. 278 (Mariannes). - - _Columba purpurata_ Kittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 3, - 1833, p. 25, pl. 23, fig. 2 (Guahan); _idem_, Obser. Zool., in - Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guahan). - - _Ptilinopus purpuratus_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Mariannen); Hartert, Katalog Vogelsamml. Senckenb., 1891, p. 190 - (Guaham). - - _Ptilopus roseicapillus_ Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. - Paris, 39, 1854, p. 877 (Mariannes); _idem_, Icon. Pigeons, 1857, - pl. 23 and desc. letterpress (Mariannes); Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, - 6, no. 35, 1873, p. 8 (Guam); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. - 368 (Mariannae); Elliot, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1878, p. 537 - (Marianne); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 261 (Mariannes); - Wiglesworth, Ibis, 1891, p. 584 (Marianne); _idem_, Abhandl. und - Ber Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 48 (Marianne); - Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 108 (Marianne - Islands); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris, (3), 7, - 1895, p. 218 (Saypan, Guam, Rota); Safford, The Plant World, 7, - 1904, p. 264 (Guam); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 736 - (Mariannes); Safford, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 78 - (Guam); Schnee, Zeitschr. f. Naturwisch., 82, 1912, p. 465 - (Marianen); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 101 - (Marianen); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 354 (Marianen); Cox, - Island of Guam, 1917, p. 20 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec. vol. 13, no. - 2, 1936, p. 24 (Guam); Thompson, Guam and its people, 1942, p. 23 - (Guam). - - _Kurukuru roseicapillus_ Prévost and Des Murs, Voy. "Venus," - Oiseaux, 1855, pp. 221, 231, 257, 259, 269 (Guam). - - _Ptilopus roseicapilla_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 2, 1855, p. 21 - (Mariannis). - - _Ptilonopus roseicapillus_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific - Ocean, 1859, p. 31 (Guam); Reichenbach, Tauben, 1861, p. 96 - (Mariannen); Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1874, p. 94 - (Mariannes). - - _Ptilinopus roseicapillus_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, pp. 122, 127 (Mariannen); Gray, - Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 225 (Ladrones); Hartert, Novit. - Zool., 5, 1898, p. 60 (Guam, Rota, Saipan); Wheeler, Report Island - of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop - Mus., 1, 1901, p. 39 (Guam, Rota, Saipan); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Guam, Saipan); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 68 - (Marianas); _idem_, Amer. Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); Kuroda, - in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 56 (Guam, Rota, Saipan); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 33 (Marianne); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 190 (Tinian, Saipan, - Rota); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 212 (Guam, Rota, - Tinian, Saipan); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 288 - (Marianas); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 95 - (Tinian); Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 42 (Guam); Strophlet, - Auk, 63, 1946, p. 538 (Guam); Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. 125 - (Guam); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 526 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. - Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 59 (Guam, Rota). - - _Ptilopus diadematus_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 363 - (Marianae). - - _Ptilinopus roseicapilla_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, - p. 31 (Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam); Ripley and Birckhead, Amer. - Mus. Novit., no. 1192, 1942, p. 3 (Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Rota, - Tinian, Saipan. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A green dove with crown, forehead, - anterior lores, and spot at base of mandible near "aster purple," - margined with pale yellow especially on top of head; chin and - throat pale yellow to white; sides of head greenish-gray, darker - on occiput; breast green with pearly-gray tinge on feathers of - middle part; lower breast with dark purple patch; abdomen orange - with yellowish-green coloring at midline; anal region and lower - tail-coverts yellow, tinged with orange on lower tail-coverts; - sides and tibia greenish with yellow tinges; upper parts green, - more yellowish-green on rump; wings glossy, upper wing-coverts - brighter in middle and margined with yellow; under side of wing - and under side of tail gray; upper side of tail green with broad - grayish terminal band margined with yellow; iris pale yellow; bill - grass-green; legs and feet reddish-black. - - Adult female: Resembles male, but slightly smaller with neck - greener. Immature resembles adult, but lacking colored crown; body - feathers edged with yellow. - - Birds from Guam, Rota, and Tinian exhibit no conspicuous - differences. _P. roseicapillus_ is closest to _P. regina_ of - southern Papua, Lesser Sunda Islands, and Australia being, - according to Ripley and Birckhead (1942:3), "Similar to _regina_, - but crown and abdominal band darker; malar apex concolorous with - crown; hind neck more grayish; tail-bar wider and paler." - - _Measurements._--Measurements of _P. roseicapillus_ are presented - in table 26. - - _Weights._--In 1948 (1948:59) I listed the weights of 14 adult - males as 81-103 (90), of 4 adult females as 85-99 (92), and of one - nestling in post natal molt as 44 grams. These were taken at Guam. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 43 (32 males, 10 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 28 (March 8, - May 25, 27, June 3, 12, 14, July 2, 6, 10, 18, 19, 29, Aug. - 21)--Rota, 3 (Oct. 28, 31, Nov. 2)--Tinian, 1 (Oct. 26); - AMNH--Guam, 8 (Aug.)--Tinian, 3 (Sept.). - - -TABLE 26. MEASUREMENTS OF _Ptilinopus roseicapillus_ - - =================+===============+============+==============+=========== - | | | Exposed | - NUMBER | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - -----------------+---------------+------------+--------------+-------------- - 32 adult males | 127 (122-133) | 80 (75-84) | 14 (13-15.3) | 25 (24-27) - 10 adult females | 124 (121-130) | 76 (75-79) | 13 (12-13.7) | 24 (22-25.5) - -----------------+---------------+------------+--------------+-------------- - - - _Nesting._--At Guam, I obtained records of nests of fruit doves on - March 1, 1927, and May 7, 1945. David H. Johnson observed a pair of - fruit doves in the act of copulation on May 26, 1945. Birds with - enlarged gonads were taken by the NAMRU2 party in March and July. A - nestling in post natal molt, just beginning to fly, was taken on - July 6. Seale (1901:39) reports two nests, each containing one - white egg, taken in the period from May to July. These nests were - found in trees eight to ten feet above the ground. - - _Food habits._--The Marianas Fruit Dove feeds on fruits and seeds - of trees and shrubs. The birds are apparently strictly tree - dwellers; I saw no birds on the ground. A favorite fruit is that - of a flowering shrub known as the "ink berry." Birds were - collected which contained stomachs full of these small black - berries. The fruit of the papaya is also a favorite food. - -_Remarks._--The NAMRU2 party found the Marianas Fruit Dove at Guam to be -fairly numerous in undisturbed jungle, and more abundant in the heavy, -second-growth, scrub-forest as was found on Amantes Point in 1945. The -birds were secretive but were easily located by their calls. They were -usually found as singles sitting quietly concealed in thick vegetation. -Birds were seen flying rather infrequently, and then only for short -distances. The removal of large tracts of jungle to provide space for -the construction of air strips and installations in the late war has -disturbed some of the habitat of these birds. Although vast tracts of -forest were undisturbed, the birds probably have decreased at Guam. -Coultas (field notes) found the birds common at the northern end of Guam -in 1931. He commented that natives catch them with snares and bird lime -for the local markets. At Tinian in 1931, Coultas found few birds. Downs -(1946:95) and Stott (1947:526) record the birds at Tinian and Saipan, -respectively, in 1945. At Rota, the NAMRU2 party found the dove to be -numerous. - -_Evolutionary history of Ptilinopus in Micronesia._--Oceania is -especially rich in species and subspecies of the genus _Ptilinopus_. -Ripley and Birckhead (1942) have made the most recent and most thorough -contribution concerning these birds. They state that the center of -distribution for the genus lies in the Papuan region. Within the Oceanic -region there are several species of _Ptilinopus_ which in one way or -another are rather closely related; Rensch (1938:277) uses these as -examples of species which have been formed by isolation. These include -_P. perousii_ from Samoa, Fiji, and Tonga; _P. mercierii_ from the -Marquesas; _P. dupetithouarsii_ from the Marquesas; _P. huttoni_ from -Rapa; _P. purpuratus_ from Henderson, Tuamotus, Societies; _P. -porphyraceus_ from Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Carolines, Solomons, New -Hebrides, New Caledonia, and adjacent areas; and _P. roseicapillus_ from -Marianas. In all of these birds the crown is wine-red except in _P. -dupetithouarsii_ in which it is whitish. _P. porphyraceus_ appears to be -more closely related to _P. purpuratus_ than to any other species and is -characterized by an often brightly washed spot of color of some shade of -red or orange on the breast. These birds may have invaded Micronesia -from the region of the Solomon Islands, although it appears more likely -that they arose in the Samoa-Fiji-Tonga region and moved northward, -probably by way of the Marshall Islands. _P. p. hernsheimi_ from Kusaie -and _P. p. ponapensis_ from Ponapé and Truk resemble _P. p. faciatus_ -Peale from Samoa more closely than they do any other subspecies. _P. p. -pelewensis_ from Palau, on the other hand shows little relation to these -other two Micronesian subspecies and appears to be closest to _P. p. -porphyraceus_ of Fiji and Tonga or possibly to _P. grayi_ from -Melanesia. Ripley and Birckhead (1942:7) suggest that the subspecies at -Palau owes its marked divergence to its isolated position at the -periphery of the range of the species. _P. p. pelewensis_ probably -represents an independent and an earlier colonization, possibly from a -stock different from that from which the two subspecies in the Carolines -arose. The presence in the Palaus of subspecies singularly different -from subspecies in the Carolines can also be observed in other genera, -as for example, _Rhipidura_, and _Myiagra_. Figure 13 shows the inferred -routes of colonization of _Ptilinopus_ to Micronesia. - -_P. roseicapillus_ seemingly represents a remnant, or perhaps a -successful straggler, of an early invasion to Micronesia. Ripley and -Birckhead (1942:2) classify this species as "Old Stock," along with _P. -monachus_, _P. coronulatus_ and _P. regina_. Its pathway of invasion to -the Marianas was probably directly northward from the Papuan area and -not by way of the Polynesian islands. Its resemblance to the species _P. -regina_ of southern Papua, Lesser Sundas, and Australia is most unusual, -especially since there is a separation between the two species of some -1,400 miles; this is pointed out by Ripley and Birckhead (1942:4). As I -have said (1948:59) elsewhere, "On the basis of its characters the -Mariana birds would merit only subspecific separation, but owing to the -great distance between the two doves and the possibility of independent -origin and subsequent convergence, it may be more advisable to continue -to regard the two as separate species." - -[Illustration: FIG. 13. Geographic distribution of _Ptilinopus -porphyraceus_ and routes of its dispersal. (1) _P. p. porphyraceus_; (2) -_P. p. fasciatus_; (3) _P. p. hernsheimi_; (4) _P. p. ponapensis_; (5) -_P. p. pelewensis_.] - - -=Ducula oceanica monacha= (Momiyama) - -Micronesian Pigeon - - _Globicera oceanica monacha_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, March, - 1922, p. 4. (Type locality, Yap.) - - _Columba oceanica_ Lesson and Garnot (part), Dict. Sci. Nat., éd. - Levrault, 40, 1826, p. 317 (Pelew); Lesson (part), Man. d'Ornith., - 2, 1828, p. 166 (Pelew); _idem_ (part), Voy. "La Coquille," Zool., - 2, 1828, pp. 432, 709 (Pelew); _idem_, Compl. de Buffon, 2d ed., - 2, Oiseaux, 1838, p. 292 (Pelew); Prévost and Knip, Les Pigeons, - 2, 1838-43, p. 49 (Pelew). - - _Carpophaga oceanica_ Hartlaub (part), Archiv. f. Naturgesch., 18, - 1852, p. 115 (Pelewinseln); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 - (1868), p. 830 (Pelew); Gray (part), Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. - 229 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 101 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 5, 26 (Palau); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), pp. 775, 780 (Palau); Salvadori (part), Cronaca del R. - Liceo-Ginnasio Cavour, 1878, pp. 3, 8 (Pelew); _idem_, Ibis, 1879, - p. 364 (Pelew); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 42 (Pelew); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 52 (Pelew); Matschie (part), Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Palau); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, - p. 743 (Pelew); Reichenow (part), Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 351 - (Palau). - - _Globicera oceanica_ Bonaparte (part), Consp. Avium, 2, 1855, p. - 31 (Pelew); Reichenbach (part), Tauben, 1861, p. 120 (Pelew); - Salvadori (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 176 - (Pelew); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 - (Pelew); Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, pp. 486, 489 - (Palau). - - _Carpophaga (Globicera) oceanica_ Gray (part), Cat. Birds Trop. Is. - Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 41 (Pelew). - - _Carpophaga pacifica_ Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 145 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, - Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 7, 118 (Pelew); Finsch and - Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1870, p. 134 (Pelew). - - _Globicera oceanica monacha_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 55 (Yap); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 46 (Yap); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, - p. 408 (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 189 (Yap, - Palau, Current = Palo Anna). - - _Globicera oceanica momiyamai_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, March, 1922, pp. 25, 56 (Type locality, Angaur); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 46 (Pelew); - Kuroda, Ibis, 1927, p. 719 (Pelew). - - _Muscadivora oceanica winkleri_ Neumann, Verhandl. Ornith. Ges. - Bayern, 25, Sept. 1, 1922, p. 234 (Type locality, Palau). - - _Ducula oceanica monacha_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, - p. 43 (Yap, Babelthuap, Koror, Angaur, Current); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 211 (Yap, Babelthuap, Koror, - Angaur, Current); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, 1943, p. 11 - (Yap, Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Palau, - Yap); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 66 - (Peleliu, Garakayo, Babelthuap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Angaur, Palo Anna; Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _D. o. oceanica_ from Kusaie but - throat, breast, head, and neck light ashy-gray; feathers around - bill grayish-white; abdomen and under tail-coverts tipped with - light brown. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but underparts paler; back lacking dark - bluish spots; back feathers and wing feathers edged with light - brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of _D. oceanica_ are listed in table - 27. - - -TABLE 27. MEASUREMENTS OF _Ducula oceanica_ - - =================+==========+=============+================+========== - SUBSPECIES | Number | Wing | Exposed culmen | Tarsus - -----------------+----------+-------------+----------------+---------- - | | | | - _D. o. monacha_ | 8 males |228 (219-233)| |36 (34-37) - | 6 females|221 (214-228)|22.5 (22.0-23.0)|31 (29-33) - | | | | - _D. o. teraokai_ | 5 males |230 (225-237)|23.5 (23.0-25.0)|34 (33-35) - | 8 females|231 (221-238)|23.0 (21.5-24.5)|34 (33-35) - | | | | - _D. o. townsendi_| 8 males |226 (211-234)|24.0 (23.5-25.0)|34 (32-35) - | 5 females|226 (215-233)|24.0 (23.0-24.5)|33 (32-34) - | | | | - _D. o. oceanica_ | 4 males |222 (217-228)|25.0 (24.5-26.0)|35 (34-36) - |13 females|219 (213-226)|24.0 (23.0-25.0)|32 (30-34) - | | | | - _D. o. | | | | - ratakensis_[B] | 6 males | (211-217)| (25.0-27.0)| - | 3 females| (208-213)| (25.0-26.0)| - -----------------+----------+-------------+----------------+---------- - - [B] From Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1932:221). - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 17 (9 males, 8 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Garakayo, 1 (Sept. 19)--Peleliu, 7 - (Aug. 27, 28, 29, Sept. 4, 5); AMNH--Palau, 9 (Oct., Nov. 13, 15, - 21, Dec. 1). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:408) records the finding of one egg at - Yap on December 3, 1930. The NAMRU2 party obtained no evidence of - breeding activity of these pigeons at the Palaus in August and - September, 1945. Coultas, in November and December of 1931, - obtained birds with enlarged gonads at Palau. Probably the nesting - season begins in November or December. - - _Food habits._--The pigeons feed on both fruits and green stuffs. - The NAMRU2 party found berries, fruit parts and green plant - materials in stomachs of birds taken in September, 1945. The birds - were found to be exceedingly fat at this time. - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:486, 489) records the bird lice - (Mallophaga), _Goniocotes carpohagae_ and _Colopocephalum - unicolor_, from this pigeon at Palau. - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Pigeon at Palau was first observed in 1783, -when Captain Henry Wilson of the packet "Antelope" was shipwrecked in -these islands. In his account of the islands, as compiled by George -Keate (Wilson, 1788), Wilson described the large pigeons, which were -kept as pets by the natives and were eaten by only certain classes of -people. In 1826, Lesson and Garnot made first reference to the birds -found by Wilson. It was almost 100 years after Wilson's visit that the -bird was again observed; this time it was obtained by the sea captains, -Tetens and Heinsohn, and by Kubary, the collector for the Godeffroy -Museum. - -It is surprising that a pigeon as large and conspicuous as this one, has -not already been exterminated by man on these small islands. Every -traveller to the islands, who has made observations, writes that the -pressure of hunting on these birds is severe. Coultas (field notes) -reports that in 1931 the birds were "very scarce and wild." He comments -that the Japanese hunters obtained the birds and received the market -price of 35 sen for each one. He writes, "There is a group of Japanese -hunters in the islands who vie with one another to see who can obtain -the most birds. They are all atrocious shots but some employ natives and -since so many of them are in the business they are inflicting -considerable damage to the bird life. During my stay there one Japanese -was sentenced to six weeks hard labor for hiring native hunters. The -native hunter who preferred charges claimed that money was due him for -having shot some 3,500 birds and the account had been standing over a -year." Price (1936b:491) shows a picture of a captive pigeon at Palau. -The natives used this bird as a calling decoy to attract others within -range of their blowguns. - -The NAMRU2 party observed pigeons at all islands visited in August and -September, 1945. At Peleliu, the pigeons were found to be restricted to -relatively undisturbed areas where tall trees remained or where shrubs -were present on the faces of overhanging cliffs. The shrubs on cliffs -were favorite roosting places. Although the pigeons remained in these -relatively inaccessible areas, they were not especially difficult to -obtain with shotguns. I can see that it might be difficult for unarmed -hunters to obtain the birds. The present writer (1946b:210) has recorded -the extensive utilization of pigeons, rails and megapodes by Japanese -troops and by their prisoners of war at Babelthuap and Koror during the -latter part of the war. - -During our stay at Peleliu we were unable to learn whether the pigeon -was still present at Pulo Anna (Current Island), a coral island some 160 -miles southeast of Peleliu. The U. S. Navy frequently dispatched a ship -to the island, but we did not learn of it until our stay at Peleliu was -nearly over. Dr. C. K. Dorsey, then of the U. S. Naval Epidemiology Unit -at Peleliu, reported that various kinds of birds were numerous at Pulo -Anna, but he did not recall seeing the pigeon. This pigeon may occur -also at Fais, a raised coral island west of Yap and Ulithi in the -Carolines. I know of no reports dealing with the avifauna of this -phosphate island, but I examined several pictures, taken by Navy landing -parties and the Military Government personnel, which show the island to -be covered with extensive and luxuriant vegetation. I suspect that an -intensive survey of the island will reveal several new records for -birds. - - -=Ducula oceanica teraokai= (Momiyama) - -Micronesian Pigeon - - _Globicera oceanica teraokai_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 2. (Type locality, Tol, Truk Islands.) - - _Columba oceanica_ Kittlitz (part), Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, - 3, 1833, p. 25, pl. 33, fig. 1 (Lugunor); _idem_ (part), Obser. - Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 299 (Lougounor); - Hartlaub (part), Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, pp. 115, 185, - (Mordlockinseln). - - _Carpophaga (Globicera) pacifica_ Gray (part), Cat. Birds Trop. - Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 41 (Mortlock's Island). - - _Carpophaga pacifica_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 146 (Lugunor). - - _Carpophaga oceanica_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. - 576 (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 330, 353 (Nukuor, Ruk); Wiglesworth (part), - Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 52 (Luganor, Ruk, Nukuor); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 8 - (Ruk). - - _Globicera oceanica_ Salvadori (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., - 21, 1893, p. 176 (Ruk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 52 (Ruk). - - _Globicera oceanica teraokai_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 55 (Ruk, ?Mortlock, ?Nukuor); Mathews, Syst. - Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 45 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 189 (Truk). - - _M[uscadivora] o[ceanica] oceanica_ Neumann (part), Verhandl. - Ornith. Ges. Bayern, 25, 1922, p. 234 (Ualam = Truk). - - _Ducula oceanica teraokai_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, - p. 43 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 212 - (Truk); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, 1943, p. 11 (Truk); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk, ?Lukunor, - ?Nukuoro. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _D. o. monacha_, but slightly - darker on crown, nape, and mantle; back more bluish and less - greenish, underparts slightly darker chestnut. Differs from _D. o. - townsendi_ by being paler and gray on crown, nape, shoulder, side - of neck, and upper breast; abdomen and under tail-coverts slightly - deeper chestnut. Differs from _D. o. oceanica_ by larger size; - upper parts paler; abdomen and under side of tail deeper chestnut. - I agree with Amadon (1943:11) that this subspecies is only - doubtfully distinct from _D. o. monacha_ and that it might be - advisable to unite these under one subspecific name. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 27. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 14 (5 males, 9 females, 1 - unsexed) from Caroline Islands, AMNH--Truk (Nov., Dec.). - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Pigeon at Truk was observed by Kittlitz -(1836:299) and later by Kubary at the islands of Lukunor and Nukuoro. -Momiyama (1922:4) remarks that he did not see specimens from these two -islands but concludes that they probably belong to the subspecies named -from Truk. It is possible that birds at these two atolls have been -exterminated, although adequate field investigations have not been made. - -There is little information published concerning the natural history of -this subspecies. McElroy, who visited Truk in December, 1945, did not -find the bird; however, he did not visit all of the islands in the group -during his stay. - - -=Ducula oceanica townsendi= (Wetmore) - -Micronesian Pigeon - - _Globicera oceanica townsendi_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 191. (Type locality, Ponapé). - - _Carpophaga oceanica_ Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 780 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 407 - (Ponapé); Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 292 (Ponapé); - _idem_, 1881, pp. 113, 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause (part), - Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth - (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 52 (Ponapé); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, - p. 113 (Guam, error = Ponapé). - - _Globicera oceanica_ Salvadori (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., - 21, 1893, p. 176 (Ponapé). - - _Globicera oceanica townsendi_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 6 (Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 55 - (Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 45 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 190 (Ponapé). - - _Ducula oceanica townsendi_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, - 1937, p. 44 (Ponapé); Bequaert, Mushi, vol. 12, no. 2, 1939, pp. - 81, 82 (Ponapé); _idem_, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, - 1941, pp. 266, 290 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 212 (Ponapé); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, 1943, - p. 11 (Ponapé); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 - (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _D. o. teraokai_, but darker. - Resembles. closely _D. o. oceanica_ but larger and darker on crown - and nape; lower parts slightly paler but chin more cream-buff in - color. As Adamon (1943:11) states, there is little difference - between _D. o. townsendi_ and _D. o. oceanica_ except in size. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 27. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number 21 (11 males, 9 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 2 (Feb. 11, - 12); AMNH--Ponapé, 19 (Nov. 22, 29, Dec. 1, 2, 3). - - _Nesting._--Coultas (field notes) writes that the pigeon at Ponapé - nests the year around, probably two or three times a year. He - describes the nest as being made of loose twigs and as placed on a - fork of a limb in a tall tree. One egg is laid. Coultas saw "two or - three" females nesting in December. - - _Parasites._--Bequaert (1939:81, 82 and 1941:266, 290) found the - flies (Hippoboscidae), _Ornithoctona plicata_ and _O. pusilla_, on - pigeons from Ponapé. - -_Remarks._--Coultas (field notes) writes that in 1930 several Japanese -made a livelihood as professional hunters of pigeons at Ponapé. He -notes, "Two or three years ago, 4 or 5 Japanese, each, averaged from 75 -to 100 birds per day, which they sold to the inhabitants for 35 sen -(17-1/2 cents) per bird.... Now these same hunters are fortunate if they -obtain 4 or 5 Ducula each per day and are able to do so only by starting -before daylight and covering great distances. Other birds are now -replacing Ducula on the market." Coultas further records in his notes -that the hunters used calls to attract the pigeons. In 1930, Coultas -regarded the pigeon at Ponapé as a rapidly disappearing species; he -found it only in small areas in remote regions of the mountains. With -the shipping of supplies cut off to the Japanese garrison forces at -Ponapé, as well as at Kusaie, Truk, and Yap by the effective American -blockade during the latter part of the war, it is probable that the -pigeons were hunted more intensively by the Japanese hunting parties -than ever before. Richards obtained two specimens at Ponapé in the -period from August, 1947, to January, 1948. - - -=Ducula oceanica oceanica= (Lesson and Garnot) - -Micronesian Pigeon - - _Columba oceanica_ Lesson and Garnot, Dict. Sci. Nat., éd., - Levrault, 40, 1826, p. 316. (Type locality, Oualan = Kusaie.) - - _Columba oceanica_ Lesson (part), Voy. "La Coquille," Zool.; - Atlas, 1826, pl. 41; vol. 2, 1828, pp. 432, 708 (Oualan or - Strong); _idem_, (part), Man. d'Ornith., 11, 1828, p. 166 - (Oualan); Kittlitz (part), Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 3, 1833, - p. 25, pl. 23, fig. 1 (Ualan); _idem_ (part), Observ. Zool., in - Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 284 (Ualan); Lesson, - Compl. de Buffon, 2d ed., 2, Oiseaux, 1839, p. 292 (Oualan); - Prévost and Knip (part), Les Pigeons, 2, 1838-43, p. 47, pl. 24 - (Oualan); Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, 39, 1854, p. - 1072 (Oualan); Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und - Kamchat., 1, 1858, pp. 39, 49, 62 (Ualan). - - _Carpohaga oceanica_ Hartlaub (part), Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, - 1852, pp. 115, 185 (Ualan); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen = Kusaie); Hartlaub and Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 101 (Ualan); Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, 6, no. 35, - 1873, p. 87 (Oualan); Salvadori (part). Cronaca del R. - Liceo-Ginnasio Cavour, 1878, pp. 3, 8 (Oualan); Finsch (part), - Ibis, 1880, pp. 220, 331, 332 (Taluit); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. - Ornith., 1880, pp. 292, 304 (Kuschai); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, p. 108 - (Kuschai); _idem_, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 50 (Kuschai, - Jaluit); Hartert, Katalog Vogelsamml, Senckenb., 1891, p. 190 - (Ualan); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 52 (Ualan, Taluit); Matschie (part), - Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Ualan). - - _Globicera oceanica_ Bonaparte (part), Consp. Avium, 2, 1855, p. - 31 (Oualan); _idem_, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, 43, 1856, p. - 835 (Oualan); Reichenbach (part), Tauben, 1861, p. 120 (Oualan); - Salvadori (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 176 - (Kushai). - - _Carpophaga pacifica_ Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 145 (Ualan). - - _Carpophaga (Globicera) oceanica_ Gray (part), Cat. Birds Trop. - Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 41 (Oualan). - - _Globicera oceanica oceanica_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 191 (Kusaie); Momiyama - (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 6 (Kusaie, Taluit); Kuroda - (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 55 (Kusaie, - Taluit); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 45 - (Kusaie); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 44, 1932, p. - 221 (Jaluit, Iringlob, Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 190 (Kusaie, Jaluit, Elmore). - - _Muscadivora oceanica oceanica_ Neumann (part), Verhandl. Ornith. - Ges. Bayern, 25, 1922, p. 234 (Kushai). - - _Ducula Oceanica oceanica_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, - 1937, p. 44 (Kusaie, Jaluit, Elmore); Bequaert, Mushi, 12, 1939, - p. 81 (Kusaie); _idem_, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, - 1941, p. 266 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 212 (Kusaie, Jaluit, Elmore); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, - 1943, p. 11 (Kusaie, Jaluit, Elmore); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Kusaie, Jaluit, Elmore). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie; Marshall - Islands--Jaluit, Elmore. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A large knob-billed pigeon with breast - gray, washed with buff; head and neck dark gray; feathers at base - of bill and on chin buff-white; abdomen and under tail-coverts - near "burnt sienna," sides grayer; mantle, back, rump, upper - tail-coverts, wings and tail bronze-green edged with a dark bluish - sheen; under side of wing and under side of tail brown; bill and - knob black; feet blackish-red; iris reddish-brown. Adult female - resembles adult male but smaller and possibly a little darker - bluish-green on back, wings, and tail. - - _D. o. oceania_ resembles _D. o. townsendi_, but is smaller with - upper parts slightly darker and abdomen and under side of tail - lighter. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 27. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 47 (25 males, 22 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Kusaie, 2 (Feb. 8, 9,); - AMNH--Kusaie, 45 (Jan., Feb., March). - - _Parasites._--Bequaert (1939:81 and 1941:266) obtained the fly - (Hippoboscidae) _Ornithoctona plicata_ from the pigeon at Kusaie. - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Pigeon at Kusaie has been known since 1824, -when from June 5 to June 15 of that year personnel from the corvette "La -Coquille" visited the island and observed the bird. Kittlitz visited -Kusaie and observed the pigeon in December, 1827, and January, 1828. -Finsch (1880c and 1880d) found the bird in the Marshalls at Jaluit. -Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1932:221) record the bird from Elmore in the -Marshalls. Coultas (field notes) writes that the pigeon was numerous at -Kusaie in 1931. He remarks that they appear stupid and are easily killed -by the natives, who use a call to attract them. With regard to their -habits he writes, "About four o'clock in the afternoon these birds begin -congregating in the high trees of the lowlands close to the salt water -where they roost for the night. At daybreak they begin migrating to the -high mountain sides and peaks where they spend the time feeding." - - -=Ducula oceanica ratakensis= (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) - -Micronesian Pigeon - - _Globecera oceanica ratakensis_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 44, 1932, p. 221. (Type locality, Aruno.) - - _Columba australis_ Chamisso, in Kotzebue's, Voy. "Rurick," 3, - 1821, p. 157 (Radak). - - _Carpophaga oceanica_ Finsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 331 (Arno); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 52 (Arno); _idem_, Ibis, 1893, p. 211 - (Marshalls). - - _Globicera oceanica oceanica_ Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 5 (Arno); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 55 (Arno). - - _Globicera oceanica ratakensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 190 (Arhno, Wotze); Mathews, Ibis, 1933, p. 87 (Aruno, - Wozzie). - - _Ducala oceanica ratakensis_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, - 1937, p. 44 (Arno, Wotje); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 212 (Arhno, Wotze); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, 1943, - p. 12 (Arno, Wotje); Mayr. Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 - (Arno, Wotje). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Marshall Islands (Radak - Chain)--Wotje, Arhno. - - _Characters._--Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1932:221) describe this - subspecies as follows, "This form differs from all other forms of - _Globicera oceanica_ by its smaller size, more bronze-sheen on the - back, more vinaceous grey on the breast and duller brown on the - abdomen." On examining two specimens from Arno in the collection - of the Museum of Comparative Zoölogy, Amadon (1943:12) writes that - he finds no distinguishing color characters between _D. o. - oceanica_ and _D. o. ratakensis_. He also questions whether there - is any difference in size between the two populations. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 27. - -_Remarks._--Chamisso (1821), the naturalist on board the ship "Rurick," -was the first person to write of the pigeon in the Radak Chain of the -Marshall Islands. The ship visited this area in 1817. Finsch (1880b) -published an account of the bird when he visited the area about 1880. -Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1932:221) described this bird as new on the -basis of an examination of nine skins taken at Arhno and Wotje. - -_Evolutionary history of Ducula oceanica in Micronesia._--The -distribution and evolutionary history of _Ducula oceanica_ have been -treated by Mayr (1940) and Amadon (1943). These authors place _D. -oceanica_ within a superspecies containing _D. pacifica_ (Melanesia to -Samoa and Cook Islands), _D. aurorea_ (Society Islands), _D. galeata_ -(Marquesas Islands), and possibly other species in Papua and Malaysia. -According to Mayr (1942b:fig. 7), _D. pacifica_ is the species which is -ancestral to other species of pigeons in Oceania. Apparently _D. -oceanica_ was derived from this ancestral stock and reached Micronesia -via the Ellice and Gilbert islands. Records of _Ducula_ were obtained in -the Gilbert Islands in the days of exploration; Amadon (1943:11) -tentatively refers these to _D. o. oceanica_. - -The irregular distribution of _D. oceanica_ in the islands of Micronesia -and the fact that the bird exists on both "high" volcanic islands as -well as on "low" coral atolls suggest that the present population may be -a remnant of a once more widely distributed one. The fact that _D. -oceanica_ may be divided into several subspecies shows that a greater -amount of geographic variation has occurred as compared with its -probable ancestral stock, _D. pacifica_, which is virtually -undifferentiated over most of its extensive range. The pigeon of -Micronesia has a more rounded wing than that of _D. pacifica_, which -might, as Amadon has suggested, cause the bird to be more sedentary and -lend itself more readily to differentiation through geographic -isolation. _D. pacifica_ is known to fly from island to island. As shown -by the measurements in table 27, the length of wing of _D. oceanica_ -differs, in the various insular populations, being longer in the west -and shorter in the east. This cline has been discussed by Amadon -(1943:11). - -It is interesting that _Ducula_ or some other large pigeon has not -become established in the Mariana Islands. _Ducula_ is present at Yap -and Truk, which are not very distant from Guam. Another tropical pigeon, -_Columba vitiensis_, has extended its range northward and reached the -Bonin Islands; probably it arrived there via the Philippines or the Riu -Kiu Islands. Thus, there are representatives of large pigeons on islands -to the southeast, south, west and northwest of the Marianas, but none -has become established in the Marianas themselves. - - -=Streptopelia bitorquata dusumieri= (Temminck) - -Philippine Turtle Dove - - _Columba dusumieri_ Temminck, Pl. col., livr. 32, 1832, p. 188. - (Type locality, Vicinity of Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands.) - - _Colombe Dussumier_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., 1824, - pp. 35, 680 (Mariannes); _idem_, Ann. Sci. Nat. Paris, 6, 1825, p. - 148 (Mariannes). - - _Columba dusumieri_ Wagler, Syst. Avium Columba, 1827, p. 266, sp. - 99 (Marianis). - - _Columba Dussumieri_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guahan). - - _Streptopelia gaimardi_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 2, 1854, p. 66 - (Type locality, Mariannes); _idem_, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. - Paris, 40, 1855, p. 18 (Mariannes); Reichenbach, Tauben, 1862, p. - 76 (Mariannen). - - _Turtur (Streptopelia) Giamardi_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. - Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 43 (Guam). - - _Turtur gaimardi_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 239 (Marian). - - _Turtur dussumieri_ Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, 6, no. 35, 1873, p. - 120 (Mariannes); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. Und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 54 (Marianne); Salvadori, - Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 423 (Mariannes); Oustalet, - Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 222 (Guam); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 60 (Guam, Saipan); Wheeler, - Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers - Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 43 (Marianas); Safford, - Osprey, 1902, p. 68 (Marianas); _idem_, Amer. Anthro., 4, 1902, p. - 711 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 264 (Guam); - Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 760 (Marianne); Safford, Contr. U. - S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 78 (Guam); Schnee, Zeitschr. f. - Naturwisch., 82, 1912, p. 466 (Marianen); Prowazek, Die deutschen - Marianen, 1913, p. 101 (Marianen); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, - p. 341 (Marianen); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 20 (Guam). - - _Streptopelia dussumieri_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 54 (Guam, Saipan); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, - 1, 1927, p. 62 (Marianas); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 189 (Saipan, Tinian, Rota). - - _Tuttur dessumieri_ Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 - (Guam). - - _Streptopelia bitorquata dusumieri_ Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 3, 1937, p. 96 (Marianne); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 211 (Saipan, Tinian, Rota); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Marianas); Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. - 41 (Guam); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 96 - (Tinian); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 538 (Guam); Stott, Auk, 1947, - p. 526 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 60 (Guam, Rota). - - _Streptopelia bitorquata_ Baker, Trans. 11th N. American Wildlife - Conf., 1946, p. 208 (Guam); _idem_, Condor. 49, 1947, p. 125 - (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Philippine Islands, Sula Archipelago, northern - Borneo. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands (introduced)--Guam, Rota, - Tinian, Saipan. - - _Characters._--Adult: A medium-sized dove with head and nape near - "light Quaker drab" with a vinous tinge; chin and upper throat - whitish becoming near "vinaceous buff" on lower throat and to near - "vinaceous-faun" on breast and upper abdomen; lower abdomen, vent, - and under tail-coverts white; tibia grayish; neck feathers dark - with grayish centers and metallic greenish-slate edges; color near - "Japan rose"; back, rump, upper tail-coverts, scapulars, upper - wing-coverts, and inner secondaries dark "drab"; sides, upper wing - coverts, outer secondaries, and under wing-coverts lead colored; - primaries blackish edged with light gray; central tail feathers - like back but paler, outer feathers of tail darker with brownish - tinge on edges; outermost tail feathers blackish tipped with gray - and with outer webs whitish; bill dark; feet reddish; iris orange. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of 15 adult males from Guam, Rota - and Tinian: wing, 154-162 (158); tail, 127-135 (130); culmen, - 16.2-18.1 (17.2); tarsus, 24-27 (25.5); of 10 adult females from - Guam and Rota: wing, 150-162 (156); tail, 120-130 (127); culmen, - 16.2-19.1 (17.5); tarsus, 24-26 (25). No differences in - measurements were found between populations from Guam, Rota and - Tinian. - - _Weights._--The author (1948:61) reports the weights of five adult - males as 130-167 (152) and of six adult females as 135-159 (146). - These birds were taken at Guam. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 27 (16 males, 11 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 21 (Feb. 7, May 25, 26, June - 9, July 6, 7, 10, 18, 23, Aug. 2, 11, Sept. 8, Oct. 8)--Rota, 4 - (Oct. 18, 22, 23, Nov. 2)--Tinian, 2 (Oct. 24, 25). - - _Nesting._--The NAMRU2 party found evidences of nesting by this - dove at Guam in February, March, April, and June. Nests were - observed on May 29 and June 28. On the latter date a nest - containing one nestling and one unhatched egg was found near Mount - Santa Rosa. The nest was situated approximately five feet from the - ground in a low bush. Two eggs taken by Necker at Rota on October - 31, 1945, are white and measure 29.6 by 23.0 and 30.1 by 23.0. - Strophlet (1946:538) observed a bird carrying nest materials at - Guam on November 13. Hartert (1898:60) reports on nests found at - Guam in April and May. Each nest contained one egg. It is probable - that this bird nests at all times of the year. The nuptial flight - of these birds reminds one very much of that of the mourning dove - of North America. - -_Remarks._--The Philippine Turtle Dove was introduced from the -Philippines to Guam and other islands of the southern Marianas by the -Spanish probably in the 18th Century; it was in 1771-1774 that the -Philippine deer (_Rusa_) was introduced to Guam. Perhaps these birds -were initially introduced as caged birds or possibly were liberated to -offer hunting for the colonial governors. They have been a very -successful introduction and are well established. At Guam (see Baker -1947b:124), this species comprised 15.5 percent of all birds seen along -roadways. Although open areas appear to be preferred by this dove and -although it may be on the increase owing to the clearing operations of -the war effort, it appears to be equally adapted to forested areas and -coconut groves. It feeds on the ground to a large extent, fitting into -an ecologic niche which few other species of birds of the islands -occupy. It was even observed feeding on sandy beaches and tidal flats at -low tide. - -In 1931, Coultas found the dove to be numerous at Guam, but thought that -it was in danger of extinction at Tinian and Saipan owing to extensive -hunting. Downs (1946:96) reported that in 1945 the dove was abundant at -Tinian. Gleise (1945:22) estimated the population of these doves at 300 -on Tinian in 1945. From the remarks of Stott (1947:526), we may assume -that the population at Saipan is in no immediate danger of extinction. - -A comparison of specimens from the Marianas with those from the -Philippines reveals no significant difference between the two. Bonaparte -described the dove in the Marianas as new, naming it _Streptopelia -gaimardi_. The name _Turtur prevostianus_ has been used by some authors -to denote the dove in the Marianas, but this was through error as -explained by Salvadori (1893:410). This name refers to a dove found on -Marianne, an island of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean. - - -=Gallicolumba canifrons= (Hartlaub and Finsch) - -Palau Ground Dove - - _Phlegoenas canifrons_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 101. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Phlegoenas canifrons_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 5, 27, pl. 5, fig. 1 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. - Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und - Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 57 (Pelew); - Hartert; Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 61 (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Palau); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 53 (Pelews). - - _Phlogoenas canifrons_ Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877, p. - 112 (Pelew); Salvadori, Ornith.] Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 169 - (Pelew); _idem_, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 592 - (Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, - 1895, p. 227 (Palaos); Bolau. Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, - 1898, p. 68 (Palau); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 772 (Pelew). - - _Phaps canifrons_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 89 (Pelew). - - _Gallicolumba canifrons canifrons_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 74 (Pelew). - - _Gallicolumba canifrons_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 189 (Palau); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 828, 1936, p. 4 (Palau); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. 136 (Palau); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 211 (Babelthuap); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 290 (Palau); Mayr, Audubon Mag., 47, - 1945, p. 282 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 62 (Garakayo, Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A small, ground dove with forehead, - crown, sides of head, chin, throat, and breast ashy gray, lighter - on forehead, chin, and throat, and washed with "light - vinaceous-faun" on breast; occiput, nape and mantle dark - "ferruginous"; rest of upper parts glossed with bronze-olive; - lesser and middle wing-coverts tipped with metallic purple; wings - reddish-brown with dark brown tips; under side of wing - reddish-brown to brown; abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts dark - grayish-brown; tail colored like back, outer feathers have a paler - brown terminal band rather obscure; bill horn colored; feet red; - iris brown. - - Female: A female molting into adult plumage is cinnamon colored, - mottled with dark brown; on the back an olive-green sheen is - beginning to appear; tail brown with some greenish sheen; tips of - tail edged with light brown; bill and feet light brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of six adult males are: wing, - 112-119 (115); tail, 65-72 (70); exposed culmen, 15.3-16.1 (15.7); - tarsus, 30.1-31.2 (30.8); of one female in postjuvenal molt: wing, - 107; tail, 69; exposed culmen, 17.1; tarsus, 30. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 8 (7 males, 1 female), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 1 (Nov. 18)--Garakayo, 2 - (Sept. 17, 19)--Peleliu, 2 (Sept. 1, Dec. 5)--Ngabad, 1 (Sept. 11); - AMNH--exact locality not given, 1 (Dec. 1). - - _Food habits._--Stomachs of specimens taken by the NAMRU2 party at - Peleliu and Garakayo contained one and one-half to two cc. of hard - seeds and seed parts. - -_Remarks._--The Palau Ground Dove, according to Amadon (1943:19), is a -member of a superspecies containing _G. hoedti_ (Wetar), _G. beccarii_ -(New Guinea, Bismarcks, Solomons), _G. sanctaecrucis_ (Santa Cruz, New -Hebrides), and _G. stairi_ (central Polynesia). - -_G. canifrons_ apparently came to the Palaus from either New Guinea or -the region of the Bismarck Archipelago, evolving from _G. beccarii_ or -some related form. The Palau Ground Dove has a copper-colored occiput, -nape, and shoulder patch, but otherwise it resembles this Melanesian -species, _G. beccarii_. Amadon (1943:20) discusses two types of plumage -of females in _G. stairi_; one is a male type of plumage. The lack of -female specimens prevents me from determining whether this -characteristic is present in _G. canifrons_. - -Coultas (field notes) had difficulty in obtaining even one specimen of -_G. canifrons_ in the Palaus in 1931. He concluded that either the bird -was practically extinct or that he just could not find it. From the -experience of the NAMRU2 party in the southern Palaus in 1945, I would -think that he merely did not find the bird. Although it is probably rare -in comparison with some other members of the family Columbidae of these -islands, we found this bird on most of the islands visited. - -The NAMRU2 party arrived at Palau expecting to find the ground dove a -fairly conspicuous member of the avifauna and expecting to see it -sitting in trees and flying across the roads much in the same manner as -did the ground dove at Guam, _G. x. xanthonura_. At first, we did not -find the bird, but in the dense jungles a low, penetrating, and -intermittent, call was heard which may be described as a moan. This was -the call of the ground dove. The bird was difficult to discover because -its color blended so well with the shadows and dark background of the -coral rocks and forest litter. The bird was very active and moved along -rapidly pecking at food particles. Also it was wary. Once the -distinctive call note was recognized, it was not difficult to locate the -area in which the bird was living; however, finding the bird was -difficult. On one occasion I stalked a dove for at least a half an hour -knowing that it was always within fifty yards of me. A bird that was -flushed, flew about twenty-five feet and dropped down in open forest -litter and disappeared. On the basis of specimens collected and call -notes heard, I estimate that the population of the Palau Ground Dove on -the islands visited in 1945 was as follows: Peleliu--a minimum of 15 -(found in most forested areas which were not greatly damaged by the -invasion operations); Garakayo--a minimum of 10 (the doves were found to -live equally well on the steep hillsides or in flat jungle on this -islet); Ngabad--5 to 10 (doves were heard in several areas on this small -islet); Angaur--not estimated (one call was heard in brush near the edge -of a fresh water lake). - - -=Gallicolumba xanthonura xanthonura= (Temminck) - -White-throated Ground Dove - - _Columba xanthonura_ Temminck, Pl. col., livr. 32, 1823, pl. 190. - (Type locality, Mariannes.) - - _Columba xanthonura_ Lesson, Compl. de Buffon, 2nd ed., 2, - Oiseaux, 1838, p. 281 (Mariannes). - - _Columba Pampusan_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., 1824, - pp. 121, 681, pl. 30 (Mariannes); Dumont, Dict. Sci. Nat., ed. - Levrault, 40, 1826, p. 345 (Guam); Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, - p. 471 (Mariannes); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Mariannen). - - _Columba erythroptera_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 471 - (Mariannes); Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guahan); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1854, p. 167 (Mariannen). - - _Columba xanthura_ Prévost and Knip, Les Pigeons, 2, 1838-43, p. - 45, pl. 23 (Guam). - - _Pampusana xanthua_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 2, 1854, p. 89 - (Mariannis); _idem_, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, 40, 1855, p. - 207 (Mariannes); Reichenbach, Tauben, 1861, p. 39 (Guam). - - _Caloenas (Pampusana) xanthura_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific - Ocean, 1859, p. 45 (Guam). - - _Phlegoenas erythroptera_ Reichenbach, Tauben, 1861, p. 41 - (Mariannen). - - _Caloenas xanthura_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 247 - (Marian). - - _Phlegoenas yapensis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, 1872, p. 102 (Type - locality, Uap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, pp. 122, - 123 (Yap); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 391 (Yap); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 57 (Yap); Hartert, Novit. - Zool., 5, 1898, p. 61 (Yap); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. - 113 (Yap). - - _Pampusana rousseaui_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 103 (Marianne). - - _Phaps erythroptera_ Giebel (part), Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 89 - (Marianne). - - _Phaps xanthura_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 91 (Marianne). - - _Phaps yapensis_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 91 (Uap). - - _Phlegoenas virgo_ Reichenow. Journ. f. Ornith., 1885, p. 110 - (Type locality, Palau-Inseln, error = Guam). - - _Phlogaenas erythroptera_ Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 261 - (Mariannes). - - _Phlegoenas pampusan_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 55 (Marianne); Oustalet, - Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 224 (Saypan, - Guam, Rota). - - _Phlogoenas yapensis_ Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, - 1893, p. 593 (Uap); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, - (3), 7, 1895, p. 227 (Mackensie); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. - Hamburg, 1898, p. 68 (Yap); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2. 1904, p. 772 - (Uap). - - _Phlogoenas pampusan_ Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, - 1893, p. 602 (Marianne). - - _Phlegoenas xanthonura_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 60 - (Guam, Saipan); Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 - (Guam); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Guam, Saipan); - Safford, Amer. Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); _idem_, Osprey, - 1902, p. 68 (Mariannas); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 264 - (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 78 (Guam); - Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 20 (Guam). - - _Phlogoenas xanthonura_ Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., - 1, 1901, p. 42 (Marianas); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 331 - (Mariannen); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 24 (Guam). - - _Phlegoenas xanthonura xanthonura_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 54 (Guam, Rota, Saipan). - - _Phlegoenas xanthonura yapensis_ Kuroda, in Momoyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 54 (Yap). - - _Gallicolumba xanthonura_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, - 1, 1927, p. 75 (Marianas, Mackenzie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 189 (Pagan, Almagan, Saipan, Tinian, Rota, - Mackenzie); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 828, 1936, p. 4 - (Marianne); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. 136 - (Marianne, Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 211 - (Yap, Assongsong, Pagan, Almagan, Saipan, Tinian, Rota); - Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 538 (Guam); Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, - 1946, p. 174 (Guam); Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. 125 (Guam). - - _Gallicolumba canifrons yapensis_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 74 (Yap). - - _Terricolumba xanthonura_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 677 - (Assongsong). - - _Gallicolumba xanthonura xanthonura_ Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 290 (Marianas, Yap); Watson, The Raven, 17, - 1946, p. 41 (Guam); Stott, Auk, 1947, p. 526 (Saipan); Baker, - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 61 (Guam, Rota - Yap). - - _Gallecolumba xanthonura xanthonura_ Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. - Sci., 49, 1946, p. 96 (Tinian). - -[Illustration: FIG. 14. Geographic distribution of _Gallicolumba_ of -Micronesia and Eastern Polynesia and routes of its dispersal. (1) _G. -jobiensis_; (2) _G. x. kubaryi_; (3) _G. x. xanthonura_; (4) _G. -erythroptera_; (5) _G. rubescens_.] - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Asuncion, Pagan, - Almagan, Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam; Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Forehead, face, chin, throat, and upper - breast white, lightly washed with pale buff; crown, occiput, sides - of head, and nape rusty brown to dark brown; rest of upper parts - dark bronze-olive; feathers of mantle and upper wing-coverts - broadly edged with metallic purple-violet; primaries, under - wing-coverts and axillaries brown; tail, lower breast and rest of - underparts dark brown; bill and feet dark brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but smaller and with - underparts colored between "ochraceous-tawny" and "cinnamon brown" - instead of dark brown and white; head and neck darker and with - more rufous than underparts; remainder of upper surface resembles - underparts but with striking olive green sheen, especially on - upper wing-coverts; primaries brown but outer webs lighter; tail - rufous-brown, with a broad, black subterminal band. - - The male type of plumage in the adult female is: breast light drab - tinged with light brown and darkening anteriorly; crown resembles - that of normal female although darker and becoming lighter and - grayer on neck and nape; shoulder and wing-coverts compare - favorably with that of adult male although lighter and with - yellowish tinge; back bronzed olive-green as in normal female but - mantle with a few purplish feathers characteristic of male; - abdomen near "olive brown" with buffy-brown edges to feathers. - - Immature male: Resembles adult male, but head and nape darker - brown; throat and upper breast may be more brown and less white. - - Immature female: Resembles adult female, but with more rufous - coloring; olive-green sheen on feathers reduced in amount or - absent. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are found in table 28. - - -TABLE 28. MEASUREMENTS OF _Gallicolumba xanthonura_ - - ===================+==========+=========+========+===========+======== - SUBSPECIES | Number | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - -------------------+----------+---------+--------+-----------+-------- - _G. x. xanthonura_ |43 males | 146 | 102 | 22.0 | 32 - | |(139-153)|(97-111)|(21.0-23.0)| (31-33) - | | | | | - |31 females| 136 | 94 | 20.5 | 30 - | |(131-141)|(90-98) |(20.0-21.5 | (28-32) - | | | | | - _G. x. kubaryi_ | 7 males | 157 | | 23.0 | 35 - | |(152-160)| |(20.5-23.5)| (33-35) - | | | | | - | 7 females| 148 | | 23.0 | 33 - | |(145-151)| |(22.5-23.5)| (32-34) - -------------------+----------+---------+--------+-----------+-------- - - - There is little difference in the measurements of specimens from - Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and Asuncion. No specimens from Yap - were available for examination. - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party obtained weights of this ground dove - from Guam as follows: seven adult males 119-154 (130); seven adult - females 96-150 (118). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 96 (50 males, 38 females, 8 - unsexed) as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 29 (Mar. 18, - April 4, 17, May 20, 28, June 2, 9, 13, 14, 15, 20, 23, 24, 27, 28, - July 2, 6, 10, 23, Aug. 11, 21)--Rota, 6 (Oct. 20, 22, 25, 26, Nov. - 1, 2)--Tinian, 4 (Oct. 24, 26); AMNH--Guam, 40 (Jan. 17, 30, Feb. - 12, 20, March 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 23, April 13, 19, June 13, 15, July - 10, 25, Aug. 4, 10, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 21, 22, Sept. 4, Dec. 26, - 30)--Tinian, 8 (Sept. 7, 10, 11, 12, 13)--Saipan, 6 (July 13, 15, - Aug. 24, Sept. 7, 8)--Asuncion, 3 (Jan. 18, Feb. 7, June). - - _Nesting._--The NAMRU2 party found the ground dove nesting at Guam - in the winter and spring months beginning in late January. Nests - were observed in tall trees, many of which were well isolated from - other trees and vegetation. On February 10 a nest was discovered in - a breadfruit tree near one of the NAMRU2 barracks on Oca Point. It - was approximately 50 feet above the ground. On February 26 I found - pieces of egg shell beneath the tree. Occasionally during the day, - the male, but never the female, was observed sitting on this nest. - On February 10, a dove (the male) was observed building a nest in a - large banyan tree at Oca Point. Another nest was being constructed - by a female on March 7. On March 17 a young female dove, just - beginning to fly, was taken; another was found on April 3. Adult - birds with enlarged gonads were taken in April, May, June, and - July. Marche, according to Oustalet (1895:224), obtained eggs in - May, 1887. - - _Food habits._--Stomachs of doves taken at Guam contained fruits - and fruit parts. On March 9, a dove was observed feeding on the - berries of the shrub known as "inkbush." This appeared to be a - favorite food. Seale (1901:42) also mentions that this berry is a - preferred food. - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174) lists the chigger (Acarina), - _Trombicula_ sp., from the ground dove at Guam. - -_Remarks._--At Guam, the NAMRU2 party observed the ground dove to be -fairly common in 1945. Along roadways, the present author (1947b:124) -found that individuals of this species comprised 2.5 percent of the -total population of birds observed, and the ground dove was seen on 31.2 -percent of 125 road counts made. The male was much more in evidence than -the female and was frequently seen flying high over the roadways and -jungle areas; eighty percent of the ground doves seen while road-counts -were being made were males. The female was found less frequently; it was -a less conspicuous bird and was seen only occasionally in flight. -Neither sex appeared to have the secretive, terrestrial habits of _G. -canifrons_ of the Palau Islands. On the basis of our observations at -Guam, I would say that the name "ground dove" for the bird at Guam is -not descriptive. The birds were found to spend considerable time in tall -trees; the closest that I saw them to the ground was when they were -feeding only three to four feet from the ground in the ink berry bushes. - -The call note of this dove is much like that of the Palau Ground Dove; -Seale (1901:42) describes it as follows, "These pigeons seem to prefer -the deep jungle, from whence their deep low moan, like the sound of a -man dying in great distress, comes with a weird uncanny effect, -heightened by the gloom and darkness of the unknown forest.... This -sound, which always seems to come from a long distance, is very -misleading, and one is considerably surprised to find he is perhaps -within a few feet of the bird." Seale writes that they were very common -on Guam in 1900. In 1931, Coultas found the dove "quite common at the -north end of the island." The bird apparently prefers the dense forest -or second growth brushy areas, but was found also in the partly cleared -areas surrounding the NAMRU2 headquarters at Oca Point in 1945. At Rota, -the NAMRU2 party found the birds to be numerous in 1945. Coultas -observed only a few birds on Tinian in 1931; Downs (1946:96) found only -a small population at this island in 1945. The extensive cultivation and -clearing activities at Tinian have removed much of the habitat suitable -for these, as well as other birds. At Saipan, Stott (1947:526) writes -that the bird is common on "brush-covered hillsides and semi-wooded -country." There is little information published regarding the status of -this dove in the northern Marianas. - - -=Gallicolumba xanthonura kubaryi= (Finsch) - -White-throated Ground Dove - - _Phlegoenas Kubaryi_ Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 292. (Type - locality, Ruck and Ponapé.) - - _Phlegoenas erythroptera_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 2, 1854, p. 89 - (Carolines); Reichenbach, Tauben, 1862, p. 41 (Carolines); Finsch, - Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 780 (Ponapé); _idem_, - Ibis, 1881, p. 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. - Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 353 (Ponapé, Ruk); Tristram, Cat. - Birds, 1889, p. 41 (Ruk). - - _Phlegoenas kubaryi_ Reichenow and Schalow, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1881, p. 75 (Ruk, Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 55 (Ruk, Ponapé); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 8 (Ruk, Ponapé); Matschie, - Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Ruck, Ponapé); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 53 (Ruk, Ponapé). - - _Phlogoenas erythroptera_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, - p. 576 (Ponapé, Ruk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 - (Ruk). - - _Phlogoenas kubaryi_ Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, - p. 599 (Ruk, Ponapé); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, - (3), 7, 1895, p. 227 (Caroline = Truk); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. - Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 68 (Ruck); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, - p. 331 (Karolinen). - - _Phlegaenas kubaryi_ Christian, The Caroline Islands, 1899, p. 357 - (Ponapé). - - _Gallicolumba kubaryi_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, - 1927, p. 74 (Caroline Is.); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 189 (Truk, Ponapé); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1947, p. - 136 (Ruk, Ponapé); Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, - p. 204 (Ponapé); Bequaert, Mushi, 12, 1939, p. 81 (Ponapé); - _idem_, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, p. 266 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 211 (Truk, - Ponapé). - - _Gallicolumba xanthonura kubaryi_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 290 (Truk, Ponapé); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 62 (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk, Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles adult male of _G. x. - xanthonura_, but larger with crown, nape, and hind neck - sooty-black; upper back and lesser upper wing-coverts - purplish-violet, extending lower on back than in _G. x. - xanthonura_. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but smaller and paler with - upper back glossy, bronze-green margined with purplish-violet; - lower back and rump glossy, olive-green; upper tail-coverts - greenish-brown; central tail feathers blackish-brown; innermost - secondaries bright, glossy green tinged with bluish. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 28. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 21 (9 males, 11 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 1 (July); - AMNH--Ponapé, 13 (Nov., Dec.)--Truk, 7 (Jan., Feb., May). - - _Nesting._--At Ponapé in November and December, Coultas obtained - specimens which had enlarged gonads. He did not find the nest of - this bird but writes (field notes) that the natives told him that - the nest is placed in the top of the tree fern 10 or 15 feet above - the ground. In contrast, the ground dove at Guam may select a - nesting site considerably higher in the tree. Coultas reports that - one egg is laid by _C. x. kubaryi_. - - - - _Food habits._--Coultas (field notes) writes that the bird feeds - and lives on the ground at Ponapé. He lists food as small snails, - seeds, and worms. - - _Parasites._--Bequaert (1939:81 and 1941:266) records the fly - (Hippoboscidae), _Ornithoctona plicata_, from the ground dove at - Ponapé. - -_Remarks._--Coultas (field notes) writes that in 1930 the ground dove at -Ponapé was rare in the forested areas and generally found more along the -sea coast and in the upland valleys. Coultas describes its call as an -infrequent shrill, whistle-like call. He writes that hunting by the -Japanese and natives was reducing the population of _G. x. kubaryi_ at -Ponapé in 1930. In 1945, McElroy of the NAMRU2 party found the dove at -Truk on forested slopes in tall trees, and reported that its habits at -Truk were similar to those of _C. x. xanthonura_ at Guam. In 1947-1948, -Richards noted (_in litt._) that the dove at Ponapé was rare (he saw -only one specimen). At Truk, he found the bird to be "rather common" in -thickets, dry gullies, and flying over grassy slopes. He found the bird -near sea level, never in country above 300 feet in altitude and not in -deep forest. I offer no explanation for the conflicting reports -concerning the habits of this species, unless it be that the bird is -capable of varying its habits to fit particular habitats; for example, -in jungle areas it may be ground-living and in open woodlands it may be -tree-living. - -_Evolutionary history of Gallicolumba in Micronesia._--There have been -two unrelated invasions of Micronesia by the genus _Gallicolumba_. One -invasion established _G. canifrons_ at the Palau Islands. The other -established the populations of _G. xanthonura_ in the Caroline and -Mariana islands, Mayr (1936:4) points out that _G. xanthonura_ is -related to _G. jobiensis_ (New Guinea and Northern Melanesia), _G. -erythroptera_ (Society and Tuamotu islands), and _G. rubescens_ -(Marquesas Islands). This group may be regarded as a superspecies. The -adults of _G. jobiensis_, the male and female, resemble one another. In -both, the head, neck, and auriculoloral stripes are sooty-black; the eye -stripe, chin, throat, and breast are white; the abdomen is dark; and the -upper parts are blackish with a coppery sheen. Immatures are -rusty-brown. _G. xanthonura_ is closely related to _G. jobiensis_, and -they conceivably, along with _G. erythroptera_, might be considered -conspecific. The close relationship between the _G. xanthonura_ in -Micronesia and _G. erythroptera_ has been noted by Oustalet (1896:71). -Among named kinds, _G. x. kubaryi_ most closely resembles _G. jobiensis_ -with sooty-black coloring present on the head. The male and female of -_G. x. kubaryi_ closely resemble each other, although immature type of -plumage may occur in adult females as indicated by the immature plumage -of a bird containing well-developed eggs taken at Ponapé by Coultas. - -In _G. x. xanthonura_ the male lacks the sooty-black head and has lost -some of the coppery sheen from the middle of the back. The female has -taken on the immature type of plumage, except for occasional near-male -type plumage. In _G. erythroptera_ the male has lost some of the -sooty-black coloring on the forehead, anterior crown, and loral area and -some of the coppery sheen in the middle of the back. The female of _G. -erythroptera_ resembles the female of _G. x. xanthonura_ except that the -throat and breast are faintly outlined by the brownish color. The head -and malar stripe are also outlined in this manner. Some females have -some coppery gloss on the shoulder and a few white feathers on the -breast; these may be considered as in the near-male type of plumage. - -The tendencies in the evolution of these insular populations of -_Gallicolumba_ include a reduction of sooty-black on the head and a -reduction of coppery gloss on the back of the male and the reduction of -malelike plumage in the female. _G. rubescens_ of the Marquesas Islands -is smaller and darker. It retains the coppery gloss on the back and has, -in addition, a white bar on the tail and one on the wing. On the basis -of color and structural characters, it is apparent that this -superspecies of _Gallicolumba_ has evolved from a center of evolution in -the region of New Guinea (as shown in figure 14) with a colonization of -Micronesia, from which (probably from _G. x. kubaryi_) an invasion of -eastern Polynesia occurred establishing _G. erythroptera_ in the Society -and Tuamotu islands, although it is also possible that _G. erythroptera_ -may have reached Polynesia by way of a more direct route from Melanesia. -Such a pathway of colonization as that just described is not unusual -since representatives of other genera including _Acrocephalus_, -_Myzomela_, and _Zosterops_ may have followed similar paths of dispersal -from Micronesia into Polynesia. Apparently a population isolated in the -Marquesas has evolved the distinctive _G. rubescens_. - - -=Caloenas nicobarica pelewensis= Finsch - -Nicobar Pigeon - - _Caloenas nicobarica_ var. _pelewensis_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. - Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 159 (in reprint p. 27). (Type locality, - Palau.) - - _Caloenas nicobarica pelewensis_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 77 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 188 (Palau); Peters, Check-list Birds World, - 3, 1937, p. 139 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 210 (Babelthuap, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 291 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 62 (Garakayo). - - _Caloenas nicobarica_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 211 - (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und. Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 57 (Pelew). - - _Caloenas pelewensis_ Salvadori, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, - 1893, p. 618 (Pelew); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, - 1898, p. 69 (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 - (Palau); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 328 (Palauinseln); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 (Pelew). - - _Caloenas nicobaricus pelewensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 53 (Pelew). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands-Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large heavy-bodied pigeon with head, neck, - and upper breast blackish; rest of plumage metallic bluish-green - with coppery sheen; wings glossy green; tail and under - tail-coverts white; feathers of hind-neck long and lanceolate; - bill heavy and slightly hooked with lump at base. - - Resembles _C. n. nicobarica_ (Linnaeus), but slightly smaller and - with upper parts metallic bluish-green and underparts darker and - less green. - - _Measurements._--One adult female measures: wing, 232; tail, 82; - culmen, 31; tarsus, 44; one immature female: wing, 236; tail, 89; - culmen, 32; tarsus, 45. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, three females from Palau - Islands, AMNH--exact locality not given (undated). - -_Remarks._--_C. nicobarica_ is distributed from the Nicobar Islands east -through Malaysia to Melanesia as a single undifferentiated form. In the -northeasternmost part of its range, in the Palau Islands, it exhibits -geographic variation and is considered to be subspecifically distinct -from the rest of the population. _C. nicobarica_ appears to have no -close relatives. It may represent the last remnant of some ancient group -of pigeons. - -The Nicobar Pigeon is rare. Coultas, who visited the islands in 1931, -did not obtain the bird. The only specimens available for study are -those in the collections of the American Museum of Natural History taken -by Kubary in the period between 1870 and 1880. The NAMRU2 party did not -obtain specimens but saw the bird on five occasions at the island of -Garakayo in the middle Palaus. The writer expected the bird to be -ground-living in habit, but the individuals, which I saw at Garakayo, -were either perched on scrubby vegetation on high and inaccessible -cliffs or were flying high overhead. In its flight overhead, the short, -white tail was a particularly conspicuous mark of identification. The -flight reminded me very much of that of the Black Vulture (_Córagyps -atrátus_) of North America. No birds were found at Peleliu or Angaur, -and the small population of this pigeon that remains is probably -restricted to uninhabited coral islets, as Mayr (1945a:291) has already -noted. Marshall (1949: 207) saw one bird on Peleliu and one on Koror in -November and December, 1945. This endemic subspecies is probably on the -road to extinction unless governmental protection can be established and -enforced. - - -=Trichoglossus rubiginosus= (Bonaparte) - -Ponapé Lory - - _Chalcopsitta rubiginosus_ Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. - Paris, 30, February, 1850, p. 134; Consp. Avium, 1, after April 15, - 1850, p. 3. (Type locality, "ex Insulis Barabay et Guebe," error = - Ponapé.) - - _Chalcopsitta rubiginosus_ Bonaparte, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1850, p. 26, pl. 16 ("Ins. Barabay et Guebe," error = Ponapé); - Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, pp. 99, 162 (Puynipet); - Reichenow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1881, p. 162 ("Nordwestl. - Polynessische subregion Carolinen" = Ponapé); Tristram, Cat. - Birds, 1889, p. 73 (Ponapé); Finsch, Deut. Verein zum Schultze der - Vogelwelt, 18, 1893, p. 458 (Carolinen = Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. - f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ponapé). - - _Domicella rubiginosa_ Finsch, Die Papageien, 2, 1868, p. 781 - (Puynipet); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. - 88 (Puinipet). - - _Lorius rubiginosus_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 153 - (Puynipet); Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, 3, no. 38, 1874, p. 58 - (Puynipet). - - _Lorius rubiginosa_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 502 - (Senjawin = Ponapé). - - _Trichoglossus rubiginosus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 18 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 778 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 284 - (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 281 (Ponapé); Finsch, Ibis, 1881, pp. 110, 111, 114 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 49 (Ponapé); - Hartert, Kat. Vogelsamml. Senckenb., 1891, p. 161 (Puypinet); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 8 (Ponapé); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. - 151 (Ponapé); Mayr, Proc. Sixth Pac. Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 201 (Ponapé); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 291 (Ponapé). - - _Eos rubiginosa_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 1, 1880, p. 267 - (Puynipet); _idem_, Cat. Birds British Mus., 20, 1891, p. 29 - (Ponapé); Christian, The Caroline Islands, 1899, p. 357 (Ponapé); - Finsch, Notes Leyden Mus., 22, 1900, p. 142 (Ponapé); Dubois, Syn. - Avium, 1902, p. 29 (Puinipet); Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, - 1918, pp. 484, 493 (Ponapé); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 192 (Ponapé). - - _Chalcopsittacus rubiginosus_ Finsch, Sammlung wissensch. - Vorträge, 14th Ser., 1900, p. 639 (Ponapé). - - _Oenopsittacus rubiginosus_ Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1, 1913, p. 443 - (Karolinen = Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 58 (Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. - 295 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 181 - (Ponapé). - - _Eos rubiginosus_ Takastukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 53 - (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: A medium-sized, dark raspberry-red lory with - head and nape deep purplish-red; upper back, scapulars, and upper - wing-coverts raspberry-red, edged with blackish; lower back, rump, - and upper tail-coverts more purplish; tail yellowish-green - becoming more yellow and less green toward tip; wings black with - outer webs olivaceous-green; outer edges of primaries more - yellowish; lores, chin, auriculars, sides of head, and neck deep - purplish-red, chin feathers faintly barred with raspberry and - edged with blackish; throat, breast, abdomen, and flanks - raspberry-red, feathers edged with blackish except on lower - abdomen; under tail-coverts orange-red, under wing-coverts deep - purple with black edges; bill of male orange, of female paler - yellow; feet black; iris of male light yellowish-orange, of female - grayish-white. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but with narrow and more sharply pointed - tail feathers. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 29. - - -TABLE 29. MEASUREMENTS OF _Trichoglossus rubiginosus_ - - ===============+=====+===========+===========+=========+========= - | | | | Culmen | - Sex | No. | Wing | Tail | from | Tarsus - | | | | cere | - ---------------+-----+-----------+-----------+---------+--------- - Adult males | 18 | 147 | 105 | 20 | 16 - | | (143-153) | (100-110) | (19-20) | (15-17) - | | | | | - Adult females | 13 | 142 | 101 | 19 | 16 - | | (141-146) | (98-104) | (18-19) | (15-17) - ---------------+-----+-----------+-----------+---------+--------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 31 (18 males, 13 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 2 (Feb. 12); AMNH--Ponapé, - 29 (Nov.). - - _Nesting._--According to Coultas (field notes) the nest is placed - in the top of a coconut tree or in a hollow of a large forest tree. - He says that one egg is laid, but does not record dates of nesting. - Four of the birds taken by Coultas at Ponapé in November had - swollen gonads. - - _Molt._--Specimens taken in November by Coultas were either in - fresh plumage or were completing the molt when obtained. - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:484, 493) found the bird lice - (Mallophaga), _Psittaconirmus harrisoni_ and _Eomenopon - denticulatus_, on the Ponapé Lory. - -_Remarks._--There is little written information concerning the habits of -the Ponapé lory. Mayr (1945a:291) describes the bird as being "very -noisy" and with "habits apparently similar to _T. haematodus_." Coultas -made a number of observations on this species; some of these unpublished -notes are essentially as follows: _Trichoglossus_ is common on Ponapé. -It is found everywhere on the island, preferring the coconut palms; it -is noisy and quarrelsome. The parrot travels usually in small groups of -two to six or eight birds, keeping up a continuous chatter all of the -time. This chatter quiets down into a very pleasant-sounding -crooning-tone after sunset. _Trichoglossus_ is a continual nuisance to -the hunter, inquisitive and easily attracted by the slightest noise, to -which the bird responds with a frantic yapping that frightens everything -within a radius of a mile. One sometimes finds a bird alone working -quietly about among the low trees of the high mountain ridges. The -natives' name for the bird, "se ridt," means "always hide out in rain." -The bird stays under a big leaf and keeps dry during the rain. This lory -is intelligent, easily tamed, and sometimes learns to repeat a few -words. - -_Evolutionary history of Trichoglossus rubiginosus._--The Ponapé Lory is -the only native parrot in Micronesia. It is an aberrant species and -seemingly is of long residence on the island, as indicated by its -differences from related forms to the southward and southwestward. The -bird shows some relationships to _T. ornatus_ (Linnaeus) of Celebes, but -the plumage of _T. rubiginosus_ lacks the brilliant red, green, and -yellow of this bird. The plumage of the Ponapé Lory is also softer in -texture; this is a character exhibited also by other Micronesian birds, -for example, _Cleptornus_ and _Colluricincla_. _T. rubiginosus_ and _T. -ornatus_ correspond, however, in having the feathers of the breast edged -with blackish. _T. rubiginosus_ resembles also _T. flavovirides_ of -Celebes and Sula in that the edges of the feathers of the breast are -dark, no markings are present on the inner web of the wing, and feathers -of the upper back are edged with dark coloring. _T. rubiginosus_ may -have been derived from either of these two species; however, it shows a -close relationship also to the _T. haematodus_ group from the Papuan -region. In any case, the Ponapé Lory, isolated in Micronesia, has not -the multicolored plumage of its relatives and has, instead, a rather -uniformly colored plumage. The presence of this parrot at only a single -island in Micronesia is difficult to explain; perhaps at one time the -bird was more widely distributed in Micronesia, or it may be that the -population represents a single successful invasion to Ponapé. Like -_Aplonis pelzelni_, another endemic species at Ponapé, this lory may -have reached the island as a straggler, perhaps being carried north by -the prevailing winds in the post-nesting season. - - -=Cuculus canorus telephonus= Heine - -Common Cuckoo - - _Cuculus telephonus_ Heine, Journ. f. Ornith., 1863, p. 332. (Type - locality, Japan.) - - _Cuculus canorus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 100 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 4, 12 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 10 (Pelew); Takatsukasa and - Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 63 (Pelew). - - _Cuculus canorus telephonus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 57 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 181 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 201 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia and Japan. Winters - south to India, Malaysia, and Melanesia. In Micronesia: Palau - Islands--exact locality not given. - -_Remarks._--The Common Cuckoo is a straggler on winter migration to the -Palau Islands. - - -=Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi= Moore - -Oriental Cuckoo - - _Cuculus horsfieldi_ Moore, in Moore and Horsfield, Cat. Birds Mus. - Hon. East-India Co., 2, 1856-58 (1857), p. 703. (Type locality, - Java.) - - _Cuculus striatus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 100 (Pelew); Finsch. Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 4, 12 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 63 - (Pelew). - - _Cuculus intermedius_ Wiglesworth. Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 10 (Pelew). - - _Cuculus optatus optatus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 57 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 181 - (Palau). - - _Cuculus saturatus horsfieldi_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 201 (Babelthuap, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in eastern Asia and Japan. Winters - south to India, Malaysia, and Melanesia. In Micronesia: Palau - Islands--Babelthuap, Koror. - -_Remarks._--The Oriental Cuckoo reaches the Palau Islands as a winter -visitor. On November 11 and 25 of 1931, Coultas obtained four immature -birds at Palau near taro swamps. The natives told him that the cuckoo -visited the islands each year from December to June. On September 21 at -Angaur the NAMRU2 party saw one bird which may have been this cuckoo. - - -=Eudynamis taitensis= (Sparrman) - -Long-tailed New Zealand Cuckoo - - _Cuculus taitensis_ Sparrman, Mus. Carls., fasc, 2, 1787, pl. 32. - (No type locality = Tahiti.) - - _Eudynamis tahitiensis_ Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. - 123 (Yap). - - _Eudynamis taitiensis_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. - 49 (Palau); _idem_, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 17, 20 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 778 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 284, 298 (Ponapé, - Kuschai, Palaos, Marshalls); _idem_, Ibis, 1880, pp. 331, 332 - (Taluit); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 104, 108, 113, 114 (Kushai, - Uleai, Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 281, 299, 353 (Ponapé, Mortlock, Ruk); - Christian, The Caroline Islands, 1899, p. 358 (Ponapé). - - _Urodynamis taitensis_ Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. - 53 (Jaluit, Ponapé, Palau); Bogert, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 933, - 1937, p. 9 (Palau, Ruk, Kusaie, Ponapé, Truk, Iringlove, Wozzie, - Auru, Jaluit, Ratak); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 4, 1940, p. - 40 (Palaus, Carolines, Marshall); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 201 (Palau, Truk, Lukunor, Ponapé, Kusaie, Jaluit, - Elmore, Aurh, Wotze). - - _Urodynamis taitiensis_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 11 (Pelew, Ualan, Ponapé, - Luganor, Taluit); _idem_, Ibis, 1893, p. 212 (Marshalls); Hartert, - Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 7 (Ruk); Finsch, Notes Leyden Mus., 22, - 1900, p. 120 (Ponapé, Palau, Kuschai, Ruk, Mortlock, Uleai, - Jaluit); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 (Ruk); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 58 (Pelew, Ualan, - Ponapé, Luganor, Ruk, Taluit); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 180 (Palau, Kusaie, Ponapé, Luganor, Truk, Jaluit, - Elmore, Aurh, Wotze). - - _Urdynamis taitiensis_ Finsch, Sammulung wissensch. Vorträge, 14th - ser., 1900, p. 659 (Palau). - - _Eudynamis taitiensis_ Schnee, Zool. Jahrbücher, 20, 1904, p. 389 - (Marshalls); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Micronesia). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in New Zealand and adjacent islands. - Winters chiefly in Polynesia, also Melanesia and Micronesia. In - Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality unknown; Caroline - Islands--Yap, Lukunor, Truk, Ponapé, Kusaie; Marshall - Islands--Jaluit, Elmore, Auru, Wotze, Bikini. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large, long-tailed cuckoo with upper parts - dark brown; top of head spotted with white; wings, upper back and - tail barred with rufous; underparts pale rufous or buffy-rufous - with shafts of feathers streaked with brown. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 4 (2 males, 2 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, AMNH--Truk, 1 (Jan. 7)--Kusaie, 2 - (March); Marshall Islands, USNM--Bikini, 1 (May 1). - -_Remarks._--Bogert (1937) has summarized the information known -concerning the migration of the New Zealand Long-tailed Cuckoo. Its -principal winter range is in eastern and central Polynesia: Fiji, Samoa, -Tonga, Union, Cook, Society, and Tuamotu islands. The bird reaches the -northern extent of its range in the Marshall and Caroline islands (see -map in Bogert, 1937:3-4). There are no records for the Marianas and only -one record from the Palaus (taken by Peters, as recorded by Finsch, -1875:49). The bird is seemingly much more numerous as a winter visitor -in the Marshall Islands than in the Caroline Islands. Coultas (field -notes) writes that the cuckoo appears at Kusaie about the first of -February. Bogert (1937) remarks that the cuckoo arrives at New Zealand -for the breeding period in October or November and leaves for the -northern wintering grounds in February or March. - -Bogert (1937:11) discusses briefly the history of migration of this -bird. She presents as a possible reason for the migration the fact that -the cuckoo feeds principally on caterpillars and that as a consequence -it moves northward to the tropics during the winter months because this -food is not available at the breeding grounds in the winter months. -Perhaps this cuckoo in developing its ability to fly long distances over -water on migration has expanded the breadth of its range eastward into -the oceanic islands, rather than westward through Malaysia and -Melanesia, because it has found less competition from resident birds and -from other migrants for feed and habitat. On many of the islands and -atolls of the Pacific Basin, this species is the only land bird known. - - -=Otus podarginus= (Hartlaub and Finsch) - -Palau Scops Owl - - _Noctua podargina_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, p. 90. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Noctua podargina_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 4, - 8, pl. 1, fig. 1 and 2 (Palau); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. - 720 (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 407 (Palau). - - _Ninox podargina_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 2, 1875, p. 151 - (Palau); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 51 - (Palau); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 61 - (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 181 (Palau). - - _Scops podargina_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 2, 1875, p. 313 - (Palau); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 394 (Palau); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 3 (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 - (Palau); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 883 (Pelew). - - _P[isorhina] podargina_ Reichenow, Die Vögel, 1913, p. 424 - (Palau). - - _Otus podarginus_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, - p. 268 (Palau); Mayr. Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 3 - (Palau); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 291 (Palau). - - _Pyrroglaux podargina_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1938, p. 1 (Pelew); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 4, 1940, p. 109 (Babelthuap, - Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 202 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror, Babelthuap, - Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A small owl with forehead and - superciliary area whitish tinged with buff and narrowly barred - blackish-brown; feathers at base of upper mandible with long, - blackish shafts, crown and back rufous-brown; some feathers on - neck narrowly barred ochraceous and black; some scapulars with - outer webs barred dark brown and white; rump and upper - tail-coverts dark rufous, barred white and dark brown; tail - rufous, barred indistinctly dark brown, inner webs barred white - and dark brown; wings sandy rufous, outer edges of all but first - primary spotted buffy-white; lores rufous, shafts white; - indistinct eye ring rufous; ear-coverts whitish with rufous tips, - chin white; throat white narrowly barred with wavy dark lines and - tipped with rufous; breast pale rufous, feathers barred with white - and black; abdomen paler rufous; under tail-coverts often barred - with black and white without rufous wash; under wing-coverts white - barred with dark brown; bill and feet whitish; iris brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but darker brown above with - fine vermiculations of blackish color; underparts may be pale or - dark rufous with slight or heavy white and brown barrings and - spots. - - Immature: Resembles adult male, but upper parts darker brown; - forehead, crown, and back barred ochraceous and black; scapulars - with white shaft streaks and spots of white; underparts more - heavily barred. - - _Measurements._--Eight males measure: wing, 155-163 (159); tail, - 82-88 (84); culmen, 22.0-23.5 (23.0); tarsus, 32-35 (33); two - females measure: wing, 158, 165; tail, 83, 90; culmen, 23.5, 24.0; - tarsus, 33, 35. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 11 (9 males, 2 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 1 (Nov. 3); AMNH--exact - locality not given, 10 (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - -_Remarks._--Coultas (field notes) found the Palau Scops Owl fairly -common around villages on the island of Koror. He obtained specimens at -night with the use of a flashlight. He writes that the bird moves about -considerably remaining on one perch and calling for only approximately -three minutes. The bird stays in the mangrove thickets in the daylight -hours. Marshall (1949:207) also found the owl at Koror as well as at -Peleliu in 1945. He observed 33 pairs on Koror (approximately one-half -of the total population) and four pairs on Peleliu. The NAMRU2 party did -not find the owl in the southern Palaus in 1945. - -Yamashina (1938:1) gave the Palau Scops Owl the generic name, -_Pyrroglaux_. Mayr (1944b:3) has reviewed this treatment and presents -evidence to show that the name _Pyrroglaux_ should not be recognized and -that the bird correctly belongs in the genus _Otus_. He presents a -detailed discussion to show its relationship to _O. spilocephalus_, and -that the characters possessed by _O. podarginus_ are no more different -or unusual than those found in other members of this widespread genus. -It is pointed out that the reduction of the feathering is probably -caused by the change in habitat--from a colder one in Asia to a warmer, -tropical one in the Palaus. The bird is probably derived from _O. -spilocephalus_ of Asia and Malaysia. - - -=Asio flammeus flammeus= (Pontoppidan) - -Short-eared Owl - - _Strix Flammea_ Pontoppidan, Danske, Atlas, 1, 1763, p. 617, pl. - 25. (Type locality, Sweden.) - - _Strix stridula_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "Uranie," Zool., 1824, pp. - 680, 696 (Mariannes); _idem_, Ann. Sci. Nat. Paris, 6, 1825, p. - 149 (Mariannes). - - _Otus brachyotus_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Mariannen); Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. - 17, 18 (Mariannen?). - - _Asio accipitrinus_ Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 3 (Marianne); Oustalet - (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 168 - (Mariannes); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 51 (Marianne); - Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 44 - (Mariannes); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 68 (Marianas); _idem_, - Amer. Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, - 1904, p. 263 (Tinian); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, - p. 79 (Tinian); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 88 - (Marianen). - - _Asi accipitrimus_ Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 12 - (Guam). - - _Asio flammeus sandwichensis_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 61 (Marianne); Hand-list Japanese Birds - (part), rev., 1932, p. 182 (Marianas). - - _Asio flammeus ponapensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d - ed., 1942, p. 202 (Pagan). - - _Asio flammeus flammeus_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 292 (Marianas). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Europe, Asia, and North America. - Winters to tropics. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Pagan, Tinian. - -_Remarks._--The Short-eared Owl was taken at Tinian by Quoy and Gaimard -(1824:680, 696) and in recent years has been recorded at Pagan. The -committee which prepared the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et -al._, 1942:202) writes that the bird taken at Pagan has a short wing -(288) and indicates that it belongs to _A. f. ponapensis_. In the -present work this bird is considered to be _A. f. flammeus_, a migrant -from Asia; possibly, however, there is an unrecorded resident population -of the Short-eared Owl in the northern Marianas, which may be closely -related to _A. f. ponapensis_ of Ponapé. Owls may have at one time been -resident in the southern Marianas. At Guam, for instance, owls are well -known to the native peoples, and there is suitable habitat for the owl -in the extensive grassland areas of the island. Perhaps an owl was -resident at Guam and at other islands but has been eliminated partly by -the overgrazing and burning of the grassy habitats preferred by the -owl. - - -=Asio flammeus ponapensis= Mayr - -Short-eared Owl - - _Asio flammeus ponapensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 609, 1933, - p. 1. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Otus brachyotus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, - pp. 17, 18 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), - p. 778 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 283 (Ponapé); - _idem_, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 47 (Ponapé); _idem_, - Sammlung wissensch. Vorträge, 14 ser., 1900, p. 659 (Ponapé). - - _Asio brachyotus_ Finsch, Ibis, 1881, pp. 113, 114 (Ponapé). - - _Asio accipitrinus_ Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 4, 1882, p. - 367 (Strong's Island = Kusaie); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und - Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 3 (Ponapé); - Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, - p. 169 (Ponapi). - - _Asio flammeus sandwichensis_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 61 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), - rev., 1932, p. 182 (Ponapé). - - _Asio flammeus ponapensis_ Kelso, Oölogist, 1938, p. 183 (Kusaie); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 4, 1940, p. 170 (Ponapé); - Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. 202 (Ponapé); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 291 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé, Kusaie? - - _Characters._--Adult: a large, short-eared owl, dark brown above - streaked with buff and lighter below streaked with dark brown. An - adult female has upper parts dark brown, outer webs of feathers - buffy to give a streaked appearance; rump pale buff, feathers - edged subterminally with darker brown; scapulars like head and - back; wing-coverts dark brown tipped and edged with splotches of - buffy to buffy-rufous; primaries and secondaries brown with large - spots of pale rufous; tail brown barred with whitish buff spots, - webs with dark centers; forehead whitish tinged with buff; region - below and behind eye dark; chin pale with rufous tinged sides; - throat and breast rufous-buff with heavy streaks of brown, - becoming narrower on abdomen and under tail; under wing-coverts - buffy streaked with dark brown; auxilaries buffy; feathering of - tibia and tarsus pale buff; bill dark slate; feet grey-brown; iris - yellow. - - Resembles _A. f. flammeus_, but wing shorter and color darker. - - _Measurements._--Mayr (1933:2) lists the following measurements - for two adult females: wing, 295, 307; tail, 135, 139; culmen, 17, - 17.5; and tarsus, 48, 51. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 2 females, from Caroline - Islands, AMNH--Ponapé (Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Coultas (field notes) writes that the Short-eared Owl - at Ponapé builds its nest in the grass on the ground. He did not - observe the nest but received reports of it from the natives. - -_Remarks._--The owl at Ponapé has been known since the time of Kubary. -Coultas, visiting the island in 1930, was the first naturalist to record -very much concerning the habits. According to him (field notes) the bird -inhabits the open grasslands of Ponapé and apparently has somewhat the -same habits as other members of the species. He estimated the population -in 1930 as two dozen or more. He found the birds extremely secretive -during the daylight hours. They were observed flying over the patches of -grassland at twilight and on moonlight nights. He comments that the -catlike call of this owl is heard occasionally in the night. Richards -writes (_in litt._) that twice in late December, 1947, he saw this owl -in a forested area near the summit of Jokaj Island (900 feet). - -Kelso (1938:138) records the Short-eared Owl from Kusaie on the basis of -a specimen taken by Gulick, which Ridgway (1882:367) thought came from -the West Indies. The specimen is labeled Strong's Island, which is an -old name for Kusaie. Kelso gives the measurements of this bird as: wing, -275; tail, 141; culmen from cere, 19.5, and comments that the wings are -shorter than those of specimens from Asia. The skin is in the U. S. -National Museum. - -The Short-eared Owl at Ponapé closely resembles _A. f. flammeus_ but is -slightly smaller and darker. Apparently the owl came to Ponapé as a -straggler on migration from Asia, and becoming acclimated and adapted to -the grassy areas at Ponapé remained as a resident. The occurrence of _A. -f. flammeus_ in the Marianas on migration offers evidence as to how the -bird originally reached Ponapé. - - -=Caprimulgus indicus jotaka= Temminck and Schlegel - -Jungle Nightjar - - _Caprimulgus jotaka_ Temminck and Schlegel, in Siebold's Fauna - Japonica, Aves, 1847, p. 37, pl. 12, 13. (Type locality, Japan.) - - _Caprimulgus indicus jotaka_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 179 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 199 - (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in eastern Asia and Japan. Winters - south to tropics. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality - unknown. - -_Remarks._--According to the committee who prepared the Hand-list of -Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et al._, 1942:199), one female was obtained -by Oba in the Palaus in November, 1930. The skin was placed in the -Kuroda collection. Coultas obtained a male on December 9, 1931, in the -Palaus, which is in the American Museum of Natural History. The bird is -apparently an occasional migrant to western Micronesia. - - -=Caprimulgus indicus phalaena= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Jungle Nightjar - - _Caprimulgus phalaena_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 91. (Type locality, Pelew.) - - _Caprimulgus phalaena_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 4, 13, pl. 2, fig. 1, 2 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. - Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. - und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 17 - (Pelew); Hartert, Cat. Birds British Mus., 16, 1892, p. 545 - (Pelew); _idem_, Das Tierreich, no. 1, 1897, p. 51 (Palau); Bolau, - Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 65 (Palau); Matschie, - Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Palau); Dubois, Syn. Avium 1, - 1902, p. 124 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 154 - (Palau); Mathews, Syst. Avium. Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 396 - (Pelew); Hachisuka, Birds Philippines, 2, 1934, p. 120 (Pelew). - - _Caprimulgus indicus phalaena_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 61 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 179 (Palau); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 4, 1940, p. - 204 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 199 - (Babelthuap, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 292 - (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babeltuap, Koror, - Garakayo. - - _Characters._--Adult male: "Above grayish-brown, very finely - vermiculated, more rufous on the back, with large longitudinal - streaks and a few cross markings; scapulars partly with pale buff - bands, mostly pale gray at the basal portion; primaries deep - brown, with a white spot to the inner web of the first primary not - extending to the shaft, second and third primary with fine spots - to the inner web extending to the shaft and obsolete white spots - to the outer web, fourth primary with a smaller and less pure - white spot; chin and throat blackish brown, barred with rufous, - with two white spots on the throat; breast brownish gray, - vermiculated and spotted with brown and blackish; abdomen dirty - ochraceous buff barred with brown, the bars wider on the lower - tail-coverts; retrices rufous-brown with blackish bars, outer ones - with broad white terminal spots." (Hartert, 1892:545.) Bill - basally whitish with black tip; feet blackish pink; iris dark - brown. - - Adult female: According to Hartert (1892:545) similar to male, but - with small, more or less obsolete, rufous-buff (not white) spots - on the primaries; rectrices without white spots. - - Immature: Resembles adult but paler and less distinctly marked. - - _C. i. phalaena_ resembles _C. i. jotaka_, but is paler; the male - is more broadly barred and more buffy on abdomen and under side of - tail; the female has paler spots on wing. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of four males: wing, 161-168 (165); - tail, 118-129 (124); culmen, 22; tarsus, 14.0-15.1 (14.5); of four - females: wing, 161-165 (163); tail, 118-127 (123); culmen, 22; - tarsus, 14.5-15.6 (15.1). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 8 (4 males, 4 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 3 (Nov. 3, 20, 29); - AMNH--exact locality not given, 5 (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - -_Remarks._--This subspecies of the Jungle Nightjar is restricted to the -Palau Islands and particularly to those islands possessing damp, shady -forests and mangrove swamps. In September, 1945, two birds were observed -at the edge of a mangrove swamp at Garakayo at twilight by the NAMRU2 -party, but neither of them was taken. Coultas (field notes) found the -nightjar in mangrove swamps. He writes that they remain quiet there -during the daylight hours. He took specimens both in the evening and at -dawn. He considers the bird as not very common. Marshall (1949:208) -obtained specimens at Koror in 1945. - -Among the races of _C. indicus_, the coloration of _C. i. phalaena_ -resembles most closely that of _C. i. jotaka_; probably _C. i. phalaena_ -was derived from _C. i. jotaka_ of Asia. Apparently this bird arrived at -the Palaus by way of the Philippines. It is found only in these islands -of Micronesia and maybe another one of that group of species which -reached the Palaus without expanding their ranges farther into -Micronesia. - - -=Collocalia inexpectata pelewensis= Mayr - -Edible Nest Swiftlet - - _Collocalia pelewensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 820, 1935, p. - 3. (Type locality, Palau Islands.) - - _Collocalia vanicorensis_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 - (1868), p. 829 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 4, 116, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 89 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, - 1875, pp. 4, 15 (Palau); _idem_ (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 24 (Palau); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1880, p. 575 (Palaos); _idem (part), Ibis, 1881, p. 104 (Pelew); - Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 111 (Pelew);_ Wiglesworth (part), - Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 18 (Pelew); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 - (Palau). - - _Collocalia vanikorensis_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 66 - (Pelew); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 1, 1872, p. 737 (Pelew). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 189 (Palaos); Reichenow, Die Vögel, - 2, 1914, p. 161 (Palau). - - _Collocalia francica_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1915, p. 53 - (Pelew). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga inquieta_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 62 (Pelew). - - _Collocalia unicolor amelis_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 63 (Pelew). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga amelis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 179 (Palau). - - _Collocalia (vanikorensis) pelewensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., - no. 828, 1936, p. 11 (Palau). - - _Collocalia germani pelewensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 915, - 1937, p. 18 (Palau). - - _Collocalia inexpectata pelewensis_ Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 4, 1940, p. 224 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 292 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 63 (Garakayo, Peleliu). - - _Collocalia vanikorensis pelewensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 199 (Babelthuap, Koror). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult, according to Mayr (1935:3): "Small; tarsus - naked; upper parts dark fuscous-green, with a brownish tone on - back; crown not much darker than back; rump pale but no distinct - light gray bar across rump as in _C. spodiopygia_; color of the - rump showing much individual variation, bases of feathers always - being pale gray, but tips sometimes strongly glossy green; inner - margins of wing-feathers not particularly light; feathers of chin - and throat soft, with fuscous bases and rather sharply defined - silvery-gray edges, but no shaft-streaks; abdomen dull gray, - slightly darker than throat, inconspicuous shaft-streaks on breast - and abdomen, more pronounced shaft-streaks on under tail-coverts; - longest under tail-coverts fairly glossy green; white loral spot - inconspicuous." - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 30. - - -TABLE 30. MEASUREMENTS OF _Collocalia inexpectata_ IN MICRONESIA - - ====================+=====+===============+============ - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing | Tail - --------------------+-----+---------------+------------ - _C. i. pelewensis_ | 14 | 111 (109-113) | 50 (47-51) - | | | - _C. i. bartschi_ | 13 | 108 (105-108) | 54 (52-57) - --------------------+-----+---------------+------------ - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 20 (12 males, 8 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 1 (Sept. 13)--Garakayo, 2 - (Sept. 18)--Koror, 3 (Nov. 5, 6, 7); AMNH--exact locality not - given, 14 (Oct., Dec.). - -_Remarks._--The NAMRU2 party found the swiftlet to be numerous on -islands in the southern Palaus in 1945. The birds were observed flying -in clearings and about the cliffs. Coultas writes (field notes) that -they nest in caves on the smaller islands. - - -=Collocalia inexpectata bartschi= Mearns - -Edible Nest Swiftlet - - _Collocalia bartschi_ Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 36, 1909, p. - 476. (Type locality, Guam.) - - _Cypselus inquietus_ Kittlitz (part), Obser. Zool., in Lutké., - Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 304 (Guahan); _idem_ (part), - Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 26 - (Guahan). - - _Collocalia nidifica_ Gray (part), Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (3), 17, - 1866, p. 125 (Marianne); _idem_ (part), Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, - p. 65 (Marianne). - - _Collocalia vanicorensis_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 12, 1876, p. 24 (Marianen); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, p. 105 - (Guam); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 260 (Mariannes); Wiglesworth - (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 18 (Marianne); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., - 1901, p. 112 (Guam, Saipan). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga_ Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1865, p. - 616 (Marianne); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 187 (Mariannes); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, - 1898, p. 53 (Rota, Guam, Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. - Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 46 (Marianas); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. - 60 (Marianas); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, pp. 84, 263 - (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 (Guam); - Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. 102 (Marianen); Cox, - Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. - 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam). - - _Collocalia fuchphaga_ Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 - (Guam). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga fuciphaga_ Oberholser (part), Proc. Acad. - Nat. Sci. Phila., 1906, p. 186 (Guam). - - _Collocalia unicolor amelis_ Oberholser, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. - Phila., 1906, p. 193 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 63 (Guam). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga tachyptera_ Obersolser, Proc. U. S. Nat. - Mus., 42, 1912, p. 20 (Type locality, Guam); Stresemann, Verhandl. - Ornith. Gesellsch. Bayern, 12, 1914, p. 11 (Guam); Takatsukasa and - Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 63 (Marianas); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Michnoseia, 1922, p. 62 (Guam, Saipan, Rota). - - _Collocalia unicolor bartschi_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 63 (Guam). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga bartschi_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 402 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 178 (Marianas). - - _Collocalia vanikorensis bartschi_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 828, 1936, p. 11 (Marianne); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 198 (Saipan, Rota, Guam). - - _Collocalia germani bartschi_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 915, - 1937, p. 18 (Marianne). - - _Collocalia inexpectata bartschi_ Peters, Check-list Birds World, - 4, 1940, p. 224 (Marianne); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 292 (Marianas); Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 41 (Guam); - Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 105 (Tinian); Stott, - Auk, 64, 1947, p. 526 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 63 (Guam, Rota). - - _Collocalia inexpectata_ Strophlet, Auk, 63, 1946, p. 538 (Guam); - Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. 125 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Rota, - Tinian, Saipan. - - _Characters._--Resembles _C. i. pelewensis_, but with wing shorter; - upper parts lighter; underparts more brownish and lacking dark - shaft-streaks on breast and abdomen; feathers on lores whiter - basally. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 30. - - _Weights._--The present author (1948:63) lists the weights of - seven adult males as 6.4-7.3 (6.8); of three adult females as - 6.8-7.6 (7.1). These birds were taken at Guam. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 48 (17 males, 19 females, 12 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 21 (Jan. 29, May - 20, June 21, July 20, 29)--Rota, 1 (Oct. 27); AMNH--Guam, 18 (Jan. - 22, 29, Feb. 15, July 10, Aug. 11, 12)--Saipan, 8 (Sept. 17). - -_Remarks._--The taxonomic relationships of the species and subspecies of -the genus _Collocalia_ are not fully known. The many different name -combinations applied to the five kinds named from Micronesia are -evidence of the lack of agreement among previous writers as to the -correct systematic positions of the kinds. The genus is widely -distributed in southeastern Asia and adjacent islands and is divisible -into a number of species and subspecies. This diversity is apparently -influenced by the restriction of the birds to local habitats caused, as -Stresemann (1931b:83) states, by the necessity of staying by their -nesting areas which are in caves. Stresemann also points out that the -birds are thus dependent on "narrowly limited ecological conditions." -The birds are confined to certain areas and are, therefore, isolated -from other populations. Most of the volcanic islands of Micronesia have -numerous caves which are suitable to the swiftlets for nesting. _C. -inexpectata_ evolved in the Malayan region and apparently spread to -Micronesia via the Philippines to Palau and to the Marianas. The two -subspecies of _C. inexpectata_ in Micronesia resemble closely those to -the westward but are smaller. I am following Peters (1940:224) in the -treatment of these, and although some future reviser may rearrange these -species and subspecies, it appears to me that the Micronesian swiftlets -fall into the two natural groups (_C. inexpectata_ and _C. inquieta_) -now recognized, even though their parent stocks in Malaysia, in my -opinion, are inadequately known. - -At Guam and Rota, the NAMRU2 party found swiftlets concentrated at cliff -areas, flying about in large groups. Away from the cliffs fewer were -seen and singles were observed in woodland openings, over fields, and in -the coconut groves. On May 18, 1945, a colony of nesting birds was found -approximately two miles east of Agańa on Guam. This colony was in a -coral sink-hole which was approximately 75 feet deep and 60 feet in -diameter. The nests were grouped in clusters of 5 to 25 or more, on -underhanging ledges, sheltered from the light. The nests, which were -fastened securely to the irregular ledges, were knocked down by shots -from our collecting guns. Approximately 250 nests were found; no eggs -were observed, the nests containing young birds. The young were in -various stages of development; some were with little feather growth, -others were completely feathered. Nests examined contained only one -young each. The pile of guano below each cluster of nests was large; an -estimate made at the time indicated that there were 10 or more tons in -each pile. Guano deposits in large quantities were found also in caves -at Amantes Point, Guam. - - -=Collocalia inquieta inquieta= (Kittlitz) - -Carolines Swiftlet - - _Cypselus inquietus_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 285. (Type locality, Ualan.) - - _Cypselus inquietus_ Kittlitz (part), Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. - Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 26 (Ualan). - - _Collocalia ualensis_ Streubel, Isis, 1848, p. 368 (no type - locality = Kusaie?). - - _Collocalia nidifica ualensis_ Gray, Ann. Nat. Hist., 17, 1866, p. - 123 (Caroline Islands = Kusaie?). - - _Collocalia vanicorensis_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 12, 1876, p. 24 (Ualan); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1880, p. 575 (Kuschai); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, - pp. 285, 298 (Kuschai); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, pp. 104, 108 - (Kushai); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 18 (Ualan); Matschie (part), - Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ualan). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga_ Hartert (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., - 16, 1892, p. 498 (Kuschai); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 190 (Oualan). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga fuciphaga_ Oberholser (part), Proc. Acad. - Nat. Sci. Phila., 1906, p. 186 (Ualan). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga vanikorensis_ Oberholser (part), Proc. U. S. - Nat. Mus., 42, 1912, p. 20 (Kusaie). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga inquieta_ Stresemann, Verhandl. Ornith. - Gesellsch. Bayern, 12, 1914, pp. 9, 11 (Ualan); Kuroda (part), in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 62 (Kusaie); Hand-list - Japanese Birds (part), rev., 1932, p. 179 (Kusaie). - - _Collocalia inquieta inquieta_ Mayr, Amer. Mus., Novit., no. 915, - 1937, p. 11 (Kusaie); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 4, 1940, p. - 225 (Kusaie); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 292 - (Kusaie). - - _Collocalia vanikorensis inquieta_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 199 (Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie. - - _Characters._--Adult: Upper parts dark (sooty-black) with a slight - greenish gloss on head and back and a more conspicuous - bluish-purple gloss on the wings and tail; feathers of lores - white, tipped with black; underparts smoky-gray; feet brownish; - bill black; iris dark brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 31. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 42 (21 males, 20 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Kusaie, 1 (Feb. 8); - AMNH--Kusaie, 41 (Jan., Feb., March). - -_Remarks._--Kittlitz obtained this swiftlet when he visited Kusaie from -December 8, 1827, to January 1, 1828. In 1931, Coultas found the bird -common at Kusaie. The name _Collocalia ualensis_, published by Streubel -in Isis in 1848, p. 368, is without mention of a locality, but is later -used by Gray to denote the swiftlet in the Caroline Islands. - - -TABLE 31. MEASUREMENTS OF _Collocalia inquieta_ - - ============================+=====+==================== - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing - ----------------------------+-----+-------------------- - _Collocalia i. inquieta_ | 11 | 119 (116-125) - | | - _Collocalia i. ponapensis_ | 10 | 110 (107-114) - | | - _Collocalia i. rukensis_ | | (112-119.5)[C] - ----------------------------+-----+-------------------- - - [C] (Mayr, 1935:3). - - -=Collocalia inquieta rukensis= Kuroda - -Carolines Swiftlet - - _Collocalia fuciphaga rukensis_ Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 58, 59, - pl. 3, fig. 1. (Type locality, Ruk.) - - _Collocalia vanicorensis_ Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. London, 1880, - p. 575 (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 18 (Uap and Ruk); Hartert, - Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 11 (Ruk); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1901, p. 112 (Yap, Ruk). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga vanikorensis_ Oberholser (part), Proc. U. S. - Nat. Mus., 42, 1912, p. 20 (Uala = Truk). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga rukensis_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 53 (Ruk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 62 (Ruk, Yap); Kuroda, Ibis, 1927, p. 706 (Truk); Mathews, Syst. - Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 402 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 178 (Ruk). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga inquieta_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 62 (Ruk). - - _Collocalia inquieta rukensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 915, - 1937, p. 11 (Ruk); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 4, 1940, p. 225 - (Truk, Yap); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 292 (Yap, - Truk). - - _Collocalia vanikorensis rukensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 198 (Truk, Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk, Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _C. i. inquieta_ but with wing - shorter. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are given in table 31. - - _Specimen examined._--One unsexed bird from Caroline Islands, - USNM--Truk (Feb. 16). - -_Remarks._--Little is known concerning this swiftlet. The bird at Yap is -referred to this race; I have not seen specimens from this island. -McElroy reports seeing no swiftlets at Truk in December, 1945. _C. i. -rukensis_ appears to be intermediate in size between _C. i. inquieta_ -and _C. i. ponapensis_. Richards writes (_in litt._) that he found -swiftlets common at Truk in 1948. He also noted a large swiftlike bird -in "January or February," 1948, near the summit of Mount Tonáchian on -Moen Island. From his description, the bird may have been a large -migratory swift, possibly _Apus pacificus_ or _Chaetura caudacuta_, -neither of which have been reported previously from Micronesia. - - -=Collocalia inquieta ponapensis= Mayr - -Carolines Swiftlet - - _Collocalia vanikorensis ponapensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 820, 1935, p. 3. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Collocalia vanicorensis_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 12, 1876, pp. 17, 23 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1877 (1878), p. 778 (Ponapé); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. Ornith., - 1880, p. 285 (Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, p. 115 (Ponapé); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 18 (Ponapé); Matschie (part), Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ponapé). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga_ Hartert, Cat. Birds British Mus., 16, 1892, - p. 498 (Ponapé). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga vanikorensis_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, - 1, 1915, p. 53 (Ponapé). - - _Collocalia fuciphaga inquieta_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 62 (Ponapé). - - _Collocalia vanikorensis ponapensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 828, 1936, p. 12 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 198 (Ponapé). - - _Collocalia inquieta ponapensis_ Mayr, Amer. Novit., no. 915, - 1937, p. 11 (Ponapé); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 4, 1940, p. - 225 (Ponapé); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 292 - (Ponapé). - - _Collocalia inquieta_ Mayr, Proc. 6th Pac. Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, - p. 204 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: According to Mayr (1936:12), "Very similar - to _inquieta_, but much smaller; on the upper parts apparently - somewhat less glossy, and not so dark, more brownish; under parts - very variable, sometimes very dark (partly on account of - greasing), sometimes quite silvery on the throat; very dark - specimens show some greenish gloss not only on the longest under - tail-coverts, but also on the entire under side, except on the - throat; rump of the same color as the back; tarsus unfeathered." - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 31. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 37 (19 males, 18 females) from - Caroline Islands, AMNH--Ponapé (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Coultas obtained young birds from nests in caves in - November and December. - -_Remarks._--I am following Mayr (1937:11) and Peters (1940:225) in this -treatment of these Caroline swiftlets, even though the differences -between _C. inquieta_ and _C. vanikorensis_ appear to be slight indeed. -_C. inquieta_ appears closest to the forms of _C. vanikorensis_ in -Northern Melanesia. The birds found in New Guinea and the Solomons are -similar in size to the birds in the Carolines, while those in the -Moluccas, Admiralties and Lihir are larger. Color differences are slight -with the pale color of the sides of the head and underparts being -variable. All of these dark-rumped birds evidently evolved in the -Melanesian area. - - -=Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina= Swainson - -Micronesian Kingfisher - - _Halcyon cinnamomina_ Swainson, Zool. Illustr., 2, 1821, text to - pl. 67. (No type locality = Guam.) - - _Halcyon cinnamomina_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Marianen = Guam); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, - p. 5 (Ladrone or Marian Islands = Guam); Sharpe (part), Monogr. - Alced., 1868-71, pp. xxxii, 213, pl. 80 (Guam); Gray, Hand-list - Birds, 1, 1869, p. 93 (Mariannes = Guam); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, - p. 260 (Mariannes = Guam); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 16 (Guam); Oustalet, - Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 175 (Guam); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 53 (Guam); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113, 114 (Guam); Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., - 16, 1946, p. 174 (Guam); Strophlet, Auk, 63, 1946, p. 538 (Guam); - Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. 125 (Guam). - - _Alcedo ruficeps_ Dumont, Dict. Sci. Nat., 29, 1823, p. 273 - (Mariannes = Guam); Pucheran, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., 1853, p. 387 - (Mariannes = Guam); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1855, p. 423 - (Mariannen = Guam). - - _Dacela ruficeps_ Lesson, Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 247 - (Mariannes = Guam). - - _Halcyon cinnamomeus_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 304 (Guahan). - - _Dacelo cinnamomina_ Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. - und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 131 (Guahan); Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, - 3, no. 17, 1863, p. 39; no. 39, 1874, p. 29 (Mariannes = Guam); - Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 3 (Mariannae = Guam). - - _Todiramphus cinnamominus_ Cassin, U. S. Expl. Exped. 1838-'42, - 1858, pp. 220, 225 (Ladrone or Marianna Islands = Guam). - - _Sauropatis cinnamomina_ Cabanis, Mus. Hein., 2, 1859-'60, p. 159 - (Marianen); Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 1, 1880, p. 481 - (Marianne = Guam). - - _Halcyon cinnamominus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 20 (Marianen = Guam); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British - Mus., 17, 1892, p. 259 (Marianne = Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers - Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 45 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, - 1902, p. 69 (Guam); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 108 (Guam); - Safford, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 263 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. - U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 (Guam); Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. - Mus., 36, 1909, p. 476 (Guam); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. - 116 (Marianen = Guam); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. - 63 (Mariannes = Guam); Cox, Islands of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); - Thompson, Guam and its people, 1942, p. 23 (Guam). - - _Halcyon rufigularis_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 17, 1892, - p. 260 (No type locality = Guam). - - _Halcyon cinnamanea_ Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 12 - (Guam). - - _Halcyon cinnamonius_ Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, p. - 102 (Marianen = Guam). - - _Souropatis cinnamominus_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 59 (Guam). - - _Hyposyma cinnamomina_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, - 1927, p. 384 (Marianne = Guam). - - _Halcyon cinnamomina cinnamomina_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 179 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 200 (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 293 (Guam); - Peters, Check-list Birds World, 5, 1945, p. 206 (Guam); Watson, - The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 41 (Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., - vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 63 (Guam). - - _Halcyon cinnamomius_ Bryan, Guam, Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. - 25 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Head, neck, upper back, and entire under - surface near "Sanford's brown"; auriculars black with bluish wash; - narrow black line extending around nape; orbital ring black; lower - back, lesser wing-coverts, and scapulars deep greenish-blue; outer - webs of wing feathers and tail blue; rump resembles tail but - slightly lighter; under wing-coverts greenish-blue; feet dark - brown; bill black, base of mandible paler; iris dark brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but chin, throat, and upper - breast paler; rest of underparts and under wing-coverts white; a - few cinnamon-tipped feathers on tibia and at bend of wing; back - and scapulars darker olive-green and less blue. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but brown of crown mixed with - greenish-blue; back and wing-coverts edged with pale cinnamon; - chin and throat whitish; rest of underparts buffy-white in male - and paler in female; feathers on breast and nape with dark - edgings. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 32. - - -TABLE 32. MEASUREMENTS OF _Halcyon cinnamomina_ - - =====================+==========+==========+=========+=========+======== - | | | | Exposed | - SUBSPECIES | Number | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - ---------------------+----------+----------+---------+---------+-------- - _H. c. cinnamomina_ |31 males | 102 | 77 | 37 | 15 - | | (96-105) | (73-83) | (35-39) | (14-17) - | | | | | - |25 females| 102 | 79 | 38 | 15 - | | (99-106) | (74-84) | (35-38) | (14-17) - | | | | | - _H. c. pelewensis_ | 5 males | 89 | 61 | 39 | 14 - | | (88-89) | (58-64) | (38-40) | (13-14) - | | | | | - | 4 females| 88 | 64 | 39 | 14 - | | (88-89) | (61-67) | (38-39) | (13-14) - | | | | | - _H. c. reichenbachii_|14 males | 99 | 74 | 41 | 16 - | | (96-101) | (72-77) | (39-43) | (16-17) - | | | | | - |15 females| 100 | 74 | 41 | 16 - | | (96-102) | (71-76) | (39-42) | (15-17) - ---------------------+----------+----------+---------+---------+-------- - - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party obtained the following weights: 11 - adult males, 56-62 (59); 10 adult females, 58-76 (66). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 72 (40 males, 32 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 38 (Feb. 14, 24, March 8, May - 25, 26, 30, June 2, 3, 4, 6, 13, 14, 16, 18, 19, 28, 29, July 6, 7, - 10, 18, 20, Aug. 24, 30, Nov. 19); AMNH--Guam, 34 (Jan., Feb., - March, April, July, Aug., Sept., Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--In 1945, the NAMRU2 party found the kingfisher nesting - in the months of March, April, May, and July. Nests were placed in - hollows of trees, usually ten or more feet above the ground. On - April 3, a nest was found in a banyan tree approximately 25 feet - above the ground in a hollow limb. There were two entrances to the - nest cavity and both the male and female were observed to feed the - young. They did not enter the hollow but placed food in the - protruding beaks of the young; the parents and nestling both were - exceedingly noisy throughout most of the feeding period. On July 8, - McElroy found a nest containing two white eggs, partly incubated, - in a cavity of a felled coconut palm at Agfayan Bay. - - _Molt._--Examination of specimens indicates that the time of molt - is irregular or that molting may occur at any time of the year. - However, there may be a peak in molting in July, August and - September; many of the adult birds taken then show evidence of - molting of wing and tail. This is immediately following the period - of greatest nesting activity. - - _Food habits._--The Micronesian Kingfisher at Guam feeds on various - kinds of animal life; lizards and insects are the principal items. - Of three birds taken on February 14, the stomach of one contained a - blue-tailed skink; one contained parts of insects and one contained - parts of a gecko. I watched a kingfisher capture and swallow a - skink on January 14. The bird remained motionless on its perch - until the reptile approached within striking distance. Seale - (1901:45) writes that the bird has a bad reputation as a chicken - thief. He remarks, "I rather doubted his ability in this line until - one day I actually saw him attack a brood of small chicks quite - near me, and he would have undoubtedly secured one had not the - mother hen rushed to the rescue." - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174) obtained the chigger (Acarina), - _Trombicula_ sp., from the Guam Kingfisher. - -_Remarks._--In 1820, Quoy and Gaimard (1824:35) obtained five specimens -of this kingfisher at Guam and called the bird "Martin-chasseur ŕ -tęterouse." Kittlitz recorded the bird in March, 1828. Marche obtained a -series of 57 skins at Guam in 1887 and 1888; these were sent to the -Paris Museum. Sharpe described the female as a separate species in 1892. -There is considerable variation in the coloration of adult birds, which -is mostly due to fading, as suggested by Hartert (1898:52). Some -individuals have the crown feathers much abraided as a result of rubbing -the crown against the edge of the nest holes as the birds enter and -leave them. - -The kingfisher is fairly common at Guam. It is primarily a bird of the -forest, preferring particularly the marginal habitats between woodlands -and openings. I saw only a few birds in open country; only rarely were -birds seen sitting on the telephone lines along the roads. The writer -(1947b:124) found that of all the birds frequenting habitat along -roadways on Guam, the kingfisher comprised only 1.2 percent. Thus, it -can be said that it is not a bird of very conspicuous habits, although -its noisy "rattle" may be heard in the day and at night. - - -=Halcyon cinnamomina pelewensis= Wiglesworth - -Micronesian Kingfisher - - _Halcyon pelewensis_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 15. (Type locality, Pelew - Islands.) - - _Halcyon reichenbachii_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 4, 118 (Pelew); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., - 17, 1892, p. 261 (Pelew). - - _Halcyon cinnamomina_ Sharpe (part), Monogr. Alced., 1868-'71, pp. - xxxii, 213, pl. 30 (Pelew); Tristram (part), Cat. Birds, 1889, p. - 92 (Pelew). - - _Dacelo reichenbachii_ Schlegel, Mus. Pay-Bas, 3, no. 39, 1874, p. - 29 (Pelew). - - _Halcyon reichenbachi_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 4, 11 (Palau); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 116 (Palau). - - _Halcyon cinnamominus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 20 (Palau). - - _Sauropatis cinnamomina_ Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 1, - 1880, p. 481 (Pelew). - - _Halcyon pelewensis_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 53 - (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Palau); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 53 (Pelew); Uchida, - Annot. Zool. Japan., 9, 1918, p. 483 (Palau). - - _Halcyon Reichenbachi_ var. _pelewensis_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. - Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 186 (Pelew). - - _Halcyon cinnamominus_ var? _pelewensis_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, - 1902, p. 108 (Pelew). - - _Sauropatis reichenbachii pelewensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1932, p. 60 (Angaur). - - _Hyposyma cinnamomina pelewensis_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 385 (Palau). - - _Halcyon cinnamomina pelewensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 180 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 200 (Babelthuap, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 293 (Palau); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 5, 1945, p. 206 - (Babelthuap, Koror); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, pp. 63, 64 (Peleliu, Ngabad). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Kayangel, - Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Ngabad, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _H. c. cinnamomina_, but - smaller and with underparts white; auriculars with less bluish - wash; outer webs of outer tail feathers edged with white. - - Immature: Resembles immature female of _H. c. cinnamomina_, but - smaller with white underparts edged with black on throat, breast, - and upper abdomen; outer webs of outer tail feathers edged with - white. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 32. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 17 (8 males, 8 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Babelthuap, 1 (Nov. - 30)--Peleliu, 1 (Sept. 10)--Ngabad, 3 (Sept. 11); AMNH--exact - locality not given, 12 (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - - _Food habits._--Stomachs of specimens obtained by the NAMRU2 party - at Palau contained insects. One male had a large cicada in its - stomach. Coultas (field notes) writes that foods of this bird - consist of grubs and ants. - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:483) found the bird louse (Mallophaga), - _Docophorus alatoclypeatus_, on this bird at Palau. - -_Remarks._--In 1945, the NAMRU2 party found this kingfisher in forested -areas and at the edges of mangrove swamps on small islands near Peleliu. -Only six birds were seen. The bird was located by listening for and -determining the direction of its rasping call. After a search of the -area of leafy foliage from where the call was coming, the bird would be -seen sitting motionless on a near-by perch. McElroy of the NAMRU2 party -saw a kingfisher with cinnamon underparts at Bulubul Island at Ulithi -Atoll on August 21, 1945. It was not taken. - - -=Halcyon cinnamomina reichenbachii= (Hartlaub) - -Micronesian Kingfisher - - _Todirhamphus Reichenbachii_ Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, - 1852, p. 131. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Halcyon cinnamominus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 19 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 778 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 285 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 285 (Ponapé); - _idem_, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 47 (Ponapé). - - _Sauropatis cinnamomina_ Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 1, - 1880, p. 481 (Ponapé). - - _Halcyon cinnamomina_ Finsch, Ibis, 1881, pp. 112, 114 (Ponapé); - Tristram (part), Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 92 (Ponapé). - - _Halcyon mediocris_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 17, 1892, p. - 260 (Type locality, Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. and Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 16 (Ponapé); Oustalet, - Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, pp. 177, 180, - 181, 184, 185, 186 (Ponapi); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 116 - (Ponapé). - - _Halcyon reichenbachi_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 15 (Ponapé); Oustalet, Nouv. - Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, pp. 176, 180, 181, 182, - 183, 184, 185, 186 (Ponapi); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 53 - (Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Ponapé); - Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé). - - _Halcyon cinnamominus_ var. _reichenbachi_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, - 1902, p. 108 (Ponapé). - - _Halcyon cinnamominus_ var. _mediocris_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, - 1902, p. 108 (Ponapé). - - _Halcyon reichenbachii_ Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. - 53 (Ponapé). - - _Sauropatis mediocris_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. - Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 195 (Ponapé). - - _Sauropatis reichenbachii reichenbachii_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 60 (Ponapé). - - _Hyposyma cinnamomina reichenbachii_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 384 (Ponapé). - - _Halycyon cinnamomina reichenbachii_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 180 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 200 (Ponapé); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 293 - (Ponapé); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 5, 1945, p. 206 - (Ponapé). - - _Halcyon cinnamomina reichenbachii_ Bequaert, Mushi, 12, 1939, p. - 82 (Ponapé); idem, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, - p. 290 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles adult male of _H. c. - cinnamomina_, but with slightly smaller wing and smaller tail; - slightly longer bill; top of head paler cinnamon; feathers of back - tipped with cinnamon and bordered by backish; underparts white. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but feathers forward of black - nape band may be mixed white and cinnamon; back and scapulars - duller and less olive. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but crown streaked with greenish-black; - back and scapulars darker; wing-coverts edged with cinnamon, in - male chin and throat creamy, sides of throat, breast, and flanks - cinnamon, and axillaries, under wing-coverts, abdomen, under - tail-coverts paler cinnamon; in female chin and throat white and - rest of underparts paler than in male. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are presented in table 32. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 49 (25 males, 24 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 1 (Feb. 12); AMNH--Ponapé, - 48 (Nov., Dec). - - _Molt._--Most of the specimens taken by Coultas in November and - December are either worn or in molt. - - _Parasites._--Bequaert (1939:82 and 1941:290) records a fly - (Hippoboscidae), _Ornithoica pusilla_, from the Micronesian - Kingfisher at Ponapé. - -_Remarks._--The difference in coloration between the adults and -immatures has resulted in considerable confusion concerning the taxonomy -of this subspecies. According to Wiglesworth (1891a:15), the name -_Halcyon reichenbachii_ was established by Gustav Hartlaub in 1852 for a -kingfisher with a white abdomen in the Dresden Museum, which had been -figured by Reichenbach (Synopsis Avium, Alcedineae, 1851) and called -_Todiramphus cinnamomina_. This specimen had been mislabeled and -Hartlaub and Finsch (1868a:4), noting a resemblance between this bird -and specimens from the Palau Islands, used the name _H. reichenbachii_ -for the birds from the Palaus. Later, when specimens from Ponapé were -taken, Hartlaub's bird was found to be identical with them; thus the -name _H. reichenbachii_ could be restricted to the bird at Ponapé, and -Wiglesworth supplied the new name _H. pelewensis_ for the population at -Palau. _H. mediocris_ was used by Sharpe to designate the -cinnamon-breasted birds at Ponapé, because they were assumed to belong -to a species different from the white-breasted ones. This confused -situation was not clarified until additional collections were obtained -by the Japanese. - -Coultas (field notes) comments on the conspicuously different field -characters of the two color types in this bird. In 1930, he found the -bird common and usually in marginal habitat in the lowlands and at the -edges of mangrove swamps. - -_Evolutionary history of Halcyon cinnamomina._--The three races of -kingfishers belonging to the species _H. cinnamomina_ have been derived -from _H. chloris_. The principal distinction between the two species is -the presence of the cinnamon coloring in _H. cinnamomina_, although -within _H. chloris_ there are some subspecies possessing traces of this -coloration. The link between these two species, as pointed out to me by -Mayr, appears to be _H. chloris matthias_ Heinroth of the St. Matthias -and Squally islands, which is colored like _H. chloris_ except that on -the head, especially on the occiput, there is a faint wash of color -ranging from buff to ochre. This coloration of the head is a step toward -the condition in the Micronesian populations of _H. cinnamomina_. - -In _H. c. pelewensis_ and _H. c. reichenbachii_, the adult birds -resemble each other, although the former subspecies is slightly smaller. -The immatures of _H. c. reichenbachii_, however, possess cinnamon -coloring on the cheeks, sides of body, and breast in addition to that -present on the crown and nape. The crown and nape are of this same color -in the adults. In the subspecies at Guam, _H. c. cinnamomina_, the adult -male has the immature type of plumage found in _H. c. reichenbachii_. -The female of _H. c. cinnamomina_ has this cinnamon coloring on the -throat, but the breast, abdomen and under tail are white. The original -stock from which the Micronesian birds came may have invaded the area -via the Palau Islands, although Mayr (1940) is of the opinion that they -reached Micronesia via Ponapé (eastern Carolines) and spread to Guam -and Palau. He states further (1942b:181, 182) that the presence of _H. -cinnamomina_ and _H. chloris_ as reproductively isolated groups in the -Palaus may not indicate that they are distinct species, but that they -represent the overlap of terminal links of the same species, which have -diverged to such an extent as to leave these terminal links -reproductively isolated. - - -=Halcyon chloris teraokai= Kuroda - -White-collared Kingfisher - - _Halcyon chloris teraokai_ Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 56, pl. 3, - fig. 3. (Type locality, Pelew.) - - _Halcyon albicilla_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 - (1868), p. 828 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 4, 118 (Pelew); Gray (part), Hand-list Birds, 1, - 1869, p. 93 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 49 - (Palau, Mackenzie, Matetotas); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 171 (Pelew). - - _Halcyon chloris_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 93 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 4, 10 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 14 (Pelew); Mayr, Amer. Mus. - Novit., no. 469, 1931, p. 3 (Pelew). - - _Dacelo albicilla_ Giebel (part), Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 1 - (Pelew). - - _Halcyon sanctus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 50 - (Palau); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 17, 1892, p. 267 - (Pelew). - - _Dacelo albicilla_ Giebel (part), Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 1 - (Pelew). - - _Sauropatis chloris_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 1, 1880, p. 470 - (Pelew). - - _Halcyon chloris teraokai_ Uchida, Annot. Zool. Japon., 9, 1918, - p. 482 (Palau); Kuroda, Ibis, 1927, p. 707 (Pelew); Takatsukasa - and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 484 (Pelew); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 180 (Palau); Bequaert, - Mushi, 2, 1939, p. 82 (Palau); _idem_, Occ. Papers Bernice P. - Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, p. 290 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - 3d ed., 1942, p. 201 (Babelthuap, Koror, Angaur); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 293 (Palau); Peters, Check-list Birds - World, 5, 1945, p. 209 (Babelthuap, Koror, Angaur); Baker, - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 64 (Peleliu, - Garakayo). - - _Sauropatis chloris teraokai_ Oberholser, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., - 55, 1919, p. 357 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 59 (Angaur); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, - 1927, p. 381 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Kayangel, - Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Peleliu, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Dorsal surface bluish, head slightly - darker, back and scapulars more greenish, rump lighter blue; outer - webs of feathers of wing and of tail dark blue, entire first - primary blue, inner webs of other primaries black; collar and - underparts white; ariculars black with bluish wash, the black - extending around neck above white band; spot on upper lores and - narrow line above eye white; orbital ring and lower part of lores - black; under wing-coverts white; under tail black; feet black; - bill black, mandible with whitish base; iris dark brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but crown and back more green - and less blue; auriculars with greenish-blue wash. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but feathers of forehead edged with - buff; spot on lores and underparts buffy margined with dusky. - - _H. c. teraokai_ resembles closely _H. c. chloris_ (Boddaert), but - more greenish and less bluish, especially on tail. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 33. Adult males - and females have similar measurements and are treated together. - - -TABLE 33. MEASUREMENTS OF _Halcyon chloris_ IN MICRONESIA - - ==================+=====+===========+=========+=========+========= - | | | | Exposed | - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - ------------------+-----+-----------+---------+---------+--------- - _H. c. teraokai_ | 17 | 113 | 76 | 45 | 14 - | | (110-116) | (72-81) | (41-52) | (13-16) - | | | | | - _H. c. orii_ | 9 | 111 | 80 | 44 | 16 - | | (109-116) | (78-83) | (42-45) | (15-16) - | | | | | - _H. c. albicilla_ | 17 | 116 | 81 | 46 | 16 - | | (109-119) | (78-84) | (42-49) | (14-17) - | | | | | - _H. c. owstoni_ | 3 | 115 | 81 | 44 | 17 - | | (114-116) | (80-82) | (42-45) | (16-17) - ------------------+-----+-----------+---------+---------+----------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 53 (25 males, 28 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Garakayo, 3 (Sept. 20)--Peleliu, 14 - (Aug. 27, 29, 30, 31, Sept. 1, 5, 6, Nov. 7); AMNH--exact locality - not given, 36 (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - - _Food habits._--Unlike _H. cinnamomina_, _H. chloris_ obtains much - of its food by fishing in inland waters or in tidal flats and - lagoons. It does, however, obtain terrestrial foods also. Stomachs - of birds taken by the NAMRU2 party at Palau contained insects, - fish, crab, and shrimp. One stomach contained 3 cc. of fragments of - crab, another 2 cc. of shrimp and other crustacea, and another 2 - cc. of grasshoppers. Marshall (1949:210) records the house mouse as - a food of this bird. - - _Parasites._--Uchida (1918:483) records the bird louse - (Mallophaga), _Docophorus alatoclypeatus_, from this bird at - Palau. Bequaert (1939:82 and 1941:290) lists the fly - (Hippoboscidae), _Ornithoica pusilla_, from _H. c. teraokai_. - -_Remarks._--The White-collared Kingfisher at Palau is a showy and -conspicuous bird. It cannot be classed as a forest bird but seems to -prefer openings and marginal woodlands. Its range does not overlap that -of the secretive and inconspicuous _H. cinnamomina pelewensis_, which -prefers the denser forests. In 1945, the NAMRU2 party found _H. c. -teraokai_ to be numerous in the cleared battle areas at Peleliu and -Angaur. A favorite perch of this bird was the telephone lines, from -which a number of our specimens were shot. Usually the bird was observed -singly; occasionally two birds were found together. A pair was seen in -copulation on August 29. The call of this bird, a loud and harsh rattle, -is noticeably different from the low rasping note of _H. c. pelewensis_. -Coultas found _H. c. teraokai_ to be numerous in 1931. He comments -(field notes) that the bird frequents salt water areas, especially the -mangrove swamps. He noted the bird fishing at the outer reef. - - -=Halcyon chloris orii= Takatsukasa and Yamashina - -White-collared Kingfisher - - _Halcyon chloris orii_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, - 43, 1931, p. 484. (Type locality, Rota.) - - _Halcyon albicillus_ Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 17, - 1892, p. 249 (Marianne = Rota). - - _Halcyon albicilla_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 169 (Rota); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., - 5, 1898, p. 53 (Rota). - - _Sauropatis albicillus_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 58 (Rota). - - _Halcyon chloris orii_] Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 180 (Rota); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 200 (Rota, - Saipan as straggler); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 293 - (Rota); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 5, 1945, p. 210 (Rota); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 64 - (Rota). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Rota. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _H. c. teraokai_, but loral spot - larger and more buffy; occiput lightly streaked with white and - white line above eye; top of head and back more oily green and - less blue, darker in female. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but underparts and loral spot buffy - with dusky edges; feathers of forehead tipped with buff; remainder - of upper parts slightly darker. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 33. - - _Weights._--The author (1948:64) lists the weights of two adult - females as 84 and 85. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 11 (4 males, 6 females, 1 - unsexed), from Mariana Islands, USNM--Rota (Oct. 18, 19, 22, 26, - Nov. 2). - - _Molt._--The 11 specimens taken by the NAMRU2 party at Rota in - October and November are in molt. - -_Remarks._--The kingfisher at Rota was taken by Marche in June and July, -1888, and reported by Oustalet (1895:169). It was taken later by the -Japanese and described by Takatsukasa and Yamashina as a new subspecies. -Apparently, no other specimens were taken until the NAMRU party visited -Rota in October and November, 1945, and obtained 11 skins. The bird is -conspicuous and common at Rota. - -The color characters of white feathers intermingled with the bluish -coloring of the crown and the occiput and the large, whitish loral spot -place this subspecies as intermediate between _H. c. teraokai_ and the -two subspecies known from the more northern Marianas. - - -=Halcyon chloris albicilla= (Dumont) - -White-headed Kingfisher - - _Alcedo albicilla_ Dumont, Dict. Sci. Nat., éd. Levrault, 29, 1823, - p. 273. (Type locality, Marianne = Tinian.) - - _Alcedo albicilla_ Pucheran, Rev. et Mag. Zool., 1853, p. 388 - (Marianne = Tinian); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1855, p. 423 - (Mariannen = Tinian); Cassin, U. S. Expl. Exped. 1838-'42, 1858, - p. 225 (Mariannes = Tinian). - - _Todiramphus albicilla_ Reichenbach, Syn. Avium, Alcedineae, 1851, - p. 30 (Mariannen = Tinian). - - _Halcyon albicilla_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Mariannen = Tinian); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 5 (Ladrone or Marian Islands = Tinian); Gray (part), - Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 93 (Mariannes = Tinian); Oustalet, Le - Nat., 1889, p. 260, (Saypan); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 14 (Marianne = - Tinian); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), - 7, 1895, p. 169 (Saypan); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. - 52 (Saipan); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113, 114 - (Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 45 - (Saipan). - - _Dacelo albicilla_ Giebel (part), Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 1 - (Marianne = Tinian). - - _Sauropatis albicilla_ Salvadori, Ornith. Papuasia, 1, 1880, p. - 470 (Marianne = Tinian). - - _Halcyon albicillus_ Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 17, - 1892, p. 249 (Marianne = Saipan). - - _Halcyon saurophagus_ Schnee, Zeitschr. f. Naturwisch., 82, 1912, - p. 463 (Saipan). - - _Sauropatis albicillus_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 58 (Saipan). - - _Leucalcyon albicilla albicilla_ Mathews (part), Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 376 (Saipan). - - _Halcyon chloris albicilla_, Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 180 (Saipan, Tinian); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 200 (Saipan, Tinian, Yap?); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 293 (Saipan, Tinian); Peters, Check-list Birds World, 5, - 1945, p. 210 (Saipan, Tinian); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., - 49, 1946, p. 97 (Tinian); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 526 (Saipan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Saipan, Tinian. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _H. c. teraokai_, but slightly - larger; pileum white; white collar broad; black band on nape - narrow and faint in some individuals; back and scapulars more oily - green and less blue. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but pileum pale buff streaked with - bluish-green; back and scapulars darker; upper wing-coverts edged - with white; breast feathers edged with dusky black. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 33. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 20 (12 males, 8 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Saipan, 1 (Sept. 27)--Tinian, 4 - (Oct. 18, 23, 26); AMNH--Saipan, 11 (July 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, - August 5, 21, 26)--Tinian, 4 (Sept. 7, 8, 10). - - _Nesting._--Hartert (1898:42) records an egg found in a hole of a - tree at Saipan on July 31, 1895. He writes that the egg "is only - slightly glossy, very thin, pure white, but soiled all over with - deep brown spots, evidently from the decaying wood in the nest - hole. It measures 33:25 mm." - - _Molt._--Most of the birds taken in July, August, September, and - October are in molt. - -_Remarks._--Quoy and Gaimard, who visited the Marianas while on the -expedition in the "Uranie," obtained this kingfisher at Tinian. -Additional material was taken by Marche in 1887 at Saipan and by -Owston's Japanese collectors in 1895. In 1932, Coultas (field notes) -found the bird to be common on both Tinian and Saipan, especially in -open country. At Saipan, Stott (1947:526) found the birds as singles or -in pairs on wooded hillsides. At Tinian, Gleise (1945:220) estimated the -population in 1945 as 150. - -The completely white head in _H. c. albicilla_ closely resembles that in -_H. s. saurophaga_ Gould of Melanesia. These two species resemble each -other in several other respects. _H. saurophaga_ is smaller than _H. -chloris_ with black or greenish blue on the anterior part of the -ear-coverts and the color of the back, wings, and tail is more greenish. -The presence of both _H. saurophaga_ and _H. chloris_ on the same -islands in Melanesia is an indication that the two groups are -specifically distinct. - - -=Halcyon chloris owstoni= Rothschild - -White-collared Kingfisher - - _Halcyon owstoni_ Rothschild, Bull. British Ornith. Club, 15, 1904, - p. 6. (Type locality, Asuncion.) - - _Halcyon albicillus Sharpe_ (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 17, - 1892, p. 249 (Marianne = Pagan, Agrigan). - - _Halcyon albicilla_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, pp. 169, 170 (Pagan, Agrigan); Hartert, - Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 52 (Pagan, Agrigan). - - _Sauropatis chloris owstoni_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 59 (Asuncion). - - _Leucalcyon albicilla owstoni_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 376 (Asuncion). - - _Halcyon chloris owstoni_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 484 (Asuncion); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 180 (Asuncion); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 200 (Assongsong, Pagan, Almagan); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 293 (Almagan, Pagan, Agrigan, Asuncion); Peters, - Checklist Birds World, 5, 1945, p. 209 (Asuncion, Pagan, - Alamagan); Borror, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 417 (Agrigan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Asuncion, - Agrigan, Pagan, Almagan. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _H. c. albicilla_, but hind part - of crown blue-green and black collar broader. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but forehead buffy and edges of - feathering on anterior crown, upper wing-coverts, and tips of - secondaries brownish. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 33. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 4 (2 males, 1 female, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, AMNH--Asuncion, 4 (Jan., - July). - -_Remarks._--Marche obtained specimens of this bird at Pagan in November, -1887, and at Agrigan in December, 1888, and in February, 1889. Owston's -Japanese collectors obtained birds at Asuncion in 1904, which were named -as new by Rothschild. Apparently he used an immature specimen in -preparing the diagnosis of his new subspecies. Borror (1947:417) visited -Agrigan in 1945 and obtained specimens of this kingfisher. He reports -that the bird is a "common and abundant species and probably nests on -the island." - -_Evolutionary history of Halcyon chloris in Micronesia._--_Halcyon -chloris_ is distributed from eastern Africa at the Red Sea eastward -through southern Asia to Malaysia, Australia and the Pacific islands. -Peters (1945:207-213) recognized 47 subspecies within this species. - -In its colonization of Micronesia, _H. chloris_ apparently arrived first -at the Palaus probably from the Philippines or the Moluccas. Whether -_H. cinnamomina_ was established at Palau prior to the arrival of _H. -chloris_ is unknown. _H. chloris teraokai_ dominates most of the -available habitats at Palau, although it has differentiated but little -from subspecies to the west and southwest of Palau. Among named kinds it -most closely resembles _H. c. chloris_ (Boddaert) of the Moluccas, -Lesser Sundas and adjacent areas in color and structure. The species did -not succeed in establishing itself in the Carolines or at Guam, but did -so in the Marianas at Rota and northward. In comparison with other -subspecies of _H. chloris_ those in the Marianas are characterized by a -slight increase in size and a replacement of the bluish-green coloring -of the head either partly or wholly by white. It is noteworthy that on -the islands of Tinian and Saipan, which occupy a geographically -intermediate position in the Mariana chain, the bird has an almost -completely white head, whereas the birds on islands to the north and -south have only partly white heads. - -The geographic ranges of _H. chloris_ and _H. cinnamomina_ in Micronesia -overlap only at Palau as shown by Mayr (1942b:181). Even here each is -restricted to a different habitat. Possibly the present ranges resulted -from competition between each group, and both may have had more -extensive ranges in Micronesia in the past. Another possibility is that -the original stock of _H. chloris_ arrived in Micronesia via the Palaus -and that of _H. cinnamomina_ via Ponapé (eastern Carolinas), and that -the resulting successful colonizations were a matter of chance. If this -were the case the present day ranges may represent the total amount of -dispersal that has taken place. The absence of kingfishers from Kusaie, -Yap, Truk and other apparently suitable islands favors this possibility. - - -=Eurystomus orientalis connectens= Stresemann - -Dollar Bird - - _Eurystomus orientalis connectens_ Stresemann, Novit. Zool., 20, - 1913, p. 302. (Type locality, Moa.) - - _Eurystomus orientalis connectens_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. - 675 (Babelthuap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 199 - (Babelthuap). - - _Eurystomus orientalis pacificus_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Celebes and adjacent islands, Lesser Sunda - Islands from Lombock to Damar, Southeastern Islands. In Micronesia: - Palau Islands--Babelthuap. - -_Remarks._--Yamashina (1940:675) records an adult male taken at -Babelthuap in 1938. He assigns it to _E. o. connectens_, comparing it -with a series of 15 specimens of this race from Celebes, Halmahera and -Batchian. Mayr (1045a:302) refers this visitor to Palau to _E. o. -pacificus_ (Latham); this form is migratory and may fly north from -Australia to the Melanesian area between breeding seasons. - - -=Hirundo rustica gutturalis= Scopoli - -Eastern Barn Swallow - - _Hirundo gutturalis_ Scopoli, Del. Flor. et Faune, Insubr., 2, - 1786, p. 96. (Type locality, "in Nova Guinea," error = Panay, - Philippine Islands.) - - _Hirundo rustica_ Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. 112 - (Yap); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, - p. 391 (Yap). - - _Hirundo rustica gutturalis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 178 (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 198 - (Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau); - Baker, Smithson. Mus. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 65 (Guam, - Angaur, Ngesebus). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia, winters south to - Australia and Pacific islands. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Guam, Tinian; Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, Ngesebus, - Peleliu, Angaur; Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 13 (9 males, 3 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Tinian, 10 (Oct. 23, - 25); Palau Islands, USNM--Babelthuap, 1 (Nov. 27)--Angaur, 1 (Sept. - 21); AMNH--exact locality not given, 1 (Oct. 26). - -_Remarks._--This swallow is a winter migrant to western Micronesia from -Asia. In the Palau Islands in September, 1945, the NAMRU2 party saw the -swallow at Ngesebus and Angaur in small flocks. At Guam, the NAMRU2 -party saw one bird on October 7 and four birds flying near Agańa River -on October 11. Strophlet (1946:535) saw one bird on October 28, 1945, -and six birds on November 16 at Guam. Marshall (1949:221) found swallows -at Tinian, Saipan and Palau from October to February. He found only -immature birds. - - -=Edolisoma tenuirostre monachum= (Hartlaub and Finsch) - -Cicada Bird - - _Campephaga monacha_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, p. 99. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Volvocivora monacha_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. - 4, 19, pl. 3, fig. 2-3 (Palau); _idem_, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, p. 28 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau). - - _Lalage monacha_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 105 - (Pelew); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 186 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, - Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 25 (Pelew); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 53 - (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Palau); - Dubois, Syn. Avium., 1, 1902, p. 303 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die - Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 276 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 54 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 68 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 175 - (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 194 - (Babelthuap, Koror). - - _Edolisoma monacha_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 541 (Pelew). - - _Edolisoma tenuirostre monacha_ Stresemann, Ornith. Monatsber., - 47, 1939, p. 126 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 294 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, - p. 65 (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Peleliu. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Forehead, crown, nape, back, and - underparts near "Tyrian blue"; auriculars darker than back; lores - and chin black; throat black washed with blue gray; wing feathers - black, margined with pale blue; black tail tipped with whitish, - and basal part of middle two rectrices colored like back; under - wing dark except for whitish inner margins of secondaries; bill - and feet black; iris dark brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but forehead and under eye - pale buff; superciliary stripe darker buff; crown, nape, and sides - of neck dark slate-blue; mantle brown, feathers with buffy - centers; back brown washed with burnt brown; feathers of rump and - upper tail-coverts with terminal black bar edged with buff; wing - and tail brownish-black, primaries margined with buff, innermost - three secondaries and upper wing-coverts broadly edged with - lighter buff, tail tipped with buff, more broadly so on outermost - tail feathers, two outermost tail feathers with outer edge buff; - two central tail feathers basally dark ochre; ear-coverts buff, - tinged with black; chin, throat, and under wing-coverts deep buff; - breast, abdomen, and flanks buff, feathers with subterminal - blackish bar; under tail buff. - - Immature: Resembles adult female, but crown, nape, and sides of - neck brown; back faintly mottled with buff; tail feathers and - primary wing-coverts tipped with white; younger birds may have - upper parts margined with pale buff. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 34. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 23 (13 males, 10 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 4 (Nov. 6, 14, 26, Dec. - 5)--Peleliu, 2 (Aug. 29, 30); AMNH--exact locality not given, 17 - (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - - -TABLE 34. MEASUREMENTS OF _Edolisoma tenuirostre_ IN MICRONESIA - - -------------------+------+----------+---------+-----------+----------- - | | | | Exposed | - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - -------------------+------+----------+---------+-----------+----------- - | | | | | - _E. t. monachum_ | 10 | 98 | 80 | 21.0 | 23.0 - | | 96-103 | 76-83 | 20.0-22.5 | 22.5-24. - | | | | | - _E. t. insperatum_ | 35 | 109 | 86 | 23.0 | 24.0 - | | 107-112 | 82-91 | 22.0-24.0 | 23.0-25.0 - | | | | | - -------------------+------+----------+---------+-----------+----------- - - - _Molt._--Molt in this bird appears to take place in the period from - August to December. Most of the specimens taken in August, October, - November and December were in molt. None was taken in other months. - - _Food habits._--This bird feeds principally on insects. A female - taken on August 29 had in its stomach about one and a half cc. of - parts of grasshopper. Marshall (1949:212) records both animal and - vegetable matter in the stomach of this bird. - -_Remarks._--The Cicada Bird at Palau inhabits the jungles, especially -the marginal areas between the thick jungle and the more open woodlands. -In 1945, the NAMRU2 party observed only two birds, both of which were -obtained. These were found at Peleliu in a small area of undisturbed -woodland at the edge of a mangrove swamp. Each bird was perched -approximately 25 feet above the ground on the outer branches of a -densely foliated tree. The bird is thought not to be so rare as our -records indicate; probably its secretive habits conceal it from man -except as he makes special search for it. Coultas (field notes) -describes the bird as one of the true forest. He found it shy and -retiring and possessing a very weak voice. - -It may be noted that Delacour (1946:2) does not accept the genus -_Edolisoma_ but places birds which are currently assigned to it in the -genus _Coracina_. - - -=Edolisoma tenuirostre nesiotis= (Hartlaub and Finsch) - -Cicada Bird - - _Campephaga nesiotis_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, p. 98. (Type locality, Uap.) - - _Campehaga nesiotis_ Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. - 123 (Yap); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 391 (Yap). - - _Volvocivora nesiotis_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. - 28 (Yap). - - _Edoliisoma nesiotis_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. - 56 (Yap); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. - 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 25 (Uap); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. - Hamburg, 1898, p. 53 (Yap); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. - 112 (Yap); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 299 (Uap); Reichenow, - Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 274 (Karolinen = Yap); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 68 (Mackenzie, Yap). - - _Edolisoma nesiotis_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 542 (Mackenzie group); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 174 (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 194 - (Yap). - - _Edolisoma tenuirostre nesiotis_ Stresemann, Ornith. Monatsber., - 49, 1939, p. 126 (Yap); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 294 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles adult male of _E. t. - monachum_. Adult female: Resembles adult female of _E. t. - monachum_, but wings and upper parts less buffy and more rufous; - eye-stripe rufous; breast barred on sides only. - -_Remarks._--No specimen of the Cicada Bird from Yap has been examined by -me. For a long time this bird was thought to be a species distinct from -any other member of this genus, but Stresemann (1939:126) arranged it as -a subspecies of _Edolisoma tenuirostre_. The type specimen is an -immature, and the adult is unknown. The presence of rufous coloring -shows a relationship with _E. t. insperatum_ of Ponapé, but Mayr, who -has examined the type of _E. t. nesiotis_ in the Hamburg Museum, and has -obligingly showed me his notes on the bird, says that it has a greater -resemblance to the Cicada Bird at Palau especially because of the amount -of barring on the underparts. The true status of this bird, as well as -that of other members of the avifauna of Yap, will be incompletely known -until such time as good collections are available from this island -group. - - -=Edolisoma tenuirostre insperatum= (Finsch) - -Cicada Bird - - _Volvocivora inseperata_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1875, - (1876), p. 644. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Volvocivora insperata_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, - pp. 17, 27 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), - p. 779 (Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 110, 112, 115 (Ponapé); - Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 - (Ponapé). - - _Volvozivora insperata_ Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 289 - (Ponapé). - - _Lalage insperata_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. - 108 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 25 (Ponapé); Bolau, Mitteil. - Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 53 (Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Ponapé); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, - 1914, p. 276 (Karolinen = Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 68 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 174 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 194 (Ponapé). - - _Lisomada insperata_ Mathews, Novit. Zool., 24, 1928, p. 372 (new - generic name); _idem_, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. - 545 (Ponapé). - - _Edolisoma tenuirostre insperata_ Stresemann, Ornith. Monatsber., - 47, 1939, p. 126 (Ponapé); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 294 (Ponapé). - - _Edolisoma tenuirostre_ Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, - 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles adult male of _E. t. - monachum_, but larger; upper parts more grayish-blue; wings with - outer edges bluish-gray and inner webbings grayish-white; central - tail feathers with subterminal, roundish, black spots; two - outermost tail feathers black tipped with broad, pale bluish-gray - coloring; lores more bluish-gray and less black; ear-coverts pale - bluish-gray; chin, throat, breast, abdomen, flanks, under wing, - and under tail-coverts grayish-blue; bill and feet black; iris - dark brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult female of _E. t. monachum_, but - larger; forehead slate-gray; crown brownish-gray, browner on nape; - back chocolate-brown; rump rufous; upper tail-coverts more - cinnamon; wing and tail brownish-black, outer margins of primaries - edged with buff; outer margins of secondaries and upper - wing-coverts except primary wing-coverts edged with rufous; - central tail feathers like back but tipped with buff, other tail - feathers more broadly tipped with buff; lores grayish-black; malar - stripe to auriculars darker and more brownish-black with lighter - shafts; underparts rufous, under wing paler and more buffy. - - Immature: Resembles adult female, but forehead grayish tinged with - ochre; crown and neck brown becoming slightly more reddish on back - and more burnt reddish-brown on rump; tail edged and tipped with - buff; primaries tipped with whitish, secondaries broadly edged - with buff, primary wing-coverts tipped with buffy-white; lores - blackish; ear-coverts rufous with lighter shafts; tail feathers - pointed while in adult more rounded. Younger birds resemble older - ones, but plumage except wings and tail may be spotted or barred - with buff and black with whitish margins. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 34. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 46 (23 males, 23 females), - from Caroline Islands, AMNH--Ponapé (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Coultas (field notes) writes that the nest is - cup-shaped, made of grasses and strands of hair fern, and placed at - low elevations in small trees and bushes. He was told that two eggs - are laid. He comments that the nesting season had just been - completed in November and December (the time of his visit to - Ponapé), because he noted juveniles being attended and fed by the - adults. - - _Molt._--Most of the specimens taken by Coultas in November and - December are in fresh plumage or in the final stages of molt, - indicating that the molt was initiated possibly in September and - would be completed possibly in January. This time of molt appears - to be approximately one month later than the time of molt of _E. t. - monachum_ of Palau. Probably the bird at the Palau Islands breeds - slightly earlier in the year than the subspecies on Ponapé. - - Examination of the large series of birds taken by Coultas at - Ponapé shows the presence of three types of plumages. The writer - has not made a thorough diagnosis of these plumages, but suspects - that the phenomenon obtained here is the same as was found by Mayr - (1933e) in his study of _Neolalage banksiana_ (Gray), which is a - related bird. Immatures of _E. t. insperatum_ seemingly present - two plumages, which, if Mayr's arrangement is followed, may be - interpreted as a more primitive or "retarded" type in one case, - with less striking plumage, barred with black and buff, and a more - advanced or "progressive" type in the other case, with plumage of - the latter resembling more the adult type, especially the adult - female. It was not ascertained whether any of these specimens - represented adult birds in "retarded" plumage. - -_Remarks._--The Cicada Bird at Ponapé resembles in habits its related -subspecies at Palau. Coultas (field notes) writes that it is a forest -bird, with retiring habits. He observed the birds in small groups, and -describes their musical call notes as "to-to-wee, to-to-wee" repeated -several times. - -_Evolutionary history of Edolisoma tenuirostre in Micronesia._--Mayr (in -Stresemann, 1939:126) first pointed out the close relationship between -the cicada birds of Micronesia and _Edolisoma tenuirostre_ of the -Solomon Islands. Up to that time the Micronesian birds were considered -to belong to the genus _Lalage_. The cicada birds probably invaded -Micronesia along two independent routes from a dispersal center in the -Papuan area. The form at Palau, _E. t. monachum_, resembles closely -several of the subspecies to the south and southwest, particularly those -in the New Guinea area. Aside from the smaller size of the Palau form -there are differences in coloration between this bird and those of -Melanesia. In the adult female and the juvenile there are differences in -the amount of barring on the underparts and in the shade of color on the -upper parts. In the adult male there are differences in the marginal -coloring of the primaries and secondaries. _E. t. nesiotis_ may have -arrived at Yap from Palau. Little is known concerning the taxonomic -position of this bird. On the basis of the information available, it -appears closer to the Palau bird than the Ponapé bird in color; however, -in size it probably more closely approaches the latter subspecies. - -The Ponapé Cicada Bird, _E. t. insperatum_, appears to represent a -colonization distinct from that which established the populations at Yap -and Palau. This conclusion is based on the fact that the adult female of -_E. t. insperatum_ has distinctive reddish coloring and lacks the -barring on the underparts, and that it may have been derived from an -ancestral stock, which was reddish and not barred, such as _E. t. -remotum_ of the New Ireland area. The three subspecies in Micronesia may -represent remnants of a single colonization, since additional material -from Yap may prove that this island population has characters -intermediate between those of the other subspecies of Micronesia. - - -=Dicrurus macrocercus harterti= S. Baker - -Black Drongo - - _Dicrurus ater harterti_ S. Baker, Novit. Zool., 26, 1918, p. 299. - (Type locality, Formosa.) - - _Dicrurus macrocercus_ Baker, Trans. 11th N. Amer. Wildlife Conf., - 1946, p. 211 (Rota). - - _Dicrurus macrocercus harterti_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 65 (Rota). - - _Geographic range._--Formosa. In Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Rota - (introduced). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 7 (4 males, 3 females), from - Mariana Islands, USNM--Rota (Oct. 18, 19, Nov. 2). - -_Remarks._--This drongo was introduced from Formosa to Rota by the -Japanese South Seas Development Company (Nanyo Kohatsu Kabushiki Kaisha) -apparently in 1935. An illustrated booklet, printed by this organization -and seen by members of the NAMRU2 party at the Rota Civil Government -headquarters, showed pictures of the captive birds before release and -indicated that they had been brought to Rota for the purpose of -controlling destructive insects. Dr. Charles Vaurie has examined these -birds and compared them with a series of drongos from Formosa in the -collection of the American Museum of Natural History. - -The drongo appears well adapted at Rota, where it prefers cultivated -areas and the bombed village sites to thick woodlands. Birds were found -in small flocks often perched in large shade trees in village areas. -Weights of two immature males are 53 and 61 grams. One adult male -measures: wing, 144, tail, 153, culmen, 26, tarsus, 22. - - -=Corvus kubaryi= Reichenow - -Marianas Crow - - _Corvus Kubaryi_ Reichenow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1885, p. 110. (Type - locality, Palau, error = Guam.) - - _Corvus solitarius_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guahan); Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus - Acad. Sci. Paris, 37, 1853, p. 830 (Mariannes); Kittlitz, Denkw. - Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 143 (Guahan); - Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 216 - (Guam and Rota). - - _Corvus_ spec. Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 - (Mariannen); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 12 (Marianne). - - _Corvus kubaryi_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 59 (Guam, - Rota); Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); - Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Guam); Seale, Occ. - Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1901, p. 55 (Guam); Safford, - Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, pp. - 3, 264 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 - (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, 1913, pp. 87, 102 - (Marianen); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 306 (Palau); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Marianne); Cox, - Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 69 (Guam, Rota); Meinertzhagen, Novit. Zool., - 33, 1926, p. 73 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 169 (Guam, Rota); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 25 - (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 187 (Guam, - Rota); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 298 (Guam, Rota); - Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 41 (Guam); Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., - 16, 1946, p. 174 (Guam); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 540 (Guam); - Baker, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, p. 408 (Guam); _idem_, Condor, 49, - 1947, p. 125 (Guam); _idem_, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 66 (Guam, Rota). - - _Corone phillipina_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 46 (Marianne). - - _Corone kubaryi_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 46 (Pelew, error = Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Rota. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small, black crow with a slight - greenish-black gloss on head; back, wings, and tail with - bluish-black gloss; underparts with dull, greenish-black gloss; - bases of feathers light grayish, more nearly white on neck, - producing a somewhat ragged appearance; nasal bristles short but - extending over nostrils and base of culmen; bill and feet black; - iris dark brown. Female smaller. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but feathers with less gloss; wings and - tail browner. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of _Corvus kubaryi_ are listed in - table 35. - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party obtained weights of the Marianas Crow - as follows: from Guam, 5 males, 231-270 (256), 11 females, 205-260 - (242); from Rota, 1 male, 256; 1 female, 260 grams. - - -TABLE 35. MEASUREMENTS OF _Corvus kubaryi_ - - =========+===========+===========+===========+=========+========= - | Number | | | Full | - LOCATION | and sex | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - ---------+-----------+-----------+-----------+---------+--------- - Guam | 9 males | 236 | 165 | 55 | 51 - | | (229-244) | (158-170) | (51-57) | (49-52) - | 19 females| 227 | 151 | 50 | 50 - | | (222-241) | (143-166) | (47-54) | (46-54) - | | | | | - Rota | 3 males | 235 | 167 | 54 | 50 - | | (233-236) | (166-169) | (53-56) | (49-51) - ---------+-----------+-----------+-----------+---------+--------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 49 (20 males, 27 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 26 (May 25, 29, - June 4, 7, 8, 9, 18, 28, 29, July 10, 12, 18, Sept. 5, 11)--Rota, 4 - (Oct. 22, 25, 29); AMNH--Guam, 19 (Jan., Feb., March, Aug., Sept., - Dec.). - - _Nesting._--In the spring of 1945, the NAMRU2 party obtained - records of nesting activities by crows. One nest was observed on - March 8 in a banyan tree. Specimens collected from May to September - were not in breeding condition, and it is thought that the nesting - period is concentrated in the winter and spring months. Watson - (1946:41) reports finding a young crow being fed on May 8 by an - adult. - - _Molt._--The Marianas Crow molts in the period from May to August - or September. Most of the birds taken by the NAMRU2 party in this - period were in the process of molt. Skins obtained at Rota in late - October also exhibit signs of molt. Specimens taken in December, - January and February are in fresh or slightly worn plumage. The - crow presents an exceedingly shabby appearance in molt, because the - grayish and whitish basal parts of the feathers are exposed. - - _Food habits._--The crow is an omnivorous feeder. Stomachs - examined contained both plant and animal food. Both Seale - (1901:55) and Safford (1905:79) comment on the damage which the - crow does to the corn crop at Guam. Seale remarks that the crow - has a reputation for plundering nests of other birds. The NAMRU2 - party saw crows being chased by starlings on several occasions. - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174) obtained the chigger (Acarina), - _Trombicula_ sp., from the crow at Guam. - -_Remarks._--The Marianas Crow is confined to the forested areas and to -the coconut plantations at Guam. The birds were seen as singles or in -small flocks, often along the roadways. In a count of the number of -birds seen along the roadways of Guam, the author (1947:124) found crows -to constitute 2.4 per cent of the total population of birds counted and -observed the crow on 21.6 per cent of the 125 roadway counts made. -Coultas (field notes) noted the birds at the northern part of Guam. The -NAMRU2 party found the birds distributed in most parts of the island but -usually they were infrequent near areas where large numbers of service -personnel were stationed. The birds were often noisy when flying in -small flocks or in pairs; Seale (1901:55) also notes this. When observed -in jungle areas, the birds were generally quiet, feeding and perching in -dense foliage. At Rota, the NAMRU2 party found the bird to be fairly -numerous and with habits resembling those of the crow at Guam. No -differences in color or structure could be found between the specimens -of crows obtained at the two islands. - -Kittlitz (1836:305) was the first person to write an account of the crow -at Guam. He called it _Corvus solitarius_ and remarked that he later -found the same species in the Philippines. Wiglesworth (1891a:46) also -considered the crow at Guam to resemble one found in the Philippines and -called it _Corone phillipina_. Later Reichenow named the bird _Corvus -kubaryi_ with the type locality as the Palau Islands. This locality -proved to be erroneous and the bird was judged to be from Guam by -Hartert (1898:59), who did not use the name _C. solitarius_ because it -was a _nomen nudum_, and recognized _C. kubaryi_ as the correct name. - -_Evolutionary history of Corvus kubaryi._--Meinertzhagen (1926:59) -writes that "Environmental influences seem to be mainly, if not -entirely, responsible for geographic differences in the genus _Corvus_." -Such may be the case in _C. kubaryi_, which is a small, dull-colored -crow with a relatively unmodified bill. In structure, it has little -resemblance to other crows found in the Pacific area. Kittlitz was the -first to note a resemblance between the bird at Guam and one in the -Philippines. Oustalet (1896:70) wrote that the bird at Guam is related -to crows of the Moluccas and New Guinea. Although not closely related to -the Hawaiian Crow, _C. tropicus_, both have little gloss on their -feathers, a character which is common to many of the insular populations -of crows. Mayr (1943:46) is of the opinion that the Hawaiian bird was -derived from a North American ancestor, although Bryan (1941:187) -suggests that it is related to _C. macrorhynchus_ of southeastern Asia -and remarks that the Hawaiian Crow, "has some relation to the Guam -Crow." In looking for the ancestral stock of _C. kubaryi_, the several -species of crows which occur to the north, west and south of the -Marianas have been examined. In size and general structure, _C. kubaryi_ -appears to be closest to the _C. enca_ group, and not as closely related -to the _C. macrorhynchus_ group. The small size, the shape of the -culmen, the lack of pointed feathers on the breast, and the presence of -white on the basal parts of the feathers of the nape are characters -which _C. kubaryi_ has in common with _C. enca_. Nasal bristles cover -the frontal base of the culmen in _C. kubaryi_; this character is found -also in _C. enca florensis_. _C. kubaryi_ differs from the _C. enca_ -group by lacking the purple sheen on the upper parts; this sheen is -conspicuous in the latter species. _C. kubaryi_ appears to have little -in common with _C. meeki_ of the Solomons and _C. orru_ of the Moluccas -and New Guinea area. There is apparently no close relation between the -Marianas Crow and the crow which reaches the Bonins. The latter crow, -according to the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et al._, -1932:1), is called _C. coronoides hondoensis_ Momiyama and is apparently -now extinct in the Bonins. - -In summary, it may be said that _C. kubaryi_ is an isolated and modified -species of crow, which probably has been living at Guam and Rota for a -considerable length of time. Whether it once lived on other islands in -Micronesia is unknown, but it is entirely possible that the present -population may represent a remnant of one which formerly had a more -extensive distribution. The characters which show its distinctness from -possible ancestral species include its small size, its slender bill, -and its dull coloration. It is thought to have been derived from the _C. -enca_ group, _C. e. pusillus_ of the Philippines or _C. e. celebensis_ -of the Celebean area. - - -=Luscinia calliope calliope= (Pallas) - -Siberian Rubythroat - - _Motacilla Calliope_ Pallas, Reise durch versch. Prov. russ. - Reichs, 3, 1776, pp. 261, 325, 697. (Type locality, Yenesei.) - - _Luscinia calliope calliope_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 178 (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 197 - (Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia. Winters south to - Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror. - -_Remarks._--The Siberian Rubythroat is considered to be a casual winter -visitor to the Palau Islands. - - -=Monticola solitaria philippensis= (Müller) - -Chinese Blue Rock Thrush - - _Turdus philippensis_ Müller, Natursystem Supplements- und - Register-Band, 1776, p. 145. (Type locality, Philippine Islands, - _ex_ Buffon.) - - _Monticola philippensis philippensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 177 (Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 302 (Palau). - - _Monticola solitarius philippensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 197 (Koror). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia and Japan. Winters - south to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror. - -_Remarks._--The Chinese Blue Rock Thrush is apparently an infrequent -winter visitor to the Palau Islands. - - -=Turdus obscurus obscurus= Gmelin - -Dusky Thrush - - _Turdus obscuras_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat., 1, 1789, p. 816. (Type - locality, Lake Baikal.) - - _Turdus obscuras_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 96 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 5, 22 (Palau); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 66 (Pelew). - - _Merula obscura_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 39 (Pelew). - - _Turdus obscuras obscuras_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 177 (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 197 - (Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northeastern Asia. Winters south to - Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror. - -_Remarks._--The Dusky Thrush is considered to be a casual winter visitor -to the Palau Islands. It was first taken there by Captain Heinsohn, -according to Hartlaub and Finsch (1872:96). - - -=Psamathia annae= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Palau Bush-warbler - - _Psamathia annae_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, p. 5, pl. 2. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Psamathia annae_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 116, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, - pp. 89, 94 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 5, - 22 (Palau); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, pp. 399, 404 - (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, - p. 407 (Palau); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 7, 1883, p. 101 - (Pelew); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 155 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, - Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 40 (Pelew); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 57 - (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Palau); - Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 536 (Palau); Takatsukasa and - Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 67 (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 629 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 177 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 196 (Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu); Delacour, Ibis, - 84, 1942, p. 514 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 294 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, - p. 197 (Peleliu, Ngabad). - - _Calamodyta annae_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 208 (Pelew). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad. - - _Characters._--Adult: A medium-sized warbler with a rather long - bill and tail; upper parts near "buff olive," slightly lighter on - head; lores olive-gray to olive-green; supraloral stripe and - orbital ring pale yellow-buff; auriculars yellow-brown; underparts - lighter and more olive-yellow than back, especially in midsection; - chin paler; sides, tibia and under tail-coverts darker and more - olivaceus; wings and tail dark brown with outer edges olive; under - wing-coverts light yellow; axillaries more whitish; upper mandible - horn-colored, darker at base; lower mandible yellowish, darker at - base; legs and feet light yellowish-brown; iris grayish-brown. - Adult female resembles adult male but is slightly smaller. - Immature: Resembles adult but forehead and crown slightly lighter - and more yellowish; back and rump more brownish. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 36. - - -TABLE 36. MEASUREMENTS OF _Psamathia annae_ - - ===============+=====+=========+=========+=============+============= - | | | | Exposed | - SEX | No. | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - ---------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+------------- - Adult males | 7 | 74 | 64 | 21.0 | 28.5 - | | (72-77) | (62-68) | (19.5-22.5) | (27.0-30.0) - | | | | | - Adult females | 11 | 69 | 58 | 21.0 | 26.5 - | | (65-74) | (55-61) | (19.5-22.0) | (25.0-29.0) - ---------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+------------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 23 (9 males, 14 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 5 (Nov. 7, 9, 11, 18, - 19)--Peleliu, 4 (Aug. 29, 30, Sept. 4, Dec. 5)--Ngabad, 1 (Sept. - 11); AMNH--exact locality not given, 13 (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Nehrkorn (1879:399, 404) records the egg of _Psamathia_ - from Palau. The NAMRU2 party obtained no evidence of nesting of - this bird in August and September, 1945. In 1931, Coultas secured - birds in November and December, which had enlarged gonads. Marshall - (1949:219) records breeding in November and December. - - _Molt._--Most of the skins taken from August to December have worn - or molting feathers. Apparently there is a high point in the - molting process in autumn and early winter. - - _Food habits._--Stomachs obtained from birds taken by the NAMRU2 - party in August and September contained parts of insects and small - seeds. One stomach contained about one-half cc. of parts of - insects. Coultas (field notes) found the bird scratching "on the - ground for seeds as well as working in the low trees and bushes." - Marshall (1949:212) records insects and snails as food items. - -_Remarks._--_Psamathia_ has the habit of a typical bushwarbler, -occurring in jungle undergrowth and along woodland margins. In 1945, -specimens were obtained by the NAMRU2 party in the scrub vegetation -which was growing over the devastated battle areas of Peleliu. The bird -was not common in this habitat, nor was it very numerous on the smaller -offshore islands. Coultas (field notes) found the bird to be rather tame -and frequently to live close to human habitation. Its call, as noted by -Coultas, is a loud whistle that breaks off into a beautiful song. The -bird is quick in its movements; one seen by the writer at Ngabad was -constantly moving about in low, second-growth vegetation and was making -a low, whistling call. The resemblance of _Psamathia_ to _Rukia -palauensis_ is noteworthy. These two unrelated birds live together in -jungle areas, although _Psamathia_ is perhaps confined more to the -forested undergrowth and is more solitary in its habits. Aside from its -longer legs and bill, _Psamathia_ closely resembles _Rukia_ in shape and -coloration. They appear to have developed along somewhat similar -evolutionary lines with regard to structure, color and ecologic -requirements. - -The Palau Warbler was first discovered by Captain Tetens and described -as belonging to a new genus by Hartlaub and Finsch (1868a:5). In the -original description the authors remark that, "The generic position of -this new form is in the _Calamoherpe_ group; the feet are the same as in -_Calamoherpe_; but the beak is weaker and slenderer, and the wings are -very different. _Calamoherpe_ has the first quill quite spurious, the -third is the longest, and the second and sixth are subequal. In -_Calamoherpe_ there are twelve tail-feathers; in _Psamathia_ I can find -only ten. _Tatare_ is a very different form, with a scutellated tarsi, a -very different structure of the plumage, a much more elongated beak, and -a twelve-feathered tail. _Tatare syrinx_ is a typical Calamoherpe. In -the structure of the wing of _Psamathia_, there seems to be a great -resemblance to the genus _Arundinax_ of Blyth, a form with which it is -not in my power to compare." The genera _Calamoherpe_ and _Tatare_ are -now included in _Acrocephalus_; the describers were comparing the Palau -Warbler with the reed-warblers of Micronesia and Polynesia. - -Sharpe (1883:93) writes that the Palau Bush-warblers are "Aberrant reed -warblers, and should, in my opinion, be placed in future classifications -of the Cichlomorphae near the genera _Cettia_ and _Acrocephalus_, from -which they are separated by their larger first primary only. Through -_Megalurus_ and _Sphenoeacus_ they approach the grass-warblers and -Cisticolae especially." - -Mayr (1941b:203) cites _Psamathia_ as an example of "restricted -endemism" and points out that the nearest relative occurs in the -Philippines. Delacour (1942:514), in a discussion of the bush-warblers -of the genera _Cettia_, _Bradypterus_ and related forms, says, -"_Psamathia annae_, from Palau Islands, is related to _Cettia_, -differing mainly in its much longer bill and legs." - -_Psamathia_ is a specialized bush-warbler and has followed a pattern of -evolution which characterizes some of the other island birds in that the -bill and legs are long and the wing is rather short and rounded. -_Psamathia_ resembles many of the bush-warblers, as well as the -reed-warblers {_Acrocephalus_); in general, body coloring being paler -below and darker above. It differs from _Acrocephalus_ by having a -longer tenth primary, smaller second and third primaries, only ten tail -feathers, a more rounded wing, differently shaped nostrils, and by much -softer plumage (the latter character is found also in _Collurcincla -tenebrosus_ and _Cleptornis marchei_ of Micronesia). Rather than being -related to the reed-warblers, as was supposed by Hartlaub and Finsch, -_Psamathia_ seems closest to _Cettia_, especially to _Cettia_ -(_Horeites_) _diphone seebohmi_ of the Philippine Islands. _Psamathia_ -has a longer bill than this bird, but the general appearance and -structure of the feet, tail, wing, body and bill are the same. - - -=Acrocephalus luscinia luscinia= (Quoy and Gaimard) - -Nightingale Reed-warbler - - _Thryothorus luscinius_ Quoy and Gaimard, Voy. "l'Astrolabe," - Zool., 1, 1830, p. 202, pl. 5, fig. 2. (Type locality, Marian Is. = - Guam.) - - _Sylvia syrinx_ Kittlitz (part), Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Seniavine," 3, 1836, p. 306 (Guahan); _idem_ (part), Denkw. Reise - russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 141 (Guaham). - - _Tatare luscinia_ Gray, Genera Birds, 3, 1849, App. 8 (Marian Is. - = Guam); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 167 (Mariannen = - Guam); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 14 - (Ladrone or Marian Is. = Guam); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, p. 31 (Guaham); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 41 (Guam); Büttikofer, Notes - Leyden Mus., 14, 1892, p. 16 (Guam); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 209 (Guam). - - _Tatare luscinius_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, p. 224 (Guam); - _idem_, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, 41, 1855, p. 1111 - (Mariannes = Guam); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 194 (Ladrone - = Guam). - - _Hybristes_ [_luscinia_] Reichenbach, Syst. Avium, 1850, pl. 57, - fig. 7 (no locality = Guam). - - _Acrocephalus orientalis_ Pelzeln, Reise, "Novara," Vögel, 1865, - p. 64 (Guaham). - - _Tatares luscinius_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 599 - (Marianae). - - _Acrocephalus mariannae_ Tristram, Ibis, 1883, p. 45 (Type - locality, Guam). - - _Tatare mariannae_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 7, 1883, p. - 528 (Marianne = Guam); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 260 (Mariannes - = Guam). - - _Acrocephalus luscinia_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 - (Guam, Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 53 (Guam, Saipan); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. - 112, 113 (Guam, Saipan); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam); - Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 369 (Marianne); Safford, Amer. - Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, 1904, - p. 264 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, pp. 30, - 79 (Guam); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 545 (Marianen); Cox, - Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 67 (Guam, Saipan); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, - no. 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam); Thompson, Guam and its people, 1942, p. - 23 (Guam); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 539 (Guam). - - _Conopoderas luscinia_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 594 (Marianas); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 177 (Marianas). - - _Conopoderas luscinia hivae_ Yamashina, Bull. Biogeogr. Soc. - Japan, 12, 1942, p. 81 (Type locality, Saipan); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 196 (Almagan, Saipan). - - _Conopoderas luscinia luscinia_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 197 (Guam). - - _Acrocephalus luscinia luscinia_ Mayr (part), Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 294 (Guam, Saipan, Almagan); Stott, Auk, 1947, - p. 526 (Saipan); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 67 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Saipan, - Almagan. - - _Character._--Adult: A rather large warbler with long, curved - bill; upper parts near "Saccardo olive"; feathers of head grayer - because of darker shafts; rump paler and browner; lores dark; - supraloral stripe light buffy-yellow; auriculars, cheeks, and - sides of neck slightly darker; chin, throat, breast, and abdomen - pale buffy-yellow; tibia darker and more olivaceous-brown; under - tail-coverts pale yellow-buff; wing and tail feathers brown, edged - with ochraceous; under wing grayish, inner edges lighter; - axillaries pinkish-white; upper mandible dark horn colored; lower - mandible lighter yellow; feet light gray; iris brown. Female - resembles male but is slightly smaller. - - -TABLE 37. MEASUREMENTS OF _Acrocephalus luscinia_ - - -----------------+----+--------+-------+-------+-----------+----------- - | | | | |Exposed | - SUBSPECIES | No.| Sex | Wing | Tail |culmen | Tarsus - -----------------+----+--------+-------+-------+-----------+----------- - | | | | | | - _A. l. luscinia_ | 11 | males | 84 | 83 | 36.0 | 30.5 - | | |(81-86)|(80-86)|(35.5-39.0)|(30.0-31.0) - | 1 | female | 78 | 73 | 37.0 | 28.5 - | | | | | | - _A. l. syrinx_ | 31 | males | 78 | 71 | 26.5 | 26.5 - | | |(76-80)|(68-75)|(25.0-27.0)|(25.0-29.0) - | 12 | females| 75 | 68 | 25.5 | 26.0 - | | |(74-78)|(65-70)|(24.0-27.0)|(24.0-26.0) - -----------------+----+--------+-------+-------+-----------+----------- - - - Immature: Resembles adult, but upper parts duller and more brown - and less olive; underparts less yellow; wing and tail feathers - lighter brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 37. - - _Weights._--The weights of three adult males obtained at Guam by - the NAMRU2 party are 30, 30, and 31 grams. An adult female from - Guam weighed 27 grams. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 12 (11 males, 1 female), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 6 (June 2, 13, July 2, - 18)--Saipan, 6 (Sept. 27, 30). - - _Nesting._--Oustalet (1895:209) writes that Marche found nests at - Guam in June, 1887. The NAMRU2 party obtained two males with - enlarged gonads in June, 1945. - - _Molt._--Specimens taken in June, July, and September are either - in worn plumage or in molt. Birds in worn plumage become a faded - straw-brown above. Oustalet apparently interpreted this coloring - of the worn plumage as a seasonal coloration. - - _Food habits._--Seale (1901:53) reports that four stomachs which - he examined contained insects and larvae. Marshall (1949:21) lists - as food items: lizards, snails, spiders, and insects. - -_Remarks._--The Nightingale Reed-warbler at Guam is restricted to cane -thickets and adjacent areas in and near fresh and brackish water -marshes. In 1945, the NAMRU2 party found the bird fairly numerous in -some of these habitats. Seale (1901:53) writes, "This bird is now quite -scarce on the island of Guam. It lives exclusively among the reedy -swamps, and those swamps are now being drained to make room for the -Chinaman's rice paddies." Mayr (1945a:295) also notes the rarity of the -species. As a result of the late war, the cultivation of rice was -reduced and the reed-warbler probably has been able to increase in some -of the now fallow areas. The most extensive range of this bird at Guam -is found in the Agańa Swamp, where there is a large area consisting of -thick cane. Here, and in the other large cane patches, the chief hazard -to the bird population appears to be fire. In dry periods, the entire -habitat might be easily destroyed by fire. The birds are extremely shy; -their melodious songs may be heard in the reeds, but their active -movements in the thick cane are difficult to observe. While hunting for -these birds along the edges of Agańa Swamp on June 2, the writer -observed, or located the calls of, at least six or seven individuals but -could only get within shooting range of three birds. Within the cane -thickets, these birds feed and move about near the ground or the surface -of the water. Rarely do they perch in a conspicuous manner in the upper -parts of the cover. Their color patterns blend perfectly with the -coloration of the dry cane stalks. Perhaps failure to find many of the -birds because of their secretive habits has caused many observers to -assume that the bird is near extinction. Nevertheless, it is my -contention that the bird, being restricted to these limited areas, has -never been very abundant at Guam. The absence of natural enemies, -especially snakes, may be one of the principal reasons why they have -been able to survive. - -Reed-warblers were not found by the NAMRU2 party at Rota in 1945, nor -have they been reported from Tinian. Yamashina in 1942 described the -populations at Saipan and Almagan as distinct. I have not seen this -description, but on the basis of examinations of specimens from Saipan, -I can see no recognizable differences between these and birds from Guam. - - -=Acrocophalus luscinia syrinx= (Kittlitz) - -Nightingale Reed-warbler - - _Sylvia syrinx_ Kittlitz, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. Petersbourg, 2, - 1835, p. 6, pl. 8. (Type locality, Lugunor and Ulcei = Woleai.) - - _Sylvia syrinx_ Kittlitz (part), Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 297 (Lougounor); _idem_, Denkw. Reise - russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 92 (Ualan, Lugunor, - Ulea). - - _Eparnetes_ Reichenbach, Syst. Avium, 1850, pl. 57 (no locality = - Carolines); Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, 41, 1855, - p. 1111 (Carolines). - - _Tatare syrinx_ Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, p. 131 - (Ualan, Lugunor); Pucheran, Voy. Pôle Sud, 3, 1853, p. 92 (Hogoleu - = Truk); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, pp. 164, 168 - (Hogoleu); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 14 - (Ualan); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 7, 1883, p. 527 - (Carolines); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, - no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 41 (Ruk, Ualan, Luganor, Uleei, - Nukuor, Ponapé); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 210 (Ruk, Ponapi, Mortlock, Kusaie, Uleei, - Nukuor). - - _Acrocephalus orientalis_ Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, - pp. 63, 162 (Puynipet, Lugunor, Ulcei). - - _Calamodyta syrinx_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 208 - (Ualan); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 1, 1872, p. 529 (Carolin.). - - _Calamoherpe syrinx_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. - 17 (Ponapé, Lugunor, Ruck, Ualan, Uleei); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1877 (1878), p. 778 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith, - 1880, pp. 287, 297 (Ponapé, Ruck, Mortlocks, Kuschai); _idem_, - Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 575 (Ruk, Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, - 1881, pp. 108, 112, 115, 247 (Kuschai, Ruck, Ponapé, Mortlocks); - Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 298, - 330, 353 (Ponapé, Mortlocks, Nukor, Ruk); Finsch, Ibis, 1883, p. - 143 (Ruck); _idem_, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 49 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Sammlung wissensch. Vorträge, 14 ser., 1900, p. - 659 (Carolinen). - - _Acrocephalus syrinx_ Seebohm, Cat. Birds British Mus., 5, 1881, - p. 100 (Ponapé); Tristram, Ibis, 1883, p. 44 (Ponapé, Ruk, - Mortlock, Lugunor, Uleei); _idem_, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 152 - (Ponape, Ruk); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 33 (Ponapé, Ruk); - Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 58 (Carolines); _idem_, - Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 3 (Ruk); Seale (part), Occ. Papers - Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 53 (Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. - f. Ornith., 1900, pp. 112, 113 (Ruk, Ponapé, Ualan); Dubois, Syn. - Avium, 1, 1902, p. 369 (Ponapé); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. - 545 (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 - (Ponapé, Ruk); Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. - 204 (Ponapé). - - _Conopoderas syrinx_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. - Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 214 (Ponapé, Truk); Takatsukasa and - Yamashina, Dobotsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 485 (Caroline Is.); - Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 405 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 177 (Carolines). - - _Acrocephalus stentoreus syrinx_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 67 (Ruk, Ualan, Lugunor, Wolea, Nukuoro, - Ponapé). - - _Conopoderas luscinia syrinx_, Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 197 (Wolea, Lamotrek, Truk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, - Kusaie). - - _Acrocephalus luscinia syrinx_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 294 (Carolines); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, - no. 15, 1948, p. 67 (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Woleai, - Lamotrek, Truk, Lukunor, Nukuoro, Ponapé, Kusaie. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _A. l. luscinia_, but smaller; - with shorter, straighter bill; head and neck more reddish-brown; - back, rump, wing, and tail edged with cinnamon; flight feathers - faintly tipped with white. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but lighter and more rufous in color; - wings and rump paler, wings edged with rufous buff. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 37. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 62 (35 males, 20 females, 7 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 1 (Feb. - 12)--Truk, 4 (Feb. 16, Mar. 15); AMNH--Ponapé, 35 (Nov., - Dec.)--Truk, 22 (Feb., March, May, June, Nov.). - - _Nesting._--Birds nest in reedy swamps and scrub vegetation in the - Caroline Islands, although Finsch (1881b:115), recording a field - note by Kubary, states that nests were found in trees at Mortlock - Atoll (= Lukunor). Yamashina (1932a:405) reports the collecting of - seven sets of eggs at Ponapé in July and August, 1931. The sets - consisted of one or two eggs each. McElroy of the NAMRU2 party - obtained specimens with enlarged gonads at Truk in December and - noted that birds were carrying nest materials to cane swamps. Of - the birds secured by Coultas in November and December at Ponapé, - only a small number had enlarged gonads. He also found nests - containing no eggs in low bushes at Ponapé. Hartert (1900:3) - reports that at Truk Owston's Japanese collectors obtained "many - nests" from the end of May to the beginning of July. These nests - contained one or two eggs and were found 7 to 20 feet above the - ground in breadfruit, coconut and ivory-nut palm trees. Hartert - writes, "The eggs are white, covered with darker and lighter brown - patches, and underlying ashy grey or lavender-grey spots. These - spots are generally thicker near the broad end, sometimes forming a - loose ring, and they are sometimes equally spread over the whole - surface." He lists measurements of 48 eggs. - - _Molt._--Of the specimens examined by me, those taken in the - spring and summer are in fresh or worn plumage; those taken in - fall and winter are in molt, with a few skins exhibiting worn or - fresh plumage in the latter period. Apparently the peak in the - molting process occurs from September to December. - - _Food habits._--The reed-warbler is an insect feeder. Coultas, in - his observations of the bird at Ponapé, relates that he was able - to locate the warbler by listening for the "snapping of the - mandibles as the bird is catching food." - -_Remarks._--From the observations of Kittlitz, Kubary, Coultas, McElroy, -and others, it is apparent that the Nightingale Reed-warbler in the -Caroline Islands is restricted to the lower elevations of the islands. -Whereas the reed-warbler at Guam seems closely associated with cane -swamps and adjacent vegetation, the bird in the Carolines may range more -extensively into brush lands, forest margins and grass lands. Coultas -(field notes) notes that the reed-warbler at Ponapé is a "common bird of -the small bush and grasslands. One is attracted by its warbler-like -song. The bird spends hours perched on a stem of a bush caroling the -time of day. When feeding, one finds it on the ground or working away -quietly among the bushes. _Acrocephalus_ is a friendly bird who does not -become frightened easily. He responds to man-made calls." - -The Nightingale Reed-warbler is found on many of the islands in the -Caroline Chain, including both the "high" volcanic islands (Ponapé and -Truk) and the "low" coral islands (Lukunor and Nukunor). Although the -bird has been recorded at Kusaie by Kittlitz and Finsch, it was not -taken there by Coultas in 1931. Reed-warblers are unknown at Yap, -Ulithi, Fais or at other islands of the extreme western Carolines, or in -the Palau Archipelago. - -They are unrecorded also in the Marshall Islands, but at Nauru in the -Gilbert Islands, to the southeast, an isolated population of this bird -occurs and has been named _A. l. rehsei_ (Finsch). - - -=Acrocephalus luscinia yamashinae= (Takatsukasa) - -Nightingale Reed-warbler - - _Conopoderas yamashinae_ Takatsukasa, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. - 485. (Type locality, Pagan.) - - _Tatare syrinx_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 210 (Pagan). - - _Acrocephalus syrinx_ Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 58 - (Pagan); Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 53 (Pagan). - - _Acrocephalus stentoreus syrinx_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 67 (Pagan). - - _Conopoderas yamashinae_, Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 177 (Pagan). - - _Conopoderas luscinia yamashinae_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 196 (Pagan). - - _Acrocephalus luscinia yamashinae_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 294 (Pagan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Pagan. - - _Characters._--Resembles _A. l. syrinx_, but duller and more - brownish and less olive-rufous on back, rump and tail; bill - shorter and more curved. - - Takatsukasa (1931:485) gives the following description: - "Upperparts dark olive brown, paler on the lower rump; remiges and - rectrices dark olive-brown, margined with brown. Superciliary - stripe distinct and buff; chin, throat, breast and abdomen pale - brown; ear-coverts, sides of neck, sides of breast and flanks - dusty greyish brown, belly and under tail-coverts pale buff. Bill - clove brown, legs grey, and iris Van Dyke brown." He continues, - "It differs from _Conopoderas syrinx_ of Caroline Islands by its - colouration and the shape of the bill, namely in the new form the - culmen is more curved and more stout, and the tail is less - roundish and nearly square." - - _Measurements._--Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1931b:485) lists the - following measurements: 13 adult males--wing, 75-80; tail, 65-70; - culmen, 20-22; 6 adult females--wing, 73-77; tail, 60-65; culmen, - 20-22. - - Mayr examined seven specimens from Pagan in the Paris Museum. His - measurements are: five males--wing, 76-79; tail, 66-69; bill from - nostril, 14-14.5; two females--wing, 75, 77; tail, 66, 67; bill - from nostril, 14.5, 15. - -_Remarks._--No specimens have been examined by me. Oustalet (1895:210) -was the first to note the difference between the reed-warblers from -Pagan and those from Guam and Saipan (_A. l. luscinia_). He regarded -those from Pagan as similar to the population in the Carolines, calling -them _Tatare syrinx_. Hartert, Seale, and Momiyama followed Oustalet in -this regard, and it was not until 1931 that the population at Pagan was -recognized as distinct, when further collections were made by the -Japanese. - - -=Acrocephalus luscinia nijoi= (Yamashina) - -Nightingale Reed-warbler - - _Conopoderas luscinia nijoi_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 674. - (Type locality, Agiguan.) - - _Conopoderas luscinia nijoi_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 196 (Agiguan). - - _Acrocephalus luscinia luscinia_ Mayr (part), Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 294 (Agiguan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Agiguan. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _A. l. luscinia_, but with shorter - bill. Yamashina (1940:674) describes the birds as, "upper parts - much less rusty in colour and the flanks and bellies are darker - and more brownish than those of the specimens from Almagan and - Saipan." - - _Measurements._--Yamashina (1940:674) gives the measurements of - five adult birds from Agiguan as: exposed culmen 27-29, bill from - nostril 17.0-20.0; as compared with 27 adult birds from Almagan - and Saipan as: exposed culmen 30-34, bill from nostril 21.2-24.5. - -_Remarks._--No specimens have been examined by me. The island of Agiguan -is a very small one lying offshore from Tinian and not far from Saipan, -where _A. l. luscinia_ occurs. _A. l. nijoi_ is given tentative -recognition, on the basis of the measurements of the five adult -specimens given by Yamashina. These indicate that the population has a -distinctly shorter bill. - -_Evolutionary history of Acrocephalus luscinia._--The species of -_Acrocephalus_ in Micronesia and Polynesia have received several -taxonomic treatments. In regard to the Micronesian forms, Quoy and -Gaimard called the population at Guam _Thryothorus_ while Kittlitz -called the population in the Carolines, _Sylvia_. Evidently to emphasize -the distinctness of these two birds, Reichenbach in 1850 renamed the -bird in the Marianas as _Hybristes_ and the bird in the Carolines as -_Eparnetes_. The birds were later placed in the genus, _Tatare_, by -Hartlaub, Gray, Sharpe and other workers. Gray also used the name, -_Calamodyta_, for the bird in the Carolines. The generic term, -_Calamoherpe_, was employed also by a number of workers for the Caroline -population. Sharpe (1883:525) placed the reed-warblers in the family -Timelidae and retained the name, _Tatare_, for the Micronesian and -Polynesian forms. In distinguishing _Acrocephalus_ from _Tatare_ he has -the following to say of _Acrocephalus_: "besides having a much shorter -bill, possesses a very much more pointed wing, the distance between the -primaries and the secondaries being much more than the length of the -hind toe and claw; whereas in _Tatare_ the wing is much more obtuse, and -the distance between the primaries and the secondaries is less than the -length of the hind toe and claw." More recent authors have followed -Sharpe using the generic name, _Conopoderas_ (= _Tatare_, old name -preoccupied). However, Tristram (1883:38-46) regarded the separation of -these oceanic forms from _Acrocephalus_ as a taxonomic error. He said -that this is "one of the very few links (the others being the solitary -_Hirundo tahitica_ and the Merulae) between the avifauna of Oceania and -our own; and it has a much wider range east and west than either of the -other links, extending from the Carolines in the east to the Marquesas -in the west." Mayr has pointed out (orally to the writer) that the -separation of the Oceanic reed-warblers from _Acrocephalus_ is an -unnatural one, although it is perfectly true that the extreme members -(_A. caffra_ and _A. l. luscinia_) have a very long bill, but forms with -shorter bills like _A. l. syrinx_ point to the close affinity between -the continental species and these insular birds. This has also been -noted by Hartert (1898:58). Mayr (_in litt._) comments that "There is no -difference between _Acrocephalus_ and _Conopoderas_ in regard to the -wing formula, provided that we compare the Polynesian species with the -tropical forms of _Acrocephalus_ (such as _toxopei_ and _cervinus_). The -character mentioned by Sharpe is very artificial and merely indicates -the difference in the wing between a migrant of the temperate zone and a -resident of the tropics. There is no denying that some of the warblers -of eastern Polynesia are no longer reed-warblers but have become -dwellers of trees and bushes. However, this same tendency prevails among -some of the unquestionable species of _Acrocephalus_ (_scirpaceus_ and -_palustris_) and at any rate a slight change in habits is not sufficient -for generic separation." Earlier, Mayr (1942b:169) used _Conopoderas_ as -one of the several genera that is based on "morphologically distinct -geographic forms." The degree of modification that has occurred in these -oceanic reed-warblers, would, if the birds were in a continental area, -undoubtedly be considered worthy of specific or even generic rank by -some authors; however, as Mayr (1942b:162) points out, "the majority of -well-isolated subspecies have all the characters of good species and are -indeed considered to be such by the more conservative systematists." -Owing to their differentiation, the Micronesian and Polynesian -reed-warblers might not be considered by some ornithologists as -belonging to a single superspecies; however, all evidence seems to point -to the origin of this group by a single invasion from Asia." - -Tristram (1883:41) was the first worker to recognize the relationship of -the Micronesian and Polynesian reed-warblers to the continental forms, -when he placed them within the genus _Acrocephalus_. Rothschild (1893:2) -further stated, "_Tatare_ cannot be separated generically from -_Acrocephalus_." In discussing the status of the Hawaiian species, _A. -familiaris_, Hartert (1898:58) also follows this treatment. Bryan -(1941:187) also comments on the relationship of the "miller" birds of -Laysan and Nihoa to species at Guam, Christmas and other islands of the -Pacific. - -The reed-warblers of Polynesia and Micronesia represent an ancient -invasion from Asia. The continental form, _Acrocephalus arundinaceous_, -is apparently closest to the ancestral stock of these oceanic birds. -This species resembles the oceanic populations in size, general -coloring, shape of bill, and wing and tail structure. Some of the -continental races of this species have a shorter first primary which is -similar to that in the oceanic forms. How rapid the spread was of the -reed warbler through the large insular area that it now occupies is -unknown. _A. syrinx_ of Micronesia has a shortened wing and some -populations have a long bill. Species in Polynesia have stronger wings -than the one in Micronesia, but have become differentiated in other -ways, as, for example, by the long bill of _A. caffra_ and the small -size of _A. aequinoctialis_. In addition, call notes have become varied, -as noted by Chapin (in Mayr, 1942b:54). Also certain of the -reed-warblers have become bush and tree-living birds. The Hawaiian birds -are reduced in size and have become tree-living in a manner similar to -that of other Polynesian species. These modifications of the -reed-warblers of the Oceanic area appear, according to Murphy and -Mathews (1929), to indicate their long-time residence in the islands, as -compared with subspecies of _A. arundinaceous_ that are found in -Melanesia. The latter birds, which are not ancestral to the Polynesian -birds, resemble closely their Asiatic ancestors and have also retained -their swamp-living habits. This would seem to indicate that the birds in -Melanesia may be of more recent occurrence. Stresemann (1939b:324) -presents a map of the distribution of _A. arundinaceous_ in southeastern -Asia and adjacent islands. The original stock came from a point in -China, north of Indochina, spreading to the Philippines and to Celebes, -from where it reached the Solomons and New Guinea via the Lesser Sundas -and Australia. - -[Illustration: FIG. 15. Geographic distribution of _Acrocephalus_ in the -Pacific area and routes of its dispersal. (1) _A. arundinaceus_; (2) _A. -luscinia_; (3) ranges of _A. atypha_, _A. caffra_, and _A. vaughani_; -(4) _A. aequinoctialis_; (5) _A. familiaris_.] - -The path of invasion of Oceania by the reed-warbler is pictured in -figure 15. Probably the birds became established in Micronesia by an -invasion from the Bonins, where _A. arundinaceus orientalis_ is known to -occur today. From the Marianas and Carolines, the birds spread to -Polynesia; _A. l. rehsei_ of the Gilbert Islands (Nauru) might well be a -connecting link. Possibly, the Hawaiian birds came as a separate -invasion _via_ the Volcano and Bonin islands or through the Micronesia -Chain, or through the Line and Christmas islands from the south. It -seems evident, however, that owing to their geographic proximity and -comparative structural similarity, the species in Hawaii is closest to -_A. luscinia_ of Micronesia. The absence of reed-warblers from the -western Carolines and Palaus seems to reduce the possibility of an -invasion from the Philippine region. However, reed-warblers are absent -from the Marshall and the northern Gilbert islands, where there is -undoubtedly suitable habitat for their occurrence. Possibly these -islands were once occupied by the birds but they were eliminated by -natural causes or by man and his land uses. - - -=Rhipidura rufifrons uraniae= Oustalet - -Rufous-fronted Fantail - - _Rhipidura Uraniae_ Oustalet, Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, (7), 5, - 1881, p. 76. (Type locality, Mariannes = Guam.) - - _Rhipidura pectoralis_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 17 (Ladrone or Marian Is. = Guam). - - _Rhipidura uraniae_ Reichenow and Schlow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1884, - p. 398 (Mariannes = Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 53 - (Guam); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 20 (Marianne = Guam); Büttikofer, Notes - Leyden Mus., 15, 1893, p. 76 (Guam); Wheeler, Report Island of - Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. - 112, 113 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 48 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam); Dubois, - Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 277 (Guam); Safford, The Plant World, 7, - 1904, p. 263 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. - 79 (Guam); Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 36, 1909, p. 477 (Guam); - Schnee, Zeitschr. f. Naturwisch., 82, 1910, p. 464 (Marianen = - Guam); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 267 (Marianen = Guam); - Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 65 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, - no. 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam). - - _Rhipidura atrigularis_ Reichenow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1885, p. 110 - (Type locality, Palau, error = Guam); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und - Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 21 (Pelew, - error = Guam); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 63 - (Marianne = Guam). - - _Rhipidura versicolor_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 190 (Guam). - - _Rhipidura rufifrons uraniae_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 490 (Marianne = Guam); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Guam); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 295 (Guam); Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 42 (Guam); - Mayr and Moynihan, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1321, 1946, pp. 3, 9 - (Guam); Baker, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 59, 1946, p. 77 - (Guam); _idem_, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. - 67 (Guam). - - _Rhipidura rufifrons_ Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1948, p. 174 - (Guam); Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 339 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam. - - _Characters._--Adult: Forehead and anterior crown near - "cinnamon-buff"; lores and orbital ring black, auriculars more - brownish than lores; malar stripe white; a few feathers in - posterior malar region tipped with "citrine drab"; anterior part - of chin white; posterior part of chin, throat, and upper breast - black; feathers on breast edged with white; lower breast, abdomen, - sides, flanks, tibia, vent, and under tail-coverts near "royal - brown," becoming lighter on breast and more rufous on under - tail-coverts; sides of neck and back near "Dresden brown," - becoming grayer on neck and crown where feathers have darker - shafts; rump and upper tail-coverts near "orange rufous"; basal - half of tail slightly lighter than rump; terminal part of tail - black, tipped with white; wings dark edged with coloring like - back; under wing grayish with axillaries tipped with buffy-white; - bill black with base of upper mandible lighter; feet dark brown; - iris dark brown. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but head, neck, scapulars, and - secondaries edged with rufous; feathers of chin and throat edged - with whitish. Younger birds may have less rufous on head but - feathers of body more rufous with creamy edges. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 38. - - -TABLE 38. MEASUREMENTS OF _Rhipidura rufifrons_ IN MICRONESIA - - ===================+============+=======+=======+===========+=========== - | Number | | | Exposed | - SUBSPECIES | and sex | Wing | Tail | culmen | Tarsus - -------------------+------------+-------+-------+-----------+----------- - _R. r. uraniae_ | 11 males | 66 | 78 | 13.6 | 16.6 - | |(64-69)|(75-82)|(13.1-14.5)|(15.6-17.2) - | | | | | - | 6 females | 65 | 76 | 12.3 | 16.8 - | |(61-68)|(73-81)|(11.6-12.5)|(16.1-17.6) - | | | | | - _R. r. saipanensis_| 7 males | 68 | 81 | 13.3 | 17.3 - | |(68-69)|(80-83)|(13.0-13.5)|(16.2-18.4) - | | | | | - | 6 females | 64 | 76 | 12.7 | 17.9 - | |(62-66)|(72-81)|(12.4-13.4)|(17.2-18.1) - | | | | | - _R. r. mariae_ | 2 males | 65, 67| 82, 82| 12.1, 12.4|17.1, 17.2 - | | | | | - _R. r. kubaryi_ | 14 males | 77 | 88 | 14.4 | 20.0 - | |(75-79)|(82-95)|(13.6-15.0)|(19.0-21.0) - | | | | | - | 10 females | 72 | 87 | 14.5 | 20.0 - | |(69-75)|(83-90)|(14.0-15.0)|(20.0-20.5) - -------------------+------------+-------+-------+-----------+----------- - - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party recorded the weights of nine males as - 9.0-10.0 (9.0); of three females as 7.2-9.6 (8.8) grams. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 41 (19 males, 14 females, 8 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 17 (May 29, 30, - June 6, 14, 18, July 12, 20); AMNH--Guam, 24 (Jan., Feb., March, - Aug., Sept., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Hartert (1898:54) recorded nests taken at Guam in - February and March. - - _Molt._--On the basis of specimens examined, it is apparent that - molt begins in August or September and continues through the - months of the fall. - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174) obtained the chigger (Acarina), - _Trombicula_ sp., from this bird at Guam. - -_Remarks._--The Rufous-fronted Fantail at Guam is a bird of the forest -and forest scrub. It prefers the areas where leafy undergrowth is -present. It moves rapidly about continually fluttering its wings and -spreading its long fanlike tail. The birds are usually observed in -pairs. On January 21, 1945, E. W. Coleman of the NAMRU2 party killed a -fantail but before he could retrieve it, a large toad (_Bufo marinus_) -seized the fallen bird and carried it into a hole in the ground. - - -=Rhipidura rufifrons saipanensis= Hartert - -Rufous-fronted Fantail - - _Rhipidura saipanensis_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 54. - (Type locality, Saipan). - - _Rhipidura versicolor_ Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 260 (Mariannes - = Saipan); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 21 (Marianne = Saipan); - Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, - p. 190 (Saipan). - - _Rhipidura saipanensis_ Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. - 112, 113 (Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 48 (Saipan); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 277 - (Saipan); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 63 (Marianne = - Saipan). - - _Rhipidura rufifrons saipanensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 65 (Saipan); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 490 (Saipan); Hand-list Japanese - Birds (part), rev., 1932, p. 176 (Saipan, Tinian); Hand-list - Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Saipan, Tinian); Mayr - (part), Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 295 (Saipan, Tinian); - Mayr and Moynihan (part), Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1321, 1946, p. 3 - (Saipan, Tinian); Baker, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 59, 1946, p. - 77 (Saipan, Tinian); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. - 98 (Tinian). - - _Rhipidura lepida saipanensis_ Stott, Auk, 64, 1946, p. 527 - (Saipan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Saipan, Tinian. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _R. r. uraniae_, but - forehead and anterior crown more rufous; posterior crown and nape - lighter; rump and upper tail-coverts lighter and richer in color; - white malar stripe broader; chin with white feathering more - extensive, covering edge of upper throat. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 38. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 16 (9 males, 6 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Saipan, 1 (Dec. - 15)--Tinian, 3 (Oct. 16, 23); AMNH--Saipan, 6 (July, Aug.)--Tinian, - 6 (Sept.). - - _Molt._--Molt begins in July and extends through the autumn. Most - of the specimens examined, that were taken in this period, are in - molt. - - _Food habits._--Stott (1947:527) writes that the fantail forages - for insects in the undergrowth and also while on the wing captures - flying insects. Downs (1946:99) made similar observations - concerning this bird at Tinian. - -_Remarks._--In studying the collection of fantails obtained by Marche at -Guam and Saipan, Oustalet (1895:191) reached the conclusion that the -birds from these two islands were the same as the bird from Yap, which -he called _R. versicolor_. He thought that the white-throated birds were -in breeding plumage, and that the black-throated birds (from Guam) were -in autumn and winter dress. This error was corrected by Hartert -(1898:53). - -Downs (1946:98-100) has published some interesting observations -concerning the fantail at Tinian. He describes feeding behavior and the -song which he says is "a beautiful rolling whistle, starting rather -shrilly, then rolling on. Something like a meadow-lark and song sparrow -combined." Gleise (1945:220) estimated the population of fantails at -Tinian to be "40-50" in 1945. In 1931, Coultas found the bird at Tinian -but not at Saipan. Stott (1947:527) observed the bird at Saipan "in -forested areas and vine-draped crevices in the lava above Magicienne -Bay." - - -=Rhipidura rufifrons mariae= R. H. Baker - -Rufous-fronted Fantail - - _Rhipidura rufifrons mariae_ R. H. Baker, Proc. Biol. Soc. - Washington, 59, 1946, p. 7. (Type locality, Rota.) - - _Rhipidura rufifrons saipanensis_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, - Dobutsu. Zasshi, 44, 1932, p. 222 (Rota); Hand-list Japanese Birds - (part), rev., 1932, p. 176 (Rota); Hand-list Japanese Birds - (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Rota); Mayr (part), Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 295 (Rota); Mayr and Moynihan (part), - Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1321, 1946, p. 3 (Rota). - - _Rhipidura rufifrons mariae_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, - no. 15, 1948, p. 68 (Rota). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Rota. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _R. r. saipanensis_, but - with richer brown coloring on the breast and abdomen; darker - above, especially the forehead, rump, and basal part of tail; chin - with small mount of white; malar line of white thinner. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 38. - - _Weights._--Baker (1946:78) records the weights of two adult males - from Rota as 8.3 and 9.0 grams. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 2 males, from Mariana Islands, - USNM--Rota (Oct. 22). - -_Remarks._--Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1932:222) published the first -account of the fantail from Rota although Coultas (field notes) obtained -a report of its presence at Rota in 1931. The NAMRU2 party obtained the -two specimens studied, and reported that the birds were numerous in the -forested areas of Rota in 1945. - - -=Rhipidura rufifrons versicolor= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Rufous-fronted Fantail - - _Rhipidura versicolor_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 96. (Type locality, Uap.) - - _Rhipidura versicolor_ Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. - 123 (Yap); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 320 (Yap); - Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 402 (Yap); Oustalet, Bull. - Soc. Philom. Paris, (7), 5, 1881, p. 76 (Uap); Schmeltz and - Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 391 (Yap); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 21 (Uap); Büttikofer, Notes Leyden Mus., 15, - 1893, p. 78 (Uap); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 191 (Yap); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, - p. 54 (Yap); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 54 - (Yap); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Yap); - Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 277 (Yap); Reichenow, Die Vögel, - 2, 1914, p. 267 (Yap); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. - 64 (Mackenzie = Yap); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 66 (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Yap). - - _Rhipidura rufifrons versicolor_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 489 (Uap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - 3d ed., 1942, p. 196 (Yap); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 295 (Yap); Mayr and Moynihan, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1321, - 1946, p. 3 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _R. r. uraniae_, but chin and - upper throat white; upper parts darker; abdomen whitish. - - The description of the adult given by Hartlaub and Finsch - (1872:96) is "Upper parts a rich brown with a slight reddish - tinge; forehead bright rufous; upper and under tail-coverts - rufous; throat white, margined underneath by an irregular jugular - band of pure black; pectoral plumes black, broadly margined with - yellowish white; middle of abdomen whitish, sides of a paler - olive-brown under wing-coverts whitish; wing-feathers blackish - brown; tail feathers brownish black, all largely tipped with - white, the four middle ones rufous at the base, the white terminal - spots becoming smaller towards the middle; beak fuscous, the under - mandible paler except at tip; feet fuscous." - - Hartert (1898:54) writes that _R. r. saipanensis_ differs from the - bird at Yap "in having the bases of all rectrices rufous, the rump - and upper tail-coverts rufous. The sides of the abdomen are not - olive-brown, but rufous." - -_Remarks._--No specimens of the Rufous-fronted Fantail of Yap have been -seen by me. On the basis of published descriptions and comments, it -appears that the bird is subspecifically distinct from the forms in the -Marianas but shows close relationships to them. _R. r. versicolor_ has -the chin and throat white; _R. r. saipanensis_ has the chin and part of -the throat white and a heavy, white line in the malar region; _R. r. -mariae_ has the chin and only a small amount of the throat white and a -thinner, white malar stripe; _R. r. uraniae_ has only a small amount of -white present on the chin and a very thin, white line in the malar -region. - - -=Rhipidura rufifrons kubaryi= Finsch - -Rufous-fronted Fantail - - _Rhipidura kubaryi_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1875 (1876), - p. 644. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Rhipidura kubaryi_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12. 1876, pp. - 17, 29, pl. 2, fig. 2 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1877 (1878), p. 779 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, - p. 403 (Ponapé); Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 289 (Ponapé); - _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 110, 112, 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and - Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 (Ponapé); - Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 198 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. - und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 20 - (Ponapé); Büttikofer, Notes Leyden Mus., 15, 1893, p. 76 (Ponapé); - Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Ponapé); Dubois, - Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 277 (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, - Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 54, 64 (Ponapé); Wetmore, in Townsend and - Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 63, 1919, p. 204 (Ponapé); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 65 (Ponapé); - Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 403 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Ponapé); Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. - Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 196 (Ponapé). - - _Rhipidura kubarii_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. - 314 (Ponapé); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 55 - (Ponapé). - - _Rhipdura rufifrons kubaryi_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 295 (Ponapé); Mayr and Moynihan, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1321, - 1946, pp. 3, 6, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: Upper parts smoky olivaceous-brown, less - smoky on rump and upper tail-coverts; anterior forehead and - supraloral region narrowly edged with white; lores and orbital - ring black; auriculars brown; feathers of chin and malar region - tipped with white; rest of chin and throat black, lower feathers - of throat edged with white; abdomen dark olivaceous-brown with - whitish mid-portion anteriorily; sides and under tail-coverts - ashy, the latter broadly tipped with white; wings and tail dark, - tail tipped with white and outer rectrices more broadly so; - axillaries and under wing-coverts gray, broadly tipped with white; - bill and feet black, mandible basally whitish; iris dark brown. - - _R. r. kubaryi_ resembles _R. r. uraniae_, but larger; lacking - rufous coloring; smaller and shorter, white malar stripe; white on - chin reduced. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 38. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 40 (24 males, 15 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 1 (Feb. 12); - AMNH--Ponapé, 39 (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:403) records nests containing one or - two eggs taken at Ponapé in 1931 on the following dates: July 11, - August 2, 14, 19, 22, 30. Coultas (field notes) obtained reports - that the eggs are two in number and laid in a cup-shaped nest of - grass and fern, which is placed near the ground. - - _Molt._--Many of the specimens examined that were taken in - November and December are in fresh or slightly worn plumage. Only - a few are molting. Apparently molt occurs earlier, perhaps - beginning in August and continuing until October or November. - -_Remarks._--Coultas obtained a large series of these birds at Ponapé in -1931. He writes (field notes) that the fantail is a common bird and is -found in forest and brush lands. This bird has a nervous behavior -similar to that of other fantails and is constantly "wagging its long -tail." Coultas describes it as an aggressive bird, chasing honey-eaters -and white-eyes. - - -=Rhipidura lepida= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Palau Fantail - - _Rhipidura lepida_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, p. 6. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Rhipidura lepida_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 117, 118 (Pelew Islands); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, - 1869, p. 331 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 89, 97 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 8, 1875, pp. 4, 21, pl. 4, fig. 2-3 (Palau); Sharpe, Cat. Birds - British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 322 (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause, - Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Tristram, - Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 198 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 21 (Pelew); - Büttikofer, Notes Leyden Mus., 15, 1893, p. 81 (Pelew); Bolau, - Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 55 (Palau); Matschie, - Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Palau); Dubois, Syn. Avium, - 1, 1902, p. 278 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 267 - (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Pelew); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 66 (Pelew); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum], 2, 1930, p. 484 (Pelew); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Palau); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 196 (Babelthuap, Koror, Peliliu); - Mayr and Moynihan, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1321, 1946, pp. 3, 5, 8, - 10, 12, 19 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 68 (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad. - - _Characters._--Adult: Upper parts near "cinnamon-rufous," slightly - lighter on the upper wing-coverts, scapulars, edges of inner - secondaries, and rump; lores blackish; orbital ring and auriculars - dark brown; chin, upper throat, and malar region white; lower - throat and upper breast black with ashy-gray sides; lower breast - whitish; rest of underparts like back but slightly paler; wings - dark; tail black with tips rufous, inner rectrices with rufous - tips narrower than on tail; under wing-coverts and axillaries - broadly edged with rufous; bill blackish, lower mandible whitish - at base; feet brownish; iris dark brown. Female slightly smaller. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but head and neck brown; throat coloring - dingy; patch on breast blackish cinnamon. Younger individuals may - be more tinged with rufous above and below. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 39. - - -TABLE 39. MEASUREMENTS OF _Rhipidura lepida_ - - ================+=========+=========+=============+============= - Number and Sex | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - ----------------+---------+---------+-------------+------------- - 7 adult males | 80 | 89 | 15.5 | 23.3 - | (77-83) | (85-94) | (14.5-16.0) | (23.0-24.0) - | | | | - 7 adult females | 77 | 86 | 15.5 | 22.5 - | (76-79) | (83-88) | (14.5-15.0) | (21.7-23.0) - ----------------+---------+---------+-------------+------------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 18 (9 males, 9 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 2 (Nov. 6, 18)--Babelthuap, 1 - (Nov. 27)--Peleliu, 4 (Aug. 29, 30, 31); AMNH--exact locality not - given, 11 (Nov., Dec.). - - _Molt._--Some of the birds taken in August are in molt. Specimens - taken in November and December are mostly in fresh plumage. - Apparently this bird molts in late summer and early fall. - -_Remarks._--In 1945 the NAMRU2 party found the Palau Fantail in small -numbers at Peleliu, Garakayo and Ngabad. At Peleliu the birds were noted -as singles or in pairs in brushy undergrowth in forested areas. The -birds were observed also in the second growth vegetation in the battle -areas. Coultas (field notes) found the bird to be rare and restricted to -the true forest, when he visited the Palau Islands in 1931. The fantail -is one of the most attractive birds found in the jungles of the Palau -Islands. Its bright rufous coloring is conspicuously displayed by the -rapid movements of the wings and tail as the bird moves and feeds in the -undergrowth. The population is apparently not large, and the individual -or pair of birds probably ranges in a relatively large home territory. - -_Evolutionary History of Rhipidura in Micronesia._--The evolutionary -history of _Rhipidura_ in Micronesia has been studied considerably more -than that of some of the other genera in the area. Oustalet (1896:70) -notes a close relation between _Rhipidura_ of the Marianas and _R. -rufifrons_ of Australia. Mayr (1941b:202, 203) regards the genus -_Rhipidura_ as typical of the Polynesian area and remarks that -speciation within this genus has proceeded at a relatively rapid rate. -Mayr and Moynihan (1946) have devoted a 21-page paper to a thorough -discussion of the _R. rufifrons_ group, based on the extensive -collections at the American Museum of Natural History. They remark that -no other genera are closely related to _Rhipidura_ and that evolution -has proceeded further in _R. rufifrons_ than in any other species of the -genus. These authors regard the Papuan area, probably New Guinea, as the -original home of this group. From their study they point out that many -of the subspecies of _R. rufifrons_ of the Papuan area, especially those -of the Louisiades and the Solomons, appear to be the least specialized -of the species, and that this lack of specialization in these subspecies -indicates that the ancestral stock of the species _R. rufifrons_ -acquired its specificity somewhere in that area. With regard to the -kinds of _Rhipidura_ in Micronesia, Mayr and Moynihan (1946:fig. 2) have -logically found three separate colonizations within the area: one -represented today by _R. lepida_ at Palau; one of subspecies of _R. -rufifrons_ at Yap and in the Marianas; and one by _R. r. kubaryi_ at -Ponapé. - -_R. lepida_, according to Mayr and Moynihan (1946), is a result of an -early colonization by _Rhipidura_. It is related to _R. dedemi_, _R. -superflua_, and _R. teijsmanni_, which are mostly monotypic or have only -two or three subspecies within the species. These three species are -found in the region including Celebes and the Moluccas. _R. lepida_ -apparently invaded the Palau Islands from Celebes or an adjacent area -and, among named species, most closely resembles _R. teijsmanni_. Both -of these species have a white chin and throat, black breast patch, and -rufous abdomen. _R. lepida_ has become differentiated chiefly by the -presence of a rufous head and back, a more distinct breast band, and -proportionately different amounts of rufous and black coloration of the -tail feathers. - -Mayr and Moynihan (1946:6) give as the chief characters of _R. -rufifrons_ the following: "a rufous forehead, a grayish brown head and -upper back, a well-defined rufous rump, a white chin and throat, a black -breast band with scaling at its lower edge, and a dark brown tail with a -distinct rufous base and a white tip." The Micronesian subspecies of _R. -rufifrons_ at Yap and in the Marianas display these characters. Of the -four subspecies found in the area including Yap and the Marianas, _R. r. -versicolor_, _R. r. saipanensis_, _R. r. mariae_ and _R. r. uraniae_, -the two first named most closely approach the ancestral stock, which may -have been _R. r. commoda_ Hartert of the northern Solomons or some near -relative in Melanesia. The amount of white on the chin and throat and on -the malar stripe, in _R. r. versicolor_ and _R. r. saipanensis_ is -probably nearer that which obtained in the ancestor. At Rota, _R. r. -mariae_, exhibits less white on the throat and a thinner, white malar -stripe, while at Guam, _R. r. uraniae_ possesses only a small amount of -white on the chin and only a very thin line of white in the malar -region. This variation in coloration suggests that the birds may have -originally become established at Yap, Saipan and Tinian and later, birds -from Saipan and Tinian spread to Rota and lastly to Guam. - -_R. r. kubaryi_ of Ponapé, although considered as a subspecies of _R. -rufifrons_ by most workers, has lost the rufous coloring found in most -members of the species. Mayr and Moynihan (1946:6) point to its -evolution through subspecies in the Santa Cruz Islands, where in _R. r. -agilis_ Mayr the rufous of the lower back is restricted to the upper -tail-coverts, and in _R. r. melanolaema_ Sharpe and _R. r. utupuae_ Mayr -the rufous is absent. In the latter two subspecies, as well as in _R. r. -kubaryi_, the forehead is white instead of rufous. - -The invasion of Micronesia by _Rhipidura_ has undoubtedly been the -result of abnormally long flights by a relatively weak flyer. The fact -that _Rhipidura_ has succeeded in establishing itself at only a few of -the seemingly suitable islands in Micronesia may indicate that the -possibilities for chance migration and resulting colonization are small, -but that new colonization may be expected in the future. - -It is my opinion that the populations of _Rhipidura_, as I have observed -them in Micronesia, are small because each individual or pair of birds -is dependent on a relatively large area of woodland to satisfy its -habitat requirements, especially for food. This suggestion needs to be -tested by observation made in the field. In comparison with the insect -fauna of New Guinea or some other large island, that of Micronesia is -indeed small in number of kinds. Hesse, Allee and Schmidt (1937:524) -explain the absence of insectivorous animals such as "swallows, swifts, -flycatchers, and insectivorous bats" in island communities on the basis -of the small number of flying insects in these communities. Probably -_Rhipidura_ is able to forage for sedentary insect life as well as for -the flying forms. - - -=Metabolus rugensis= (Hombron and Jacquinot) - -Truk Monarch - - _Muscicapa Rugensis_ Hombron and Jacquinot, Ann. Sci. Nat. Paris, - (2), 16, 1841, p. 312. (Type locality, Roug = Truk.) - - _Monarcha rugensis_ Hartlaub, Archiv. f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, p. - 133 (Gruppe Roug. = Truk); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen = Truk); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 (1868), - p. 829 (Hogoleu = Truk); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 321 - (Caroline = Truk); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 614 - (Carolinae = Truk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 (Ruk). - - _Colluricincla rugensis_ Pucheran, Voy. Pôle Sud, Zool., 3, 1853, - p. 62 (Ruk); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 162 (Roug = - Truk). - - _Metabolus rugensis_ Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, - 38, 1854, p. 650 (no locality = Truk); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British - Mus., 4, 1879, p. 238 (Ruk); Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, - p. 575 (Ruk); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 197 (Ruk); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 19 (Ruk); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 26 (Ruk); - Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 4 (Ruk); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ruk); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 262 - (Karolinen = Truk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 - (Ruk); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., - 63, 1919, p. 203 (Truk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 63 (Ruk); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, - p. 470 (Ruk); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 404 (Truk); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 178 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 197 (Truk); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 295 (Truk). - - _Monarcha (Metabolus) rugensis_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific - Ocean, 1859, p. 19 (Caroline Islands). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk. - - _Characters._--Adult male: White feathers (with dark bases) - throughout except for black ones on forehead, lores, chin, and - throat; chin and throat with steel-blue gloss; tips of second to - fifth or seventh primaries black, black coloring extending along - inner webs; shafts of primaries and basal half of tail feathers - black; bill and feet black. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but generally sooty-black, - darker above; under tail-coverts and sometimes rump splotched with - white; white coloring may also be present on tips of secondaries, - on chin, and on tail. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but bright cinnamon on upper parts and - on wings and tail; inner webs of primaries grayish or dark brown, - shafts of primaries lighter on basal half; lores, chin and throat - white or washed with creamy-buff; breast and abdomen whitish, - washed with cinnamon, sides darker rufous, under wing-coverts, - axillaries, and under tail-coverts usually light rufous although - somewhat variable in color; basal part of bill yellow, tip of bill - horn colored. Immatures may be observed in all stages of color - change toward the adult condition. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 40. - - -TABLE 40. MEASUREMENTS OF _Metabolus rugensis_ - - ================+==========+=========+=========+========= - NUMBER AND SEX | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - ----------------+----------+---------+---------+--------- - 8 males | 103 | 91 | 27 | 26 - | (98-105) | (88-93) | (26-28) | (25-27) - | | | | - 6 females | 100 | 87 | 27 | 26 - | (97-101) | (86-89) | (26-28) | (25-27) - ----------------+----------+---------+---------+--------- - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 27 (14 males, 13 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 2 (Feb. 16, not dated); - AMNH--Truk, 25 (Jan. 29, Feb. 1, 8, 10, 11, May 6, 9, June 11, 13, - 14, 15, Oct. 11, 31, Nov. 2, 11, Dec. 3, 12, 17, 20). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:404) reports on the taking of a nest - containing one egg at Natsushima, Truk Atoll, in May, 1931. - According to Hartert (1900:5) Owston's collectors obtained nests on - June 1, 4, and 12. Two were in breadfruit trees about twenty feet - above the ground. Each nest contained one egg. Hartert writes, "The - eggs are cream-coloured, speckled with brownish red, more - frequently and often very thickly on the large end, and with some - deeper lying pale purplish grey patches, and one has some very fine - black lines on the large end." - - _Molt._--A study of adult specimens obtained at various times of - the year indicates that _Metabolus_ normally molts in the period - from about October through January. - - Mayr (1933e:1-10) has studied the variation of immature and adult - plumages in _Neolalage banksiana_ (Gray) and other birds pointing - out the occurrence of "retarded" and "progressive" plumages. - Bogert has followed this work in interpreting the condition of the - plumages in _Metabolus_, and through the kindness of Ernst Mayr I - have examined Bogert's unpublished manuscript on the series of - _Metabolus_ at the American Museum of Natural History, from which - the following account of the plumage is taken. - - In the series of skins, there are specimens of non-molting, - immature males with "normal" plumage (that is to say, plumage with - upper parts cinnamon-colored and lower parts whitish and darker - buff) taken in October and in February. There are also specimens - of non-molting, immature females with "normal" plumage taken in - November and in May. These immatures are in fresh or slightly worn - plumages. In addition, there is one non-molting, male specimen - (November) which has some white on the crown and throat, some - black on the lores and chin, but because the black feathers are - fresh, the specimen is considered to be a "transition" bird and - may be either a "retarded" adult or a "progressive" immature male. - One non-molting female (October) shows some sooty-black mottling - on the chin and throat and a few black feathers on the crown; this - is apparently a "progressive" immature because the lower mandible - has a yellow basal part, characteristic of the immature. Another - female (June) shows black feathers on the crown, nape, chin, - throat, and breast; this bird is in the process of molting with - the black feathers representing new growth and is an immature - assuming the adult condition--in "progressive" plumage. One - non-molting male (January) has an intermingling of white feathers - in the cinnamon coloring of the head and body, black on the - forehead, chin and throat, primaries black with cinnamon edges, - and bill similar in color to that of the adult; it is considered - to be an adult with "retarded" plumage. Two molting males - (December) resemble adults except for cinnamon coloring on - shoulders, back, primaries, retrices and a slight cinnamon wash on - breast feathers; these may be "retarded" adults. One molting - female (June) has mixed cinnamon and sooty-black feathering; this - may also be a "retarded" adult. Another molting female (December) - with more sooty-black feathering and less cinnamon feathering is - also considered to be a "retarded" adult. In fully adult birds - there is considerable individual variation, especially in the - males where the amount of black on the throat, the extent of the - black on the terminal part of the primaries, and the extent of the - black on the basal part of the tail feathers is variable. - Scattered white feathers may be present on adult females. - -_Remarks._--Hombron and Jacquinot first obtained the Truk Monarch, but -it was not until the time of Kubary and of the Japanese collectors of -Owston that very much was learned concerning the bird. In 1945, McElroy -of the NAMRU2 party reported that he found no birds at the several -islands of Truk that he visited in December. Some of the Japanese -residents of the islands told McElroy that they did not know the bird. -Evidently, its numbers are low or it has been eliminated, at least on -the islands then populated by the Japanese. - -_Metabolus_ belongs to a group of flycatchers including the genera -_Pomarea_, _Mayrornis_, _Neolalage_, _Monarcha_, and _Clytorhynchus_. -The different plumages of the adults and the immatures are not unusual -in this group of genera, this feature being observed in many of the -flycatchers of Oceania. Mayr (1933c:1) points out some of the -relationships between _Metabolus_ and some of these other genera; he -comments that all of them have rather thin bills, in contrast to those -of other flycatchers. - -_Metabolus_ became established at Truk probably as the result of an -independent colonization. It is a well differentiated genus showing -little resemblance to _Monarcha godeffroyi_ of Yap. In looking over the -genera found in the Pacific area, it appears that _Metabolus_ is closest -to _Clytorhynchus_ of the Melanesian region, especially to -_Clytorhynchus hamlini_ Mayr, which is resident at Rennell in the -Solomon Islands. The bills of these two birds are similar, both being -long and thin, with a pronounced hook. In coloration there is some -resemblance; _C. hamlini_ has the blackish forehead and chin like the -male _Metabolus_ and also the burnt-orange underparts. In _C. hamlini_, -however, the sexes are similar, _Metabolus_ also resembles _C. -nigrogularis_. Like _Metabolus_, the immatures of this latter species -are different in color from the adults. - - -=Monarcha godeffroyi= Hartlaub - -Yap Monarch - - _Monarcha godeffroyi_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 - (1868), p. 829, pl. 38. (Type locality, Yap.) - - _Monarcha godeffroyi_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. - 50 (Yap); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 432 (Yap); - Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 403 (Yap); Bolau, Mitteil. - Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 56 (Yap); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, - 1902, p. 289 (Yap); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 261 (Yap); - Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 295 (Yap). - - _Monarcha godeffroyi_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 321 - (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 175 (Yap); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 194 (Yap). - - _Monarches godeffroyi_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 89, 97 (Yap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, - 1873, p. 123 (Yap); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 391 (Yap); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 63 (Yap). - - _Pomarea godeffroyi_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 19 (Yap); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Yap). - - _Monarcharses geoffroyii_ Mathews, Bull. British Ornith. Club, 45, - 1925, p. 94 (new generic name); _idem_, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 514 (Yap). - - _Monarcharses godeffroyi_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 486 (Yap?). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult male: according to Sharpe (1879:432). - "General colour above white, from the hind neck to the rump and - including scapulars; wings black, the quills browner; upper - tail-coverts and tail black; head all around black, including the - lower throat; sides of neck and rest of under surface, from the - foreneck downwards, pure white; thighs and under tail-coverts - black; under wing-coverts black, quills ashy blackish below; white - along the inner edge of the primaries; 'bill entirely blue; feet - whitish blue; iris black' (Kubary M. S.)." - - Adult female: "Entirely black, excepting the hind neck and upper - mantle, sides of neck, lower throat, and fore neck, which are pure - white" (Sharpe, 1879:432). - - Immature: "Above brown, the head and hind neck ashy grey, the - scapulars rufescent at the tips, the rump rufous, becoming paler - and more fulvous on the upper tail-coverts; wing-coverts dusky - brown, broadly edged externally with rufous-buff, becoming fulvous - on the median and greater coverts; quills dark brown, externally - edged with rufous, the primaries narrowly, the secondaries more - broadly, the innermost of the latter edged and tipped with buff; - tail-feathers ashy brown, narrowly edged with ochraceous brown and - tipped with white, more broadly on the outer feathers; lores and a - broad eyebrow rufous-buff; ear-coverts rather deeper rufous, - shading on to the sides of the throat; under surface of body light - cinnamon-rufous inclining to rufous on the throat and under - tail-coverts; under wing-coverts light cinnamon, like the breast; - quills light brown below, whitish along the inner web; 'bill - horn-colour, the point brown, under mandible paler, feet dirty - white, iris black' (Kubary M. S.)." (Sharpe, 1879:433). - -_Remarks._--No specimens of this species have been seen by me. Most -taxonomists have regarded this bird as a member of the genus _Monarcha_, -although Mathews did propose the name _Monarcharses_ for this bird. On -the basis of descriptions and pictures (especially plate 38 in Hartlaub, -1868:828) the bird appears to be related to the monarch flycatchers of -the Melanesian area. It may be closest to _Monarcha menckei_ from the -Bismarcks, _M. manadensis_ of the New Guinea region, _M. barbatus_ from -the Solomons or to _M. leucurus_ from Buru. The drab color of the -immatures and the black and white color of the adults are -characteristics of the Yap Monarch which are shared with some of the -other species of _Monarcha_. The connection between _M. godeffroyi_ and -_Metabolus rugensis_ of Truk is not known, but they evidently represent -separate colonizations. _M. takatsukasae_ of Tinian appears to be an -offshoot of _M. godeffroyi_ of Yap, in which the black and white -plumage has been suppressed (or never developed). As indicated by the -published descriptions, the immature of _M. godeffroyi_ shows a close -resemblance to the adult of _M. takatsukasae_. The latter also shows -relationships to immature specimens of _M. leucotis_ and to _M. guttula_ -of Melanesia. - -The relationship of the two species of _Monarcha_ in Micronesia to the -Hawaiian Flycatcher, _Chasiempsis sandwichensis_ is not known. It is -apparent that this Hawaiian form was derived from some ancestor from -Melanesia, which arrived in the Hawaiian Islands by way of either -Polynesia or Micronesia. Mayr (1943:45) has already pointed out that -_Chasiempsis_ is "related to the _Monarcha_ group (_Pomarea_, -_Mayrornis_, etc.)." - - -=Monarcha takatsukasae= (Yamashina) - -Tinian Monarch - - _Monarcharses takatsukasae_ Yamashina, in Takatsukasa and - Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 485. (Type locality, - Tinian.) - - _Monarcha takatsukasae_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 400 (Tinian); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 175 (Tinian); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Tinian); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 296 (Tinian); Downs, Trans. Kansas - Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 100 (Tinian). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Tinian. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Forehead, lores, eyering, auriculars, - and underparts rufous, chin paler; under tail-coverts white; crown - and nape dark slate-gray; back reddish-brown; rump white; wing and - tail dark brown, outer edges of first three primaries white, tail - with white tips, more broadly tipped on outer tail feathers; outer - edges of scapulars and secondaries buffy but tips more whitish, - forming two wing bars; under wing-coverts whitish; bill - slate-blue, tip pearl; feet dark slate; iris dark brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but slightly smaller and crown - more brownish. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but base of bill lighter and underparts - paler. - - According to the original description by Yamashina, _M. - takatsukasae_ resembles closely the immature _M. godeffroyi_ of - Yap in coloration; however, the Tinian Monarch has a shorter wing. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 41. - - -TABLE 41. MEASUREMENTS OF _Monarcha takatsukasae_ - - ================+=========+=========+=============+============= - NUMBER AND SEX | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus - ----------------+---------+---------+-------------+------------- - 6 males | 70 | 68 | 18.0 | 22.0 - | (67-72) | (65-70) | (17.5-19.0) | (21.0-23.0) - | | | | - 10 females | 67 | 67 | 17.2 | 22.5 - | (65-68) | (64-69) | (17.0-19.0) | (21.7-23.0) - ----------------+---------+---------+-------------+------------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 20 (10 males, 10 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Tinian, 10 (Oct.); AMNH--Tinian, 9 - (Sept.); KMNH--Tinian, 1 (Sept.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:400, 401) records two nests of the - Tinian Monarch. He writes of one nest containing two eggs taken at - Churo, Tinian, on January 29, 1932, that was "hung on a fork of an - upward pointing branch of a road side tree commonly called 'Oba' - 1.5 m. high from the ground in a forest.... The ground color of the - egg shells is white. The spots are pale reddish-brown and - distributed all round the surface like small dots, being - concentrated especially round the larger end." Another nest - containing three eggs was found on January 29, 1932. Yamashina - writes that the eggs measure 20.5 x 15, 21 x 15, and 18 x 15 mm. In - describing these nests Yamashina notes, "The shape of the two nests - mentioned above is like a deep cup. The outer layer of them is made - chiefly of dead leaves, fibers, cotton, wools and moss, and the - inner layer of fine stems and fibers only." - - Downs (1946:101) writes that a nest found near Lake Hagoi at - Tinian on August 31, 1945, "was about three feet from the ground - carefully woven into the framework of a triangular crotch.... It - was composed exteriorly of small leaves, scattered white feathers, - and heavy grass; interiorly of grasses only." In the nest he found - a young bird which "was black-skinned, with ugly white quills and - a few short dark feathers on its tail and wings. The back feathers - were rusty brown as were the tufted head feathers." Marshall - (1949:219) assumes that this bird breeds all year. - - _Molt._--Birds taken by Coultas in September are in fresh plumage. - -_Remarks._--The Tinian Monarch is known only from Tinian, where it was -described in 1931 by Yamashina. Downs (1946:100-103) presents a detailed -account of this bird as he saw it in 1945. He found it living in brushy -woodlands where other birds, including _Rhipidura rufifrons_, were -observed. From his description, the actions and food-catching behaviors -of this bird must be much like those of _Rhipidura_. Gleise (1945:220) -estimated the population of these birds to be 40 to 50 in 1945. - - -=Myiagra oceanica erythrops= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Micronesian Broadbill - - _Myiagra erythrops_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, p. 6. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Myiagra erythrops_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 117, 118 (Pelew Islands); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 89, 97 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 8, 1875, pp. 4, 20 (Palau); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 658 - (Pelew); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, pp. 399, 403 (Palau); - Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 383 (Pelew); Schmeltz - and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 23 (Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 195 (Palaos); Bolau, Mitteil. - Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 55 (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Palau); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, - p. 283 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 260 (Palau); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Pelew); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 64 (Pelew); Yamashina, Tori, - 10, 1940, p. 674 (Palau); Handlist Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 195 (Babelthuap, Koror); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 69 (Peleliu, Ngabad, Garakayo). - - _Submyiagra erythrops_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 504 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 - (Palau). - - _Myiagra oceanica erythrops_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 296 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Crown, occiput, nape, and auriculars - dark "slate-blue"; forehead, lores and orbital ring dark - "cinnamon-rufous"; black and upper wing-coverts olive-brown; rump - more like crown; underparts near "cinnamon," paler on middle of - abdomen, sides, and under tail-coverts; wings and tail dark brown, - edged with white; secondaries edged with brownish; under - wing-coverts whitish with dusky bases; bill and feet black. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but slightly smaller and paler - in color. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but head and rump browner; forehead, - lores, and orbital ring sandy in some individuals, more rufous in - others; underparts usually paler than in adult; bill basally - lighter. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 42. - - -TABLE 42. MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF _Myiagra oceanica_ - - ==================+============+=========+=========+=============+========== - | Number | | | | - SUBSPECIES | and sex | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus - ------------------+------------+---------+---------+-------------+---------- - _M. o. erythrops_ | 14 males | 69 | 53 | 16.4 | 19.5 - | | (68-71) | (51-56) | (16.0-17.3) | (18.5-20) - | | | | | - | 11 females | 66 | 51 | 16.1 | 19.5 - | | (64-68) | (48-53) | (15.5-17.0) | (18.5-20) - | | | | | - _M. o. freycineti_| 25 males | 70 | 60 | 16.3 | 19.5 - | | (67-73) | (57-64) | (15.8-17.0) | (18.5-20) - | | | | | - | 16 females | 67 | 57 | 16.0 | 19.0 - | | (65-70) | (55-62) | (15.5-17.0) | (18.0-19) - | | | | | - _M. o. oceanica_ | 11 males | 81 | 68 | 20.1 | 20.0 - | | (78-83) | (65-71) | (19.5-20.5) | (19.5-21) - | | | | | - | 10 females | 79 | 66 | 20.0 | 20.0 - | | (77-81) | (65-68) | (20.0-20.5) | (19-20.5) - | | | | | - _M. o. pluto_ | 14 males | 82 | 74 | 17.5 | 19.0 - | | (79-83) | (71-77) | (17.5-18.0) | (18.5-20) - | | | | | - | 14 females | 80 | 73 | 17.5 | 19.0 - | | (78-84) | (69-77) | (17.0-18.0) | (18.5-20) - ------------------+------------+---------+---------+-------------+---------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 33 (17 males, 15 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Babelthuap, 1 (Nov. - 27)--Koror, 4 (Nov. 6, 19, 26)--Garakayo, 1 (Sept. 18)--Peleliu, 2 - (Aug. 30)--Ngabad, 2 (Sept. 11); AMNH--exact locality not given, 23 - (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - - _Molt._--Molt apparently takes place in fall and early winter. Of - the specimens examined, there is little evidence of molt in those - obtained in August and September while there is considerably more - evidence of molt in those taken in November and December. - - _Food habits._--A bird taken by the writer on September 17, 1945, - at Garakayo had approximately one-half cc. of insect parts in its - stomach. - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Broadbill at Palau is a friendly little bird -and easily called-up to within a few yards of a person by imitating its -note. It was seen by the NAMRU2 party in 1945 as singles and in pairs in -the dense underbrush of the undisturbed forested areas. The bird was -seen at only one woodland area at Peleliu (Southeastern Peninsula), but -it was observed more frequently on the smaller islands of Ngabad and -Garakayo. Coultas (field notes) also notes that in 1931 this bird was -found more frequently on the smaller islands. _Myiagra_ was found to be -much less conspicuous at Palau than _Rhipidura lepida_. _Myiagra_ -appears to be less active, more solitary in its habits, and possibly -more restricted in the territory that it covers in feeding than -_Rhipidura_. - - -=Myiagra oceanica freycineti= Oustalet - -Micronesian Broadbill - - _Myiagra freycineti_ Oustalet, Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, (7), 5, - 1881, p. 73. (Type locality, Mariannes = Guam.) - - _Myiagra freycineti_ Reichenow and Schalow, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1884, p. 395 (Mariannes = Guam); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 260 - (Mariannes = Guam); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 24 (Marianne = Guam); - Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 194 - (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 54 (Guam); Wheeler, - Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. - Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 50 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 69 - (Guam); _idem_, Amer. Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam); _idem_, The - Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 263 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. - Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 (Guam); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. - 260 (Marianen); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Kuroda, - in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 65 (Guam); Bryan, Guam - Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., - vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 68 (Guam). - - _Submyiagra freycineti_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 504 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 - (Guam). - - _Myiagra oceanica freycineti_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 296 (Guam). - - _Myiagra oceanica_ Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 539. (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A small flycatcher with head and neck - near "dark delft blue" with a metallic luster; lores and anterior - forehead ashy-gray, more bluish and darker on auriculars and sides - of neck than on lores; back and upper wing-coverts near - "green-blue slate" but darker and with metallic luster less - apparent than on head; rump grayer than back; chin and throat - white; breast light "cinnamon," fading to pale buff and white on - abdomen, sides, and under tail-coverts; tibia smoky-gray, tips of - feathers paler; wings dark brown edged with light bluish-gray; - tail bluish-slate, especially middle rectrices, tips of tail - feathers edged with white; bill and feet black; iris dark brown. - - Adult female: Resembles adult female of _M. o. erythrops_, but - crown and neck near "deep Payne's gray," auriculars grayer than - neck; anterior forehead and lores buffy and tinged with cinnamon; - back browner than lores with upper wing-coverts and scapulars edged - with slightly lighter brown; rump resembles crown but grayer; - underparts paler than those of _M. o. erythrops_, especially chin - and throat; tibia more brownish. - - Immature male: Resembles adult male, but back more brown and less - blue-green, lacking luster; anterior forehead more rufous; - scapulars, upper wingcoverts, and wings edged with light brown; - underparts variable but generally more buffy than those of adult. - - Immature female: Resembles adult female, but more brown and less - blue on head and back; underparts more buffy; base of bill paler. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 42. - - _Weights._--The author (1948:68) records the weights of five adult - males as 10.5-12.5 (11.9), and those of two adult females as 11.4 - and 12.0 grams. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 64 (33 males, 22 females, 9 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 26 (Jan. 21, - March 16, May 21, 29, 30, June 1, 3, 14, 24, 26, July 10, 12, 13, - 20, 23, Aug. 30); AMNH--Guam, 38 (Jan., Feb., March, July, Aug.). - - _Nesting._--The writer (1948:68) records a nest containing one egg - found by Muennink at Guam near Mt. Santa Rosa on May 7, 1945. The - nest was in a bamboo stump approximately six feet from the ground. - The egg hatched on about May 21. Seale (1901:50) reports on a nest - and egg taken in the period from May to July. The NAMRU2 party - obtained a female on March 15 with an enlarged gonad. Strophlet - (1946:539) observed a pair of broadbills building a nest on - September 20, 1945; it was completed on October 4 and was - approximately seven feet above the ground. Hartert (1898:33) - reports on a nest taken at Guam on February 14, 1895. - - _Molt._--As shown by the specimens examined, molt begins in June - or July. - - _Food habits._--The stomach of a bird obtained on January 21, - 1945, contained one unidentified bug (Hemiptera) and several parts - of other insects. - -_Remarks._--The Micronesia Broadbill at Guam is not a common bird, and -like its relative _Rhipidura rufifrons_ is an inhabitant of forested -areas, especially those containing brushy undercover. It is an active -bird, although less conspicuous than _Rhipidura_. The birds were found -as singles or in pairs. The pair of birds which had a nest at the west -base of Mount Santa Rosa in May, 1945, allowed the observers to approach -closely to them. The birds are easily attracted by squeaking sounds. -There is considerable variation in the amount of cinnamon coloring on -the breasts of adult birds. - -The Micronesian Broadbill at Guam was first discovered by Quoy and -Gaimard, who called it "Moucherolle ŕ gorge rouge." Kittlitz (1836:304) -evidently records two species of flycatchers from Guam, which he calls -_Muscicapa_. I judge these birds to be _Myiagra_ and _Rhipidura_. It was -not until 1881 that Oustalet recognized this bird to be new. The first -large series of specimens was obtained by Marche for the Paris Museum -and was reported on by Oustalet (1895:194). Marche collected 12 skins in -August and September, 1887, and 4 additional skins in February, 1889. - - -=Myiagra oceanica oceanica= Pucheran - -Micronesian Broadbill - - _Myiagra oceanica_ Pucheran, Voy. Pôle Sud, Zool., 3, 1853, p. 77. - (Type locality, Hogoleu = Truk.) - - _Myiagra oceanica_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen = Truk); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 18 (Hogoleu = Truk); Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 94 (Hogoleu = Truk); Gray, Hand-list - Birds, 1, 1869, p. 328 (Caroline Is. = Truk); Pelzeln, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1875, p. 51 (Hogoleu = Truk); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British - Mus., 4, 1879, p. 383 (Hogoleu = Truk); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1879, p. 403 (Ruk); Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1880, p. 575 (Ruk); Oustalet, Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, (7), 5, - 1881, p. 73 (Carolines = Truk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. - Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Reichenow and Schalow, - Journ. f. Ornith., 1884, p. 395 (Carolines = Truk); Tristram, Cat. - Birds, 1889, p. 200 (Ruk); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 23 (Ruk); Oustalet, - Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 196 (Hogoleu = - Truk); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 30 (Ruk); Hartert, Novit. - Zool., 7, 1900, p. 5 (Ruk); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. - 111, 112, 113 (Ruck); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 283 (Hogoleu - = Truk); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 260 (Karolinen = Truk); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Ruk); Wetmore, in - Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 204 - (Truk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 64 (Ruk); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Truk); Baker, - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 68 (Truk). - - _Myiagra albiventris_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 93 (Hoguleu = Truk); Giebel, Thes. - Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 658 (Carolinae = Truk). - - _Submyiagra oceanica_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 505 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 175 - (Truk). - - _Myiagra oceanica oceanica_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 296 (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles _M. o. freycineti_, but - larger with crown and nape less green and with less metallic - luster; lores and anterior forehead darker gray; chin, throat, and - sides of neck more buffy-cinnamon; back, rump, upper wing-coverts, - and scapulars less blue and more ashy gray; tibia, wings, and tail - more brownish. - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but smaller with less blue and - more gray on crown; lores and anterior forehead lighter. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but crown and nape grayish, slate-blue; - under-parts paler. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 42. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 23 (12 males, 10 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 2 (Feb. 16); - AMNH--Truk, 21 (Feb., June, Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Hartert (1900:5) reports the taking of several nests in - the period from March to July by Owston's Japanese collectors. One - nest contained two eggs, the other nests contained one. - -_Remarks._--The broadbill at Truk was first taken by Hombron and -Jacquinot, who called it "Platyrhynque océanien." Later, Kubary obtained -material which was studied by Finsch (1880e:575). In December, 1945, -McElroy of the NAMRU2 party examined two adults with enlarged gonads. -Specimens obtained by him at Truk were lost in shipment to the United -States. In coloration this subspecies is closest to _M. o. freycineti_; -in size it is closest to _M. o. pluto_. - - -=Myiagra oceanica pluto= Finsch - -Micronesian Broadbill - - _Myiagra pluto_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1875 (1876), p. - 644. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Myiagra pluto_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 17, - 19 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 779 - (Ponapé); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 380 - (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith. 1879, p. 404 (Ponapé); - Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 288 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. - Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. - 110, 112, 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 280 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 23 (Ponapé); - Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 195 - (Ponapi); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 55 - (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 26 (Ponapé); Christian, - The Caroline Islands, 1899, p. 358 (Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, pp. 111, 112, 113 (Ponapé); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, - 1902, p. 283 (Ponapi); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 260 - (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Ponapé); - Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, - 1919, p. 204 (Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 64 (Ponapé); Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, - 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 195 (Ponapé). - - _Submyiagra pluto_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, - p. 505 (Ponapé); Yamashina, Tori, 1, 1932, p. 401 (Ponapé); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Ponapé). - - _Myiagra oceanica pluto_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 296 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult male: A dark, bluish-gray broadbill with - head, ear-coverts, and nape dark, metallic, steel-blue; back and - rump darker and more slate-blue than head; upper tail-coverts - blackish; tail black edged with greenish gloss; wings dark brown, - scapulars and secondaries with outer edges tinged with metallic - bluish-gray; lores black; chin, throat, and upper breast dark with - light metallic-blue wash; lower breast and abdomen slate-gray; - under wing-coverts brownish-black; bill black; feet bluish-black; - iris dark brown. Female resembles male, but slightly smaller and - somewhat duller. Immature duller. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 42. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 42 (23 males, 19 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 3 (Feb. 11); AMNH--Ponapé, - 39 (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:401) records nests and eggs of the - Ponapé broadbill. The nests were at heights of between .9 and 2.2 - meters above the ground. Nests, each containing a single egg, were - obtained on July 21, 25, and August 6. The eggs measure 19.5 by 16, - 20.5 by 15.7, 20.5 by 16, and 20.2 by 16. Coultas (field notes) - describes the nest as a cup-shaped structure, made of fine grasses - and ferns, and placed in small trees and bushes at low elevations. - Of specimens taken by Coultas in November and December, 1931, - approximately fifty percent of the males had enlarged gonads. - According to his specimen labels, none of the females was in - breeding condition. - - _Molt._--Of the large series of broadbills taken by Coultas, - approximately twenty percent of those taken in November were in - molt whereas only approximately ten percent of those taken in - December were in molt. Specimens taken in February were not in - molt. It is evident that molting takes place in the fall, possibly - from August to December. - -_Remarks._--The coloration of the Micronesian Broadbill at Ponapé is in -marked contrast to that of other representatives of _Myiagra_ in -Micronesia, being dark, bluish-gray in color. Probably the bird has -taken on melanistic characters, which is not unusual in birds which have -become isolated; examples of this condition may be observed in -_Rhipidura_, _Terpsiphone_ and other genera. - -Coultas (field notes) writes that the bird is "Common everywhere on the -island except in the grasslands. Two birds are working together usually, -darting around in the low trees, among the branches or on the ground. -The birds are playful, friendly and inquisitive. I should not call them -noisy as one or more will sit for many minutes watching the intruder -without making a peep. Their call, "Que Que," is a spasmodic outburst -that might be repeated many times or just once. The male, presumably, -erects the long crown feathers when calling. Perhaps both male and -female do this, I can't say. The bird flutters on the wing and displays -the feathers as does _Rhipidura_. When sitting, the bird often erects -the crest and fluffs the tail and feathers." - -_Evolutionary History of Myiagra oceanica._--According to Mayr (1933d:1) -_Myiagra_ "is easily recognizable by its broad bill and the color -pattern which is similar in all species." The range of the genus -_Myiagra_ extends from Australia and Tasmania westward to Timor, -northward to the Moluccas, and Micronesia, and eastward to Polynesia. -_Myiagra oceanica_ is restricted to Micronesia and consists of four -subspecies, which until recently have been considered as four separate -species. Unlike many of the species of this genus, _M. oceanica_ shows -comparatively little sexual dimorphism. The male of _M. oceanica_ has -metallic coloring on the head and the upper back and often has rich, -rufous coloring on the breast. The female is less brilliant in coloring, -lacking the sheen. The four subspecies vary from each other in size, -color and even, to some extent, in basal breadth of the bill. _M. -oceanica_ resembles several broadbills, including _M. galeata_ of the -Moluccas, _M. rubecula_ of Australia, _M. vanikorensis_ of Fiji, and _M. -ruficollis_ of Australia and the Lesser Sundas; however, in my opinion, -it has probably been derived from _M. galeata_ of the Moluccan area or -from a closely related species. In Micronesia, _M. o. oceanica_ and _M. -o. freycineti_ appear to resemble closely this parent stock, whereas _M. -o. erythrops_ and _M. o. pluto_ are more differentiated but are -considered to have been derived from this same colonization. _M. o. -pluto_ bears some resemblance to _M. atra_ of the Papuan area, -particularly in the dark coloring; this is probably only a parallel -evolution, since they have little else in common. _M. vanikorensis_ of -the Fiji area is close to _M. oceanica_ in color and structure; the two -species, I suspect, have been derived from a common source rather than -from each other. Study of the evolutionary history of the entire genus -is necessary before we can understand fully the derivation of the -Micronesian and Polynesian species. It seems safe to say that the center -of dispersal has been in the Australian region; the lack of diversity of -this genus within the Papuan area is at present unexplained. - - -=Muscicapa narcissina narcissina= Temminck - -Narcissus Flycatcher - - _Muscicapa narcissina_ Temminck, Pl. Col., 3, 1835, pl. 577, fig. - 1. (Type locality, Japan.) - - _Muscicapa narcissina narcissina_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 302 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in eastern Asia and Japan. Winters - south to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality - unknown. - -_Remarks._--Mayr (1945a:302) records the Narcissus Flycatcher as a -migrant visitor to the Palau Islands on the basis of two specimens in -the Turloff collection, formerly in the Zoölogical Museum in Hamburg. - - -=Muscicapa griseisticta= (Swinhoe) - -Chinese Gray-spotted Flycatcher - - _Hemichelidon griseisticta_ Swinhoe, Ibis, 1861, p. 330. (Type - locality, Amoy.) - - _Hemichelidon griseisticta_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 175 (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 194 - (Koror). - - _Muscicapa griseisticta_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 302 (Palau); Marshall, Condor, vol. 51, 1949, p. 221 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in northwestern Asia and Japan. Winters - south to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--Koror. - -_Remarks._--The Chinese Gray-spotted Flycatcher is a casual winter -visitor to the Palaus. Marshall (1949:221) took two specimens at Palau -on November, 1945. - - -=Colluricincla tenebrosa= (Hartlaub and Finsch) - -Palau Morning Bird - - _Rectes tenebrosus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, p. 6. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Rectes tenebrosus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, p. 118 (Pelew Islands); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 99 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 4, 18, pl. 3, fig. 1 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. - Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. - und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 27 - (Pelew). - - _Colluricincla tenebrosa_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 386 - (Pelew); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 496 (Pelew); Mayr, Amer. - Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 5 (Palau); _idem_, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 297 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 69 (Peleliu, Ngabad, Garakayo). - - _Pinarolestes tenebrosus_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 3, - 1877, p. 298 (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 - (Palau); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 296 (Palau); Takasukasa - and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 69 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 174 (Palau). - - _Myiolestes tenebrosus_ Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1899, p. 188 - (Pelew). - - _Caleya tenebrosus_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 649 (Pelew). - - _Malacolestes tenebrosus_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 590, 1933, - p. 5 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 193 - (Babelthuap, Koror, Peliliu). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad. - - _Characters._--Adult: Upper parts between "snuff brown" and - "bister," head blacker; chin, throat, and upper breast like upper - parts but darker; lower breast and abdomen lighter and more buffy, - sides darker; feathers of underparts with darker shafts producing - a streaked appearance; underside of wing and under tail-coverts - light-colored; bill dark brown; feet lighter brown; iris - yellowish. Female smaller. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but head and neck lighter; ear-coverts, - sides of neck, throat, upper breast darker; lower breast and - abdomen paler. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 43. - - -TABLE 43. MEASUREMENTS OF _Colluricincla tenebrosus_ - - ================+===========+=========+=============+========= - NUMBER AND SEX | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus - ----------------+-----------+---------+-------------+--------- - | | | | - 20 males | 104 | 76 | 23.5 | 31 - | (100-107) | (73-79) | (22.5-24.5) | (29-31) - | | | | - 9 females | 97 | 73 | 23.0 | 30 - | (94-101) | (71-76) | (22.0-24.0) | (30-31) - ----------------+-----------+---------+-------------+--------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 32 (21 males, 11 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 6 (Nov. 5, 18)--Garakayo, 3 - (Sept. 18)--Peleliu, 5 (Aug. 29, 30, Sept. 1, 6)--Ngabad, 2 (Sept. - 11); AMNH--exact locality not given, 16 (Oct. 8, 13, 26, Nov. 11, - 13, 17, 19, 21, 23, Dec. 9). - - _Molt._--The molting process in this species seemingly takes place - from August until December. Most of the birds taken by the NAMRU2 - party in August and September were in molt. Molting specimens were - obtained by Coultas in October, November and December. - - _Food habits._--The Palau Morning Bird feeds on plant and animal - materials. Stomachs obtained by the NAMRU2 party contained green - plant material, seeds, insect parts, and grit. The bird feeds - principally on the ground or in low bushes. - -_Remarks._--The Palau Morning Bird is a thrushlike bird which spends its -time on or near the ground in areas where ground cover is thick. In -1945, the NAMRU2 party found the bird in the thick matting of vines -which had covered over the battle-cleared areas. I did not find the bird -at elevations of more than three to four feet above the ground. When -flushed, it would flutter a short distance and disappear into the brush. -It has a sweet song and may be considered as one of the finest singers -in Micronesia. It heralds the break of day with its melodious carol, and -its name is derived from its calling early in the morning. I heard the -bird only infrequently in the hot part of the day, although it would -sing when the skies were overcast. Its song could be heard also as -evening approached. The bird is moderately common, and evidently is more -abundant on the smaller islands than on Peleliu. Its occurrence on the -smaller islands was noted also by Coultas. - -The taxonomic status of the Palau Morning Bird has been one of -uncertainty as shown by the fact that the bird has been treated under -six generic names since its discovery by Captain Tetens. Mayr (1933a:5) -erected a new genus, _Malacolestes_, for the morning bird pointing to -its differences from "_Rhectes_ (= _Pitohui_) and _Pinarolestes_ (= -_Myiolestes_)." Later, he (1944b:5) disregards this name and places the -bird in the genus _Colluricincla_ stating that its special characters -"are due to isolation." This treatment is followed here. The Palau -Morning Bird is the most northern representative of a group of birds -which have their center of dispersal in the New Guinea and Australian -area. As Mayr has pointed out, _C. tenebrosus_ appears closest to the -_C. megarhynchus_ group of New Guinea. These species have bills of -similar shape, coloration which is darker above and lighter below, soft -feathers on underparts, and streaked appearance of throat and breast. -The resemblances between _C. tenebrosus_ and _C. megarhynchus_ might be -such as to indicate that these are merely subspecifically distinct from -each other. - - -=Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis= Finsch - -White-breasted Wood-swallow - - _Artamus pelewensis_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. - 41. (Type locality, Palau.) - - _Artamus leucorhynchus_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 116, 118 (Pelew); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 89, 99 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 8, 1875, pp. 4, 18 (Palau); Walden, Ibis, 1876, p. 188 (Pelew). - - _Artamus pelewensis_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), - p. 739 (Pelew); Tweeddale, Ibis, 1878, p. 385 (Pelew); Sharpe, - Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, 1890, p. 9 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, - Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 26 (Pelew); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 62 - (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Palau); - Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 533 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die Vögel, - 2, 1914, p. 346 (Pelew). - - _Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis_ Stresemann, Novit. Zool., 20, - 1913, p. 293 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 193 (Babelthuap, Koror); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 297 (Palau). - - _Artamus melanoleucus pelewensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 69 (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 635 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese - Birds, rev., 1932, p. 174 (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult: Upper surface black, except for back which - is slightly brownish and for rump which is white; underparts - white, except for chin, throat and upper breast which are black; - wings with grayish tips; bend of wing black; bill milky blue, - nostril and tip black; feet black; iris dark brown. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but black feathers with brownish - tinges; primaries tipped with white. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 44. - - -TABLE 44. MEASUREMENTS OF _Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis_ Finsch - - ------------------+-----------+---------+---------+------------- - Number and Sex | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - ------------------+-----------+---------+---------+------------- - | | | | - 5 males | 134 | 68 | 25 | 16.5 - | (132-136) | (66-69) | (24-26) | -- - | | | | - 4 females | 134 | 68 | 24 | 17.0 - | (132-136) | (67-69) | -- | (16.5-17.0) - ------------------+-----------+---------+---------+------------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 12 (7 males, 5 females), from - Palau Islands, AMNH--exact locality not given (March, Nov., Dec.). - -_Remarks._--Little is known concerning the habits and distribution of -the white-breasted Wood-Swallow at Palau. Coultas obtained a series of -eight birds in 1931; he writes (field notes) that his native hunter took -every bird that he saw. The natives told him that they did not know the -nest of the bird. Coultas concluded that the bird was not common. He -commented that it may be found perched in the top of a tree on a dead -branch or "even displaying in the air." The NAMRU2 party found no -evidence of this bird in the southern Palaus in 1945. The specimens -obtained by Coultas in November and December, 1931, were in molt and had -small gonads. - -This wood-swallow is the only Micronesian representative of _Artamus -leucorhynchus_. Like several other species of birds it has become -established only at the Palau Islands, and has either been unsuccessful -in colonizing other parts of Micronesia or has not had the opportunity -to do so. This bird had been compared with specimens representing ten -subspecies of _A. leucorhynchus_ in Melanesia and Malaysia. _A. l. -pelewensis_ differs from these subspecies examined by its blacker -appearance, with only a faint brownish wash on the back, and by its -shorter, first primary. The curvature of the upper mandible of the bird -in the Palaus is similar to that of _P. l. leucorhynchus_ of the -Philippines; the mandible is less curved than that of _P. l. -celebensis_ of Celebes; the mandible is slightly thicker than that of -_P. l. leucopygialis_ of the New Guinea and Australian region. In length -of wing _P. l. pelewensis_ resembles closely _P. l. leucorhynchus_; _P. -l. celebensis_ has a longer wing and _P. l. leucopygialis_ has a shorter -one. Stresemann (1913:293) points to a close relationship between _P. l. -pelewensis_ and _P. l. musschenbreeki_ of Tenimber and Babber islands -and _P. l. melaleucus_ of New Caledonia; Mayr (1945a:284) says the bird -in the Palaus came from the Papuan area. Probably _P. l. pelewensis_ has -reached the Palau Islands from the New Guinea area by way of the -Philippines. - - -=Aplonis opacus opacus= (Kittlitz) - -Micronesian Starling - - _Lamproth[ornis] opaca_ Kittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 2, - 1833, p. 11, pl. 15, fig. 2. (Type locality, Ualan = Kusaie.) - - _Turdus colombinus_ Lesson (part), Traité d'Ornith., 1832, p. 406 - (Carolines = Kusaie?). - - _Lamproth[ornis] opaca_ Kittlitz, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. - Petersbourg, 2, 1935, p. 7 (Ualan); _idem_ (part), Obser. Zool., - in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 285, 297 (Ualan); - Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, p. 68 (Ualan). - - _Lamprotornis columbinus_ Bonaparte (part), Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, - p. 417 (Carolinen = Kusaie?). - - _Lamprotornis columbina_ Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, - 1852, p. 133 (Ualan); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. - 168 (Carolinen = Kusaie?); Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. - Micron. und Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 376 (Ualan). - - _Calornis opaca_ Gray (part), Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 26 (Oualau = Kusaie); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 255 - (Kusaie); Hartert, Kat. Vogelsamml. Senckenb., 1891, p. 75 - (Ualan). - - _Calornis kittlitzi_ Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna Central - polynesiens, 1867, p. 109 (Ualan, Puynipet, Marianen; type - locality, by subsequent restriction, Ualan = Kusaie); Finsch - (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 23 (Ualan). - - _Calornis kittlitzii_ Hartlaub, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1867 - (1868), p. 830 (Ualan). - - _Amadina Kittlitzi_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 58 (Ualan). - - _Calornis pacifica_ Sharpe, Ibis, 1876, p. 47 (Caroline Is. = - Kusaie?); Finsch (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 49 - (Kuschai). - - _Calornis pacificus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, p. 32 (Ualan); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. - 289, 301 (Kuschai); _idem_, (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, - p. 576 (Kuschai); _idem_, (part), Ibis, 1881, pp. 103, 104, 108, - 111 (Kuschai). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi_ Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, - 1890, p. 136 (Kuschai); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 44 (Ualan); - Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, - p. 216 (Oualan); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 59 - (Ualan); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ualan); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Kusaie). - - _Lamprocorax kittlitzi_ Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 542 - (Kuschai). - - _Aplonis opaca_ Oberholser, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 98, 1917, p. 59 - (Ualan); Wetmore (part), in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. - Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 219 (Kusaie). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi kittlitzi_ Momiyama (part), Tori, 2, 1920, p. 1 - (Kusaie). - - _Aplonis opaca opaca_ Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, pp. - 6, 12 (Kusaie); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 70 (Kusaie); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 847 (Kusaie); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1931, - p. 109 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 170 - (Kusaie). - - _Aplornis opaca opaca_, Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 188 (Kusaie). - - _Aplonis opacus opacus_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 298 (Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie. - - _Characters._--Adult: Feathers black with dusky appearance caused - by lighter bases; edges of feathers with slight amount of - steel-green gloss; underparts slightly duller than upper parts; - bill black, with maxilla rather strongly curved; feet black, iris - yellow. Females slightly smaller. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but upper parts more brown and less - black; underparts dusky with edges of feathers tinged with smoky - yellow producing a streaked appearance; base of bill horn-colored. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 45. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 30 (18 males, 12 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Kusaie, 5 (Feb. 8); AMNH--Kusaie, - 25 (Jan., Feb., March). - - -TABLE 45. MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT SPECIMENS OF _Aplonis opacus_ - - ====================+============+=========+=======+========+=========== - | Number | | | | Depth of - SUBSPECIES | and | Wing | Tail | Full | culmen at - | sex | | | culmen | nostril - --------------------+------------+---------+-------+--------+----------- - _A. o. opacus_ | 15 males | 124 | 80 | 24 | 9.5 - | | 121-125 | 76-85 | 24-26 | 9.0-10.0 - | | | | | - | 12 females | 119 | 77 | 24 | 9.0 - | | 115-125 | 72-82 | 23-26 | 8.5-9.0 - | | | | | - _A. o. ponapensis_ | 17 males | 133 | 87 | 27 | 9.5 - | | 130-138 | 85-91 | 26-29 | 9.0-10.0 - | | | | | - | 11 females | 126 | 83 | 27 | 9.0 - | | 122-127 | 81-85 | 26-28 | 8.5-9.0 - | | | | | - _A. o. angus_ | 16 males | 129 | 88 | 28 | 9.5 - | | 125-131 | 84-92 | 27-29 | 8.0-9.0 - | | | | | - | 7 females | 124 | 85 | 27 | 8.5 - | | 121-129 | 83-88 | 25-28 | 8.0-9.0 - | | | | | - _A. o. orii_ | 11 males | 128 | 86 | 27 | 7.5 - | | 124-131 | 83-90 | 25-28 | 7.5-8.5 - | | | | | - | 7 females | 124 | 79 | 26 | 7.5 - | | 121-126 | 77-82 | 25-27 | 7.5-8.0 - | | | | | - _A. o. guami_ | 41 males | 128 | 86 | 27 | 9.5 - | | 120-136 | 81-92 | 24-29 | 8.5-10.5 - | | | | | - | 32 females | 121 | 84 | 26 | 9.5 - | | 117-126 | 78-89 | 24-30 | 8.5-10.5 - --------------------+------------+---------+-------+--------+----------- - - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Starling at Kusaie was first taken by -Kittlitz (1833:11), who named it in the following manner: "_Turdus -columbinus_ Gm. L. oder _Lamproth. opaca_ Lichtenstein." The bird was -later given the name of _Calornis kittlitzi_ by Finsch and Hartlaub -(1867:109). Oberholser (1917:59) has shown that the specific name -_opaca_ is applicable, since the manuscript name _Lamprothornis opaca_ -of Lichtenstein is made available by Kittlitz's published description -and figure, and since it is the earliest name used. Mathews (1938:342) -reports that the name _Aplornis_ appeared a few days before the name -_Aplonis_. I have been unable to check his source of information. - -The Micronesia Starling is one of the most abundant birds at Kusaie. -Coultas (field notes) observed the bird in all parts of the island, when -he visited there in 1931. He found the bird in flocks of two to six or -more and noted that birds in immature plumage seemed to outnumber the -birds in adult plumage approximately five to one. This subspecies is -characterized by the presence of only a slight amount of gloss on the -black feathers of the adult. - - -=Aplonis opacus ponapensis= Takatsukasa and Yamashina - -Micronesian Starling - - _Aplonis opaca ponapensis_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Tori, 7, - 1931, p. 109. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Calornis columbina_ Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, pp. 88, - 162 (Puynipet). - - _Calornis kittlitzi_ Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 109 (Puynipet); Schmeltz and Krause - (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 298 (Ponapé). - - _Calornis opaca_ Gray (part), Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 27 - (Seniavin = Ponapé). - - _Calornis pacificus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 32 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 779 (Ponapé); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, - p. 289 (Ponapé); _idem_, (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. - 576 (Ponapé). - - _Calornis pacifica_ Finsch, Ibis, 1881, p. 115 (Ponapé); _idem_, - (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien. 1884, p. 49 (Ponapé). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi_ Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, - 1890, p. 136 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 44 (Ponapé); Bolau - (part), Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 62 (Ponapé); - Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 122 (Ponapé); Matschie (part), - Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda - (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 55 (Ponapé). - - _Lamprocorax kittlitzi_ Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 542 - (Ponapé). - - _Aplonis opaca_ Wetmore (part), in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. - Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 219 (Ponapé); Mayr. Proc. 6th - Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé). - - A_plonis kittlitzi kittlitzi_ Momiyama (part), Tori, 2, 1920, p. 1 - (Ponapé). - - _Aplonis opaca opaca_ Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 12 (Ponapé); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 70 (Ponapé). - - _Aplonis opaca ponapensis_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 394 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 170 (Ponapé). - - _Aplonis opaca ponapensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 188 (Ponapé). - - _Aplonis opacus ponapensis_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 297 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _A. o. opacus_, but larger with a - longer bill and richer green luster on the back and breast. - - Immature: Resembles immature of _A. o. opacus_, but underparts - more brightly streaked but still dingy in appearance. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 45. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 47 (31 males, 16 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 1 (Feb. 11); AMNH--Ponapé, - 46 (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:394) reports the taking of an egg on - August 2, 1931, and two eggs on August 30, 1931, at Ponapé. Coultas - (field notes) writes that the nests of these birds are hidden in - the tops of the tree-ferns and in holes in the trees. The natives - told him that the starling lays two eggs. - - _Molt._--Most of the adult specimens taken by Coultas in November - and December, 1931, are in molting plumage. - -_Remarks._--Coultas (field notes) writes that the starling is a common -bird at Ponapé. He found it in flocks of from two to 12 or more birds. -As at Kusaie he noted more birds in the immature plumage than in the -adult plumage at Ponapé. The starling occurs in large numbers even -though the people of the island hunt this bird persistently for part of -their food supply. - -The Micronesian Starling at Palau has the longest wing of any of the -subspecies of _Aplonis opacus_. It most closely resembles _A. o. -opacus_; both of these subspecies have only a faint amount of -bronzy-green luster of the feathers, and the immatures have dingy yellow -streaks on the abdomen. - - -=Aplonis opacus angus= Momiyama - -Micronesian Starling - - _Aplonis opaca anga_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 6. (Type - locality, Toroas, Ruk Island.) - - _Lamproth[ornis] opaca_ Kittlitz (part), Observ. Zool., in Lutké, - Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 297 (Lougounor = Lukunor). - - _Lamprotornis columbinus_ Bonaparte (part), Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, - p. 417 (Carolinen = Lukunor?). - - _Lamprotornis columbina_ Hartlaub (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, - p. 168 (Carolinen = Lukunor?). - - _Calornis kittlitzi_ Hartlaub and Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, pp. 89, 100 (Mackenzie = Ulithi?); Finsch (part), - Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 23 (Mackenzie = Ulithi?); - Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, - pp. 298, 330, 353 (Mortlock, Nukuor, Ruk). - - _Calornis pacificus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, - 1875, p. 23 (Mackenzie = Ulithi?); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. - Ornith., 1880, p. 290 (Ruck, Mortlocks); _idem_ (part), Proc. - Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ruk); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, - p. 111 (Ruk). - - _Calornis pacifica_ Finsch (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, - p. 49 (Rukgruppe). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi_ Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, - 1890, p. 136 (Ruk, Lugunor); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 44 (Ruk or - Luganor, Nukuor); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 216 (Ruk, Nukuor, Luganor); Hartert - (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 59 (Ruk, Luganor); _idem_, - Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 6 (Ruk); Matschie (part), Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ruck); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, - 1, 1915, p. 55 (Ruk). - - _Lamprocorax kittlitzi_ Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 542 - (Ruk, Luganor). - - _Aplonis opaca_ Wetmore (part), in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. - Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 219 (Truk). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi kittlitzi_ Momiyama (part), Tori, 2, 1920, p. 1 - (Truk, Wolea). - - _Aplonis opaca anga_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 71 (?Luganor or Ruk, ?Nukuor, Wolea or Oleai); Takatsukasa and - Yamashina, Tori, 32, 1930, p. 109 (Ruk); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 847 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 170 (Uluthi, Feys, Wolea, Ifalik, Faraulep, - Lamotrek, Truk, Nukuoro). - - _Aplornis apaca anga_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, - 43, 1931, p. 458 (Truk?); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 188 (Uluthi, Feys, Wolea, Ifalik, Faraulep, Lamotrek, Truk, - Nukuoro). - - _Aplonis opacus angus_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 297 - (Truk and western Carolines); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, pp. 70, 71 (Ulithi Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ulithi, Fais, - Wolea, Ifalik, Faraulep, Lamotrek, Truk, Nukuoro, Lukunor. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _A. o. opacus_, but larger and - with bill less deep and feathers with distinct greenish luster - both on the upper parts and the lower parts. Female smaller. - - Immature: Resembles immature of _A. o. opacus_, but underparts - streaked with brighter, buffy-yellow coloring. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 45. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 38 (24 males, 14 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ulithi, 27 (Aug. 15, 16, 19, 20, - 21, 22)--Truk, 2 (Feb. 16, Dec. 13); AMNH--Truk, 9 (Jan. 29, Feb. - 1, 28, June 14, Oct. 9, 14). - - _Nesting._--Hartert (1900:6) reports that at Truk nests of the - starling were obtained by Owston's Japanese collectors from May to - July and one in March. Nests contained from one to three eggs each. - - _Molt._--Adult birds taken by the NAMRU2 party at Ulithi in August - are in molting plumage. - - _Food habits._--The stomachs of starlings obtained in August at - Ulithi contained pieces of fruit and seeds. Twelve stomachs - contained between one and three cc. of these foods. Papaya and - small berries were the foods most frequently observed in the - stomachs. - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Starling of the central and western -Carolines is one of the few land birds which lives on both the "high" -islands and the "low" coral islands in Micronesia. It is found on -several of the coral atolls in the Carolines. In the Hand-list of -Japanese Birds (Hachisuka _et al._, 1932:170), the birds at Ulithi and -Fais are placed in the subspecies _A. o. angus_, although these islands -are only a short distance from Yap, at which place another subspecies, -_A. o. kurodai_, occurs. Specimens from Yap are not available for -comparison. Specimens from Ulithi and from Truk closely resemble one -another. - -The NAMRU2 party found the starling to be numerous at Truk and at Ulithi -in 1945. At both places the natives make use of the birds as food. At -Truk, McElroy found a larger number of birds in immature plumage than -that of birds in adult plumage. Similar observations have been made at -several other islands in Micronesia. - -At Ulithi, the NAMRU2 party found the starling at all islands in the -atoll visited in 1945. The bird was more numerous at the islands of -Potangeras and Mangejang, and less numerous at the island of Losiep; the -former two islands were occupied--at the time of the visit in 1945--by -service personnel and the vegetation was disturbed, whereas Losiep was -uninhabited and rarely visited by people. I attribute the smaller -population of starlings at Losiep to the fact that on this island the -large monitor lizard, _Varanus indicus_, was numerous while at -Potangeras and Mangejang it was apparently entirely absent. These large -lizards depend principally on the birds, rodents, and insects for their -food supply. At Potangeras the rat _Rattus exulans_ was exceedingly -numerous, while at Losiep no sign of rodents was found nor were any -taken in traps set during the daytime. - - -=Aplonis opacus kurodai= Momiyama - -Micronesian Starling - - _Aplonis kittlitzi kurodai_ Momiyama, Tori, 2, 1920, p. 1. (Type - locality, Yap.) - - _Calornis kittlitzi_ Hartlaub and Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 100 (Uap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, - 1873, p. 123 (Yap); Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 5, 24 (Yap); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 298 (Yap). - - _Calornis pacificus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, p. 32 (Yap). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 44 (Yap); Oustalet (part), - Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 216 (Yap); - Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 58 (Yap); Bolau (part), - Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 62 (Yap); Matschie - (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 49, 1901, p. 112 (Yap); Takatsukasa and - Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Yap). - - _Aplonis opaca kurodai_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 11 - (Yap); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 71 (Yap); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 848 (Yap); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 170 (Yap). - - _Aplonis opaca kurodai_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu, - Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 458 (Yap?); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 188 (Yap). - - _Aplonis opacus kurodai_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 297 (Yap); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, - p. 71 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult: According to Momiyama (1922:11), "Similar to - _A. o. anga_ from Ruk group, but the bill thicker (9-10.5 mm.; - that of the latter 8.5-9.5 mm.) and much longer (24-27.5 mm.; that - of the latter 21.5-25 mm.) and the wing also longer in average - (119.5-130 mm. instead of 116.5-129.5 mm.). It differs from - typical _opaca_ by the edge of feathers of both body sides very - distinctly tinged with a bronzy-green lustre, by the bill being - longer and thicker (in typical _opaca_ exposed culmen 21.5-24.5 - mm., depth of bill 9-9.5 mm.)." - - Immature: "Similar to the immature of the typical form, but both - sides of body somewhat deeper in colour and the edge of feathers - distinctly tinged with lustrous bronzy-green. It differs from the - same stage of _A. o. anga_ by the under-parts being without - pale-yellowish area." Momiyama (1922:11). - - Young: "Similar to the young of typical bird, but differs from it - by the mantle being very faintly tinged with bronzy-green and by - the under-parts being somewhat tinged with brown. In the same - stage of the typical form, the under-parts are much more - greyish-ashy in colour." Momiyama (1922:11). - -_Remarks._--No specimens have been examined. Momiyama (1920:1) regarded -the birds at Yap and at Saipan as _A. o. kurodai_. Later (1922:10) he -separated the birds at Saipan as _A. o. harterti_, remarking that the -birds from Saipan differ "from _A. o. kurodai_ Momiyama from Yap -islands, by the green lustre on both sides of body being less distinct -and showing tendency to a purplish lustre, by the bill being decidedly -shorter, and by the same thickness." - -Price (1936a:19) describes a method by which starlings and other birds -are captured by the natives of Yap. The natives make slashes in the -trunk of a breadfruit tree and allow the exuding juice to harden. This -material is then chewed until soft and adhesive. It is then placed on a -stick which has been secured directly under a papaya fruit. When the -birds alight on this perch, they become stuck and are captured. - - -=Aplonis opacus orii= (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) - -Micronesian Starling - - _Aplornis opaca orii_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, - 43, 1931, p. 458. (Type locality, Coror, Pelew Islands.) - - _Calornis kittlitzii_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1868, pp. 7, 117, 118 (Pelew). - - _Calornis opaca_ Gray (part), Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 27 - (Pelew). - - _Calornis kittlitzi_ Hartlaub and Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1872, p. 89 (Pelew); Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 8, 1875, pp. 5, 23 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. - Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 298 (Palau). - - _Calornis kittlitzi_ Kubary, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 4, 1873, p. - 225 (Palau-Inseln). - - _Calornis pacificus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 32 (Palau); _idem_ (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, - p. 289 (Palau); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. - 576 (Palau); _idem_ (part). Ibis, 1881, p. 111 (Pelew). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi_ Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 44 (Pelew); Oustalet - (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 212 - (Palaos); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 58 (Pelew); - Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Palau); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 55 (Pelew). - - _Aplonis opaca_ subsp nov.? Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 13 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 72 - (Pelew). - - _Aplornis opaca orii_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 188 (Babelthuap, Koror, Peliliu, Anguar). - - _Aplonis opaca orii_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 169 - (Palau); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 673 (Palau). - - _Aplonis opacus orii_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 297 - (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. - 71 (Peleliu, Ngesebus, Garakayo). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Kayangel, - Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Ngesebus, Peleliu, Ngabad, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _A. o. opacus_, but - slightly larger with bill longer and shallower, and feathers with - distinct greenish gloss both on the upper parts and the lower - parts. Resembles _A. o. angus_ in the amount of greenish gloss on - feathers, but bill shallower. Depth of bill of _A. o. opacus_ - measures, on the average, 9.5 for males and 9.0 for females; of - _A. o. angus_ 8.5 for both males and females; of _A. o. orii_ 7.5 - for both males and females. - - Immature: Resembles immature of _A. o. angus_, but streaking on - underparts duller. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 45. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 40 (21 males, 19 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 3 (Nov. 6)--Garakayo, 2 - (Sept. 19)--Ngesebus, 1 (Sept. 20)--Peleliu, 7 (Aug. 28, 29, 30, - 31, Sept. 5); AMNH--exact locality not given, 27 (Oct., Nov., - Dec.). - - _Molt._--Many of the specimens taken in August and September show - evidence of molt; most of the specimens taken in October, November - and December are not in molt. - -_Remarks._--The amount of greenish gloss on the feathers of _A. o. orii_ -and _A. o. angus_ appears to be the same, but the streaked underparts of -the immature of _A. o. orii_ are duller than those of the immature of -_A. o. angus_. The shallower bill in the Palau starling is caused by the -lower edge of the mandible being generally straighter than that in _A. -o. angus_ and _A. o. opacus_. In comparing _A. o. orii_ with _A. o. -kurodai_, Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1931a:458) state that "the greenish -gloss is less pronounced and of a duller shade than that of _A. o. -kurodai_ Momiyama." - -The starling is probably the most abundant land bird in the Palaus. It -was found as singles or in small flocks at all islands visited by the -NAMRU2 party in 1945. As at the other islands of Micronesia, the -starling at Palau is noisy and conspicuous. It is a most inquisitive -bird, often following the collector through the woodlands. Apparently -the starling prefers the open woodlands and marginal areas to the -thicker jungles; as a result of clearing operations during the war, the -bird probably has increased. The starling is primarily a vegetarian; I -found no animal matter in stomachs examined at Palau or at Ulithi or -Guam. At Palau, as at other islands, more of the starlings seen were in -immature plumage than in adult plumage. Coultas (field notes) found the -birds to be abundant at Koror and highly prized as food by the natives -and Japanese. He writes, "It is surprising what a fine wholesome meal -certain people can get out of handful of rice and a starling's breast." - - -=Aplonis opacus guami= Momiyama - -Micronesia Starling - - _Aplonis opaca guami_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 9. (Type - locality, Guam). - - _Turdus columbinus_ Lesson (part), Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 406 - (Mariannes = Guam). - - _Lamproth[ornis] opaca_ Kittlitz (part), Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. - Vögel, 2, 1833, p. 11, pl. 15, fig. 2 (Marianen = Guam); idem - (part), Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. - 298, 304 (Guahan). - - _Lamprotornis columbinus_ Bonaparte (part), Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, - p. 417 (Mariann. =Guam). - - _Lamprotornis columbina_ Hartlaub (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, - p. 167 (Mariannen =Guam); Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. - Micron, und Kamchat., 1, 1858, pp. 367, 376 (Guaham). - - _Calornis opaca_ Gray (part), Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, - 1859, p. 26 (Ladrone or Marian Is.); _idem_, (part), Hand-list - Birds, 2, 1870, p. 27 (Ladrone = Guam?). - - _Calornis kittlitzi_ Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 109 (Marianen = Guam?); Oustalet, Le. - Nat., 1889, p. 261 (Mariannes). - - _Calornis columbina_ Giebel (part), Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 427 - (Marianae = Guam?). - - _Calornis pacificus_ Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 32 Marianne). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi_ Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 44 (Marianne; Oustalet - (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 212 - (Guam, Saypan); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 58 - (Guam, Saipan); Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 - (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 54 - (Marianas); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Guam); - Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam); _idem_, The Plant World, 7, - 1904, p. 264 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. - 79 (Guam); Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 36, 1909, p. 477 (Guam); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Marianas); - Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec, vol. 13, - no. 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam). - - _Aplonis opaca_ Wetmore (part), in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. - Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 219 (Guam). - - _Aplonis kittlitzi kurodai_ Momiyama, Tori, 2, 1920, p. (Saipan). - - _Aplonis opaca guami_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 71 (Guam); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. - 847 (Guam); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 394 (Saipan, Rota); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 169 (Guam, Rota, Tinian, - Saipan). - - _Aplonis opaca harterti_ Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 10 (Type locality, Saipan); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 71 (Saipan); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 847 (Saipan). - - _Aplornis opaca harterti_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 487 (Saipan). - - _Aplornis opaca guami_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, - 44, 1932, p. 221 (Tinian, Rota); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 188 (Saipan, Tinian, Rota, Guam). - - _Aplonis opacus guami_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 297 - (Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan); Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 41 - (Guam); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 103 - (Tinian); Stott, Auk, 1947, p. 527 (Saipan, Guam); Baker, - Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 69 (Guam, Rota, - Tinian, Saipan). - - _Aplonis opacus_ Wharton, Ecol. Monogr., 16, 1946, p. 174 (Guam); - Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 540 (Guam); Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. - 125 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Rota, - Tinian, Saipan. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles closely _A. o. angus_ in the - amount of greenish gloss present on the body feathers, but with - slightly shorter and deeper bill. - - Immature: Resembles the immature of _A. o. angus_ but streaks on - underparts brighter and less-dingy yellow. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 45. The writer - (1948:69) has given average measurements for the length of wing of - adult males from Guam as 127, from Rota as 122, from Tinian as - 131, and from Saipan as 131; for depth of bill of adult males from - Guam as 9.0, from Rota as 9.0, from Tinian as 9.5, and from Saipan - as 10.0. - - _Weights._--The NAMRU2 party obtained weights of six adult males - from Guam as 84-96 (87); of eight adult females from Guam as 78-108 - (86); of two juvenal males from Guam as 88 and 90; of five juvenal - females from Guam as 77-87 (80); of two adult males from Rota as 70 - and 83; and of five juvenal males from Rota as 64-80 (76). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 95 (55 males, 37 females, 3 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 44 (Jan. 21, 22, - Feb. 5, March 8, 13, April 12, May 18, 22, 24, 27, 29, 30, June 3, - 4, 6, 14, 16, 18, July 6, 7, 14, 20, Aug. 24, Oct. 8, Nov. 19, - 23)--Rota, 12 (Oct. 18, 19, 26, 27, Nov. 2)--Tinian, 4 (Oct. 12, - 18); AMNH--Guam, 16 (Jan. 23, 24, 29, March 3, 12, 13, 24, May, - Aug. 12, Nov. 23, 28, Dec. 26)--Tinian, 15 (Sept. 7, 8, 10, 11, - 12)--Saipan, 4 (July 9, 17, Aug. 26, Sept. 2). - - _Nesting._--The NAMRU2 party found evidence of nesting by starlings - at Guam as early as January 28, in 1945. On this date a bird was - seen to carry food into a hollow tree at Oca Point. Signs of - nesting activities were observed in the months that followed, the - last record being obtained on June 11. Starlings nest in cavities - in trees, in holes in rocky cliffs, and probably in the tops of - coconut palms. On June 2 a nest was found by Muennink in a cavity - of a banyan tree at Oca Point, Guam. The nest was approximately 12 - feet from the ground and consisted of a flattened mass of green - foliage at the bottom of the cavity. Two eggs found in the nest - have been described by the author (1948:69) as "Niagara green" with - scattered, irregular spots of color, near "russet," "Mars brown" - and "pallid purple-drab," most abundant near the large ends. - Measurements are 32.1 by 22.1 and 32.0 by 22.4. - - Yamashina (1932a:394) records two eggs taken at Saipan on April - 14, 1931; two eggs taken at Rota on March 10, 1931; and one egg - taken at Rota on March 11, 1931. Seale (1901:54) writes that the - starling nests in a hole in the dead trunk of the coconut palm and - may lay three or four eggs. Hartert (1898:59) reports that two - eggs were taken at Guam on March 11. - - _Food habits._--Probably the chief food of the starling at Guam is - the fruit and seeds of the papaya. This plant grows in most parts - of the island, especially in the lowlands where land uses have - disturbed the climax vegetation. Many of the garden plots lay - fallow during the war and were allowed to grow up in thick stands - of papaya. As a fruit began to ripen, the starlings would peck out - one side of a ripe fruit, feeding on the tissues and the seeds. It - was seldom that a fully ripe papaya fruit was found that had not - been at least partly eaten by the starlings. Apparently the birds - do not feed on the fruit before it is fully ripened. Seeds of - other types of vegetation were also eaten by the birds. - - _Parasites._--Wharton (1946:174) records the chigger (Acarina), - _Trombicula_ sp., from the starling at Guam. - -_Remarks._--According to Oustalet (1895:212), the starling was taken in -the Marianas by the expedition in the "Uranie" in 1820 and by the -expedition in the "Astrolabe" in 1829. Kittlitz, who visited Guam from -March 1-20, 1828, also recorded the starling. It was not until 1922, -however, that the starling in the Marianas was recognized as -subspecifically distinct from the birds in the Carolines and Palaus. -The Japanese ornithologists named the bird at Guam as _A. o. guami_ and -the bird at Saipan as _A. o. harterti_, but later regarded these as a -single subspecies _A. o. guami_. Momiyama (1920:2) had, previously to -the naming of the new forms in the Marianas, considered the bird at -Saipan as belonging to the same subspecies as that found at Yap. Among -named kinds, _A. o. guami_ found at Guam, Rota, Tinian, and Saipan -appears to be most closely related to _A. o. angus_. These two -subspecies differ in that the streaking of the underparts in the -immatures is brighter in _A. o. guami_ and duller in _A. o. angus_. The -bird at Saipan has a longer wing and a deeper bill than the bird at -Guam; however, birds at Tinian show intermediate measurements. - -At Guam, the starling is the most numerous land bird. The writer -(1947b:124), in counting birds along the roadways of Guam, recorded the -starling on all of the 125 counts and found the birds to include more -than one-half (57.3 percent) of all the birds seen. Starlings may have -increased during the years of the war, with the disruption of normal -agricultural activities allowing the growth of papaya and other food -plants in fallow areas; however, the use of the birds as food by the -islanders probably increased during the war. - -As at other islands in Micronesia, the numbers of birds in immature -plumage at Guam seemingly exceeds the number of birds in adult plumage. -Animals which may prey on the starling at Guam include the feral house -cat, _Rattus mindanensis_, _Corvus kubaryi_, and the large lizard -_Varanus indicus_. The starling spends little time on the ground; it -feeds principally in the trees, which might limit the amount of damage -done to it by the feral house cats which are numerous on the island. The -rat, _R. mindanensis_, is a semi-arboreal animal and may feed on eggs -and young birds in nest cavities of trees or on cliffs. The crow, _C. -kubaryi_, has a reputation for stealing chicken eggs from poultry yards -and may prey on the eggs and young of the starling. The monitor lizard, -_V. indicus_, is known to prey on the starling, as well as on the -domestic chickens at farm houses. On January 31, 1945, one of these -large lizards was seen descending a tree after robbing a nest of a -starling; one of the starling's eggs was seen in the mouth of the -lizard. The noise and commotion set up by the parent birds and by other -starlings, which had been attracted to the area, did not appear to -perturb the uninvited guest. - -Downs (1946:103) writes that the starling at Tinian is less common than -the white-eye, _Zosterops conspicillata saypani_. Gleize (1945:220) -estimated the population of starlings on Tinian at 200. Coultas (field -notes) found the starling abundant at Tinian in 1931, but he did not -find the bird at Saipan. According to Stott (1947:527), the starling was -abundant at Guam but "appeared to be common only locally on Saipan." He -saw large flocks at the Marpi Point and Kingman Point areas on Saipan -but found the bird less numerous elsewhere on the island. At Rota, the -NAMRU2 party found the birds to be numerous and widely distributed over -the island in 1945. - -At Guam, the present writer observed behavior of the starling on January -31, 1945, which may have been a courtship ceremony. Two adults were -perched on a palm frond approximately 20 feet above the ground. The bird -which was perched more distally on the frond opened its tail -fan-fashion, spread its wings and at irregular intervals picked up in -its beak a part of the frond and then released it. As this behavior was -taking place, the birds would call in a sweet ascending song, which -reminded me very much of the song of the redwing blackbird of North -America. This was indeed a contrast to the usual squawking notes of this -subspecies. - - -=Aplonis opacus aeneus= (Takatsukasa and Yamashina) - -Micronesian Starling - - _Aplornis opaca aenea_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, - 43, 1931, p. 487. (Type locality, Pagan.) - - _Aplonis kittlitzi_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 212 (Pagan, Agrigan). - - _Aplonis opaca harterti_ Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 11 (Pagan, Agrigan); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 71 (Pagan, Agrigan). - - _Aplornis opaca aenea_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 187 (Asongsong = Asuncion, Agrigan, Pagan, Almagan). - - _Aplornis opaca aenea_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, - 44, 1932, p. 221 (Pagan, Almagan). - - _Aplonis opaca aenea_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 169 - (Agrigan, Pagan, Almagan); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 673 - (Asongsong). - - _Aplonis opacus aeneus_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 297 (Agrigan, Pagan, Almagan); Borror, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 417 - (Agrihan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Alamagan, Pagan, - Agrihan, Asuncion. - - _Characters._--Adult: According to Takatsukasa and Yamashina - (1931:487), _A. o. aeneus_ resembles _A. o. orii_ of Palau, but - has a bronze rather than green luster. _A. o. aeneus_ resembles - _A. o. opacus_, but has a smaller bill. - -_Remarks._--No specimens of this subspecies have been examined by me. -Little information is available regarding the occurrence of this -subspecies in the northern Marianas. Oustalet (1895:212) writes that -Marche collected four specimens at Pagan and three at Agrihan. Borror -(1947:417) writes that in 1945, it was a "common and abundant species" -at Agrihan. He obtained one specimen between July 27 and August 14 and -comments that it had a grasshopper in its stomach. - -_Evolutionary history of Aplonis opacus._--_Aplonis opacus_ is known -from the Mariana, Palau, and Caroline islands in Micronesia. It consists -of several subspecies, which have relatively few distinguishing -characteristics. No starlings are known in the Marshall and Gilbert -islands, although atolls occur in these island-chains that offer a -habitat approximately the same as those in the western Carolines now -occupied by _A. o. angus_. - -In regard to parental stock, Sharpe (1876:47) considered _A. opacus_ as -"nothing but a slightly more metallic race of _C. mysolensis_, with a -still stouter bill." The species with which Sharpe compared _A. opacus_ -is known from Mysol, Buru, and Ceram. Oustalet (1896:70) thought that -the _Aplonis_ in Micronesia belonged to a group of starlings whose -members are scattered through the Pacific islands including Cook, Samoa, -Tonga, Fiji, New Britain, New Guinea, Banta, Mysol, Salwatti, and Timor. -Mayr (1941b:204) is of the opinion that _Aplonis_ in Micronesia was -derived from central Polynesia. Amadon (1943:8), in his study of the -genera of starlings, places _A. opacus_ within a superspecies containing -_A. cinerascens_, _A. tabuensis_, _A. fuscus_, and possibly _A. -feadensis_ and _A. cantoroides_. All of these are blackish birds with -greenish gloss with immatures having the underparts streaked. In -comparing _A. opacus_ with these mentioned species and with other -species of _Aplonis_, I find that _A. opacus_ more closely resembles _A. -feadensis_ and _A. cantoroides_ than any others. Although there are -differences in size of the bill, wing, and tail, these structures are -proportionally the same. The streaked underparts of the immatures of _A. -cantoroides_ are much like that of the immatures of _A. opacus_, whereas -the immatures of _A. feadensis_ are only faintly streaked with whitish -below. The eye of _A. cantoroides_ is red, and that of _A. opacus_ is -more nearly yellow. The ancestral stock from which _A. opacus_ developed -in Micronesia seemingly reached the area from Melanesia. In Micronesia -the birds dispersed to various groups of islands from some point in the -Caroline Islands. The birds are absent from the Marshall Islands. -Perhaps the birds never reached the Marshall Islands or they may have -been present in former times and disappeared since then. - - -=Aplonis pelzelni= Finsch - -Ponapé Mountain Starling - - _Aplonis pelzelni_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1875 (1876), p. - 644. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Aplonis pelzelni_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. - 17, 32, pl. 2, fig. 3 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1877 (1878), p. 779 (Ponapé); _idem_, Journ, f. Ornith., 1880, p. - 290 (Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 110, 112, 115 (Ponapé); - Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 - (Ponapé); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, 1890, p. 136 - (Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. - 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 43 (Ponapé); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 215 (Ponapé); Bolau, Mitteil. - Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 62 (Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, pp. 111, 112 (Ponapé); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, - p. 542 (Ponapé); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 355 (Ponapé); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Ponapé); Kuroda, in - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 70 (Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. - Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 849 (Ponapé); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 170 (Ponapé); Bequaert, Mushi, 12, - 1939, p. 82 (Ponapé); Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, - 1941, pp. 204, 213 (Ponapé); Bequaert, Occ. Papers Bernice P. - Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, p. 290 (Ponapé); Mayr. Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 298 (Ponapé). - - _Aplornis pelzelni_ Hand-List Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 189 - (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small, dark starling with upper parts - sooty-brown, darker on head with forehead and lores blackish; - wings, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail lighter and more - brownish than head; underparts paler and washed with olive-brown; - bill and feet black; iris brown. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but lighter brown, especially the - underparts. - - _A. pelzelni_ differs from _A. opacus_ by having no gloss on the - feathers, smaller size, more slender bill, and a brown iris. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 46. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 59 (32 males, 24 females, 3 - unsexed), from Caroline Islands, AMNH--Ponapé (Dec). - - _Nesting._--Coultas (field notes) obtained reports that the Ponapé - Mountain Starling nests in cavities in trees and lays two eggs. - - -TABLE 46. MEASUREMENTS OF _Aplonis pelzelni_ - - ==================+=========+=======+===========+==========+======== - | | | | Depth of | - NUMBER AND SEX | Wing | Tail | Exposed | bill at | Tarsus - | | | culmen | nostril | - ------------------+---------+-------+-----------+----------+-------- - 10 adult males | 103 | 65 | 20.0 | 6.5 | 27 - | 101-105 | 63-67 | 19.0-21.0 | 6.0-7.0 | 26-28 - | | | | | - 10 adult females | 99 | 61 | 19.5 | 6.0 | 27 - | 97-102 | 57-64 | 19.5-20.5 | 6.0-6.5 | 26-27 - ------------------+---------+-------+-----------+----------+-------- - - - _Parasites._--Bequaert (1939:82 and 1941:290) records the fly - (Hippoboscidae), _Ornithoica pusilla_, from _A. pelzelni_. - -_Remarks._--Coultas (field notes) writes that "the Mountain Starling is -a bird of the true mountain forest.... I did not record it below 1,400 -feet. Natives tell me that the Mountain Starling formerly covered the -whole of the island and that now some individuals can be found on the -low atoll of Ant, to the westward of Ponapé. Unfortunately, I was not -permitted to visit either Ant or Pakin." Coultas notes also that the -birds are quiet and usually travel in pairs. They are easily attracted -by squeaking the lips against the hand or by the cries of a wounded -bird. Many of these starlings were taken in fruit trees. Coultas -describes the call of _A. pelzelni_ as "weaker and finer" than that of -_A. opacus_. These two species may be found together, according to -Coultas, but _A. opacus_ is apparently the more aggressive and often -drives _A. pelzelni_ away. Richards (_in litt._) found this bird to be -"very rare" while on his visit to Ponapé in 1947-1948. He observed two -individuals on January 15, 1948, at an elevation of approximately 600 or -700 feet. A male was taken. - -_Evolutionary history of Aplonis pelzelni._--The Ponapé Mountain -Starling is a distinctive bird which evidently represents an ancient and -single colonization of Micronesia. It lacks the green gloss which is -found on many of the other starlings of the Pacific region. It has a -brown iris, and the immatures lack the streaked underparts which are -characteristic of _A. opacus_ and other species. The structure of its -wing resembles that of _A. opacus_, but the primaries are more rounded. -It is apparently better adapted to forested uplands, whereas _A. opacus_ -and its relatives, _A. cantoroides_ and _A. feadensis_, appear to prefer -lowland forests and coconut plantations. In habits and habitat -preference, _A. pelzelni_ seems to resemble _A. santovestris_, which is -restricted to mountain environment on Espiritu Santo in the New -Hebrides. The describers of this starling, Harrisson and Marshall -(1937:149), write that "_Aplonis santovestris_ apparently most closely -resembles _A. pelzelni_ from Ponapé, especially in bill and tarsus." -According to the description, _A. santovestris_ is approximately the -size of _A. pelzelni_ with brownish coloring, crown dark brown, lower -back and rump dark rufous, wing and tail blackish-brown, underparts -rufous-brown, and iris grayish-green. These two birds are separated -geographically and apparently exhibit evidences of parallel development. -Possibly they came from a common ancestral stock. Mayr (1941b:204) -writes that _A. pelzelni_ belongs with the starlings of the Polynesian -area. I have compared _A. pelzelni_ with other starlings of the -Southwest Pacific, including _A._ _feadensis_, _A. cantoroides_, and -_A. zealandicus_, but see no close resemblances. - - -=Aplonis corvinus= (Kittlitz) - -Kusaie Mountain Starling - - _Lamprothornis corvina_ Kittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 2, - 1833, p. 12, pl. 15, fig. 3. (Type locality, Ualan = Kusaie.) - - _Lamprothornis corvina_, Kittlitz, Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. - Peterbourg, 2, 1835, p. 7, pl. 9 (Ualan); _idem_, Obser. Zool., in - Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 285 (Ualan). - - _Lamprotornis corvina_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, p. 417 - (Ualan); Hartlaub, Archiv. f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, p. 133 - (Ualan); Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., - 2, 1858, pp. 25, 43, 59, 103 (Ualan); Finsch, Ibis, 1881, p. 104 - (Kuschai). - - _Lamprocorax corvinus_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen = Kusaie); Sclater, Ibis, 1859, p. 327 (Caroline = - Kusaie); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 543 (Kuschai). - - _Calornis (Lamprocorax?) corvina_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. - Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 25 (Oualan). - - _Sturnoides corvina_ Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 108 (Ualan); Finsch, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1880, pp. 297, 302 (Kuschai). - - _Calornis corvina_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 27 (Caroline - = Kusaie); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. - 100 (Ualan); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 427 (Caroline = - Kusaie); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, 1890, p. 137 - (Kuschai); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. - 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 46 (Ualan or Kushai); Matschie, Journ. f. - Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ualan); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 64 (Kusaie). - - _Sturnoides corvinus_ Finsch, Ibis, 1881, pp. 107, 108 (Kushai). - - _Kittlitzia corvina_ Hartert, Kat. Vogelsamml. Senckenb., 1891, p. - 75 (Ualan); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 72 - (Kusaie); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 853 - (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 169 (Kusaie); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 187 (Kusaie). - - _Aplonis corvina_ Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 356 (Ualan); - Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 213 (Kusaie). - - _Aplonis corvinus_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 298 - (Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie, probably - extinct for many years. - - _Characters._--According to Sharpe (1890:137), "Shining black; - each feather with a glossy margin, varying from steel-green to - purplish red; bill and feet black (Kittlitz)." - -_Remarks._--Kittlitz obtained two specimens of a unique starling at -Kusaie when he visited the island in December and January, 1827-'28. He -named the birds as new and deposited the specimens in the museum in St. -Petersburg. The bird has not been found at Kusaie since that time. -Sharpe (1890:137-138, footnote) writes "This species I have never seen, -and Dr. Finsch did not meet with it during his visit to Kuschai. He -writes to me:--'It no doubt exists on Kuschai, just as it did when -Kittlitz visited the island. Nobody has reached the mountains in the -interior since Kittlitz's time; and it is strictly a mountain bird.'" -Coultas spent considerable time searching the higher areas of Kusaie for -the bird in 1931. - -The Kusaie Mountain Starling apparently represents an early invasion of -Micronesia, independent of that of any other starling in the area and -perhaps the earliest of the three colonizations by starlings in -Micronesia. The drawing of the bird as pictured by Kittlitz (1833:pl. -14, fig. 3) shows the long bill to be one of its distinctive characters. -This suggests relationship to _A. atrifuscus_ of Samoa, as noted by Mayr -(1942a:6). _A. atrifuscus_ is larger than _A. opacus_ with a longer bill -and gloss on some of the feathering of the body; it looks a good deal -like the drawing of _A. corvinus_ by Kittlitz. _A. corvinus_ may also -have some relation to _A. magnus_ of Biak, although this species has a -longer tail and a shorter bill. _A. corvinus_ probably has undergone an -evolutionary development which parallels that of _A. atrifuscus_ and -possibly other species in the Polynesian and Melanesian areas. The -ancestral stock from which _A. corvinus_ was derived may have been close -to _A. grandis_, which is found in the Solomon area. _A. grandis_ is a -forest bird, somewhat solitary in habits. - - -=Sturnus philippensis= (Forster) - -Violet-backed Starling - - [_Motacilla_] _philippensis_ Forster, Ind. Zool., 1781, p. 41. - (Type locality, Philippines.) - - _Sturnus philippensis_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Palau). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in Japan. Winters to the Philippine - Islands. In Micronesia: Palau Islands--exact locality unknown. - -_Remarks._--Mayr (1945a:302) records this starling as a migrant visitor -to the Palau Islands. Coultas obtained an immature female of this -species at Palau on October 13, 1931. - - -=Sturnus cineraceus= Temminck - -Ashy Starling - - _Sturnus cineraceus_ Temminck, Pl. Col. 2, 1832, pl. 556. (Type - locality, Japan.) - - _Spodiopsar cineracea_ Kishida, Lansania, 1, 1929, p. 17 (Saipan); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 187 (Saipan). - - _Geographic range._--Breeds in eastern Asia and Japan. Winters in - southern China and Philippines. In Micronesia: Mariana - Islands--Saipan. - -_Remarks._--The Ashy Starling has been reported from Saipan by Kishida. -It probably is a casual winter migrant. - - -=Cleptornis marchei= (Oustalet) - -Golden Honey-eater - - _Ptilotis Marchei_ Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 260. (Type locality, - Saypan.) - - _Cleptornis marchei_ Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 35 (Saypan); Hartert, Novit. - Zool., 5, 1898, p. 56 (Saipan); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, - p. 112 (Saipan); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 60 (Saipan); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 722 (Marianne - = Saipan); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Marianne - = Saipan); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 75 - (Saipan); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 788 - (Saipan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 171 (Saipan); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 190 (Saipan); Mayr, - Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 298 (Saipan); Stott, Auk, 64, - 1947, p. 527 (Saipan). - -/# -_Ptilotis (Cleptornis) marchei_ Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. -Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 202 (Saypan). -#/ - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Saipan. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small honey-eater with head, rump, and - underparts near "light cadmium" becoming lighter on the chin and - darker on the nape; back near "orange-citrine"; wings and tail - feathers brown with outer edges colored like back and inner edges - whitish; orbital ring pale yellow; breast, belly, sides, and under - tail- and upper tail-coverts near "raw sienna"; under wing-coverts - pale yellow; axillaries yellow; bill and feet light yellow-brown, - maxilla darker; iris chestnut-brown. Immature has lighter bill. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 47. - - -TABLE 47. MEASUREMENTS OF _Cleptornis marchei_ - - ==================+=========+=========+=============+========= - NUMBER AND SEX | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus - ------------------+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - 7 adult males | 79 | 64 | 19.5 | 26 - | (77-80) | (61-66) | (19.0-20.0) | (25-27) - | | | | - 5 adult females | 73 | 58 | 18.0 | 24 - | (72-75) | (56-59) | (17.5-18.5) | (23-25) - ------------------+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 17 (9 males, 8 females), as - follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Saipan, 4 (July 11, Dec. 15); - AMNH--Saipan, 13 (July 8, Aug. 1, 10, 13, 14, 21, 30, Sept. 3, 7, - 9, 15). - - _Nesting._--Hartert (1898:56) reports that one nest of the Golden - Honey-eater was found on July 7. It was hung from a fork of a - branch, "like the nest of a golden Oriole." He writes that four - other nests were obtained in late August. Hartert describes the egg - as "pale blue without gloss, spotted over and over with rufous, - more so on the thicker end, and measures about 20:15 mm." - - _Molt._--Specimens taken in July, August, and September are - molting. - -_Remarks._--Oustalet (1895:202) writes that Marche obtained 25 specimens -of the Golden Honey-eater at Saipan in May, June, and July, 1887. Little -is known regarding its habits; Moran (1946:262) writes that the bird -"reminds one of the prothonotary warbler, with a long, curved, black -bill." Stott (1947:527) writes that "it appears to be restricted to a -single habitat, that of dense forest." He found the bird in forest on -the north shore of Magicienne Bay. Coultas obtained only one specimen on -his visit to Saipan in 1931. Marshall (1949:216) records some -interesting observations of this bird made in 1945. He notes (_op. cit._ -p. 219) that the bird breeds in January, February and April. - -Not only is it remarkable that the Golden Honey-eater has become -established on a single island in a rather closely associated chain of -islands, but it is also difficult to determine from where the bird came. -It seemingly has no close relatives in the Micronesian area. Oustalet -(1895:202) points out that one has to go to New Guinea, Moluccas, -Australia, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga in order to find related forms. In -looking through the large collections of Meliphagidae in the American -Museum of Natural History, I found only a few genera to which the Saipan -Golden Honey-eater seems to be closely related. _Timeliopsis_ of New -Guinea has some resemblances to _Cleptornis_, although the coloration is -different. _Timeliopsis_ has a similar bill, but has a longer tail and -longer wing; the shortness of the wing in _Cleptornis_ is not unusual -since other insular forms also exhibit this characteristic. - -Perhaps _Cleptornis_ is closer to the genus _Meliphaga_ of New Guinea -and Australia, which has become differentiated into a number of diverse -species and subspecies. _Cleptornis_ compares rather favorably with _M. -pencillata carteri_ of Australia, but differs by the softness of its -feathers and the shorter wing and shorter tail. It shows also some -affinities with _M. flava_ of Australia, particularly in shape of bill; -the coloration of the feathers is light olive-green in _M. flava_. The -bird at Saipan seemingly has no relationships with the Hawaiian -honey-eaters. - - -=Myzomela cardinalis rubratra= (Lesson) - -Cardinal Honey-eater - - _Cinnyris rubrater_ Lesson, Dict. Sci. Nat., éd. Levrault, 50, - 1827, p. 30. (Type locality, Oualan = Kusaie.) - - _Cinnyris rubrater_ Lesson (part), Voy. "La Coquille," Zool., 2, - 1828, pp. 433, 678 (Oualan); _idem_ (part), Man. d'Ornith., 2, - 1828, p. 55 (Oualan); _idem_ (part), Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. - 299 (Oualan); Kittlitz (part), Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 1832, - p. 6, pl. 8, fig. 1 (Ualan); _idem_ (part), Denkw. Reise russ. - Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 1, 1858, pp. 364, 381; 2, 1858, pp. - 39, 49 (Ualan). - - _Certhia Cardinalis_ Kittlitz, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. - Pétersbourg, 2, 1835, p. 4 (Ualan). - - _Cinnyris cardinalis_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 285 (Ualan). - - _Myzomela sanguinolenta_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, p. 394 - (no loc. = Kusaie?). - - _Myzomela rubrater_ Hartlaub (part), Archiv. f. Naturgesch., 18, - 1852, pp. 109, 131 (Ualan); Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 57 (Ualan). - - _Myzomela rubratra_ Hartlaub (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. - 168 (Carolinen = Kusaie); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1867 (1868), p. 829 (Carolines = Kusaie); Hartlaub and Finsch - (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 95 (Ualan); Giebel - (part), Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 681 (Carolinae = Kusaie); - Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. 26 (Ualan); - Forbes (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1879, p. 271 (Ualan); - Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 285, 298 (Kuschai); - _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, pp. 103, 108, 111 (Kuschai); _idem_ - (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 (Ualan); Hartert, - Kat. Vogelsamml. Senckenb., 1891, p. 31 (Ualan); Wiglesworth - (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 - (1891), p. 31 (Ualan); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, pp. 201, 202 (Kushai); Hartert (part), - Novit, Zool., 5, 1898, p. 56 (Ualan); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, - 1, 1902, p. 716 (Carolines = Kusaie). - - _Certhia sanguinolenta_ Kittlitz, Denkw. Reise russ. Amer. Micron, - und Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 364 (Ualan). - - _Myzomela major_ Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, - p. 11 (Oualan?). - - _Myzomela rubrata_ Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. - 112 (Ualan). - - _Myzomela rubratra rubratra_ Wetmore, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, - 30, 1917, p. 117 (Kusaie); Wetmore (part), in Townsend and - Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 219 (Kusaie); - Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, pp. 15, 20, 21, 22, (Kusaie); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 72 (Kusaie); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 743 (Oualan); - Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), rev., 1932, p. 172 (Kusaie); - Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. 191 (Kusaie). - - _Myzomela cardinalis rubratra_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 299 (Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Head (except lores), neck back, rump, - upper tail-coverts, chin, throat, breast, and upper abdomen black - with feathers tipped with coloring between "scarlet" and - "scarlet-red"; rest of feathering black; bill long and curved and - black; feet black; iris dark brown. - - -TABLE 48. MEASUREMENTS OF _Myzomela cardinalis_ OF MICRONESIA - - ===================+============+=========+=========+=============+========= - | Number | | | | - SUBSPECIES | and sex | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus - -------------------+------------+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - _M. c. rubratra_ | 21 adult | 79 | 55 | 19.5 | 22 - | males | (76-81) | (53-56) | (18.5-20.5) | (21-22) - | | | | | - | 20 adult | 71 | 49 | 18.5 | 20 - | females | (69-74) | (45-51) | (17.5-19.5) | (19-21) - | | | | | - _M. c. dichromata_ | 24 adult | 78 | 53 | 21.5 | 22 - | males | (76-80) | (51-56) | (20.0-23.0) | (21-23) - | | | | | - | 22 adult | 69 | 47 | 19.0 | 20 - | females | (66-72) | (45-49) | (17.5-20.5) | (19-21) - | | | | | - _M.c. major_ | 9 adult | 77 | 55 | 20.0 | 22 - | males | (75-78) | (54-59) | (19.5-20.5) | (21-22) - | | | | | - | 2 adult | 70 | 50 | 19.0, 20.5 | 21.5 - | females | | | | - | | | | | - _M. c. saffordi_ | 47 adult | 73 | 55 | 20.0 | 22 - | males | (69-77) | (51-56) | (19.0-20.5) | (21-24) - | | | | | - | 14 adult | 65 | 49 | 18.5 | 21 - | females | (63-71) | (46-51) | (17.5-19.5) | (19-21) - | | | | | - _M. c. kurodai_ | 2 adult | 74, 75 | 52 | 20.0, 20.5 | 20, 21 - | males | | | | - | | | | | - _M. c. kobayashii_ | 17 adult | 74 | 54 | 20.5 | 21 - | males | (71-76) | (51-57) | (19.0-22.0) | (20-22) - | | | | | - | 8 adult | 67 | 48 | 18.0 | 20 - | females | (65-68) | (45-50) | (17.5-19.0) | (19-21) - -------------------+------------+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - - Adult female: Resembles adult male, but smaller; red coloring duller; - wings and tail more brownish and less blackish; abdomen and under - tailcoverts dark gray. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but duller and less blackish and more - grayish with less red coloring on feathers and an olivaceous-brown - tinge to plumage. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 48. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 62 (35 males, 27 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Kusaie, 3 (Feb. 9); AMNH--Kusaie, - 59 (Jan., Feb., March). - - _Nesting._--Finsch records the taking of eggs of the honey-eater at - Kusaie on February 26 and March 10, 1880. - - _Molt._--Evidence of molt was observed in a few specimens taken in - January and in larger number of birds taken in March. In addition, - some skins obtained in March showed fresh plumage. Although there - is little evidence available, I suppose that nesting activities of - _M. r. rubratra_ at Kusaie occur in the winter months of December, - January, February, and March, and that molt begins in January, - especially in the males, and possibly reaches a peak in March. - -_Remarks._--_M. r. rubratra_ was first described by Lesson, who referred -to it under the name _Cinnyris rubrater_. The bird was found by Lesson -at Kusaie, when he visited the island in June, 1924, as a member of the -expedition from the ship "La Coquille." In his description he also -stated that the bird was found in the Philippines by Dussumier. The -report of the bird's occurrence in the Philippines proved to be -erroneous, as was pointed out by Wetmore (in Townsend and Wetmore, -1919:220). Oustalet (1895:200) contended that Lesson's description was -based on the specimens taken by Quoy and Gaimard in the Marianas; he -stated that none of the birds which Lesson mentions from Kusaie was -preserved. Bonaparte also considered _Cinnyris rubrater_ to be from the -Marianas, and he gave the name _Myzomela major_ to the honey-eater of -the Caroline Islands (apparently including Kusaie) on the basis of -specimens taken by Hombron and Jacquinot at Truk. Wetmore (in Townsend -and Wetmore, 1919:220) settles the argument and assigns Lesson's name -_rubratra_ to the honey-eater at Kusaie; apparently this treatment is -the correct one inasmuch as Lesson used his own field notes and records -of the occurrence of this honey-eater at Kusaie in preparing his -description, even if the actual specimens were not preserved. This -arrangement makes Bonaparte's name _major_ available for the population -at Truk and makes Wetmore's name _saffordi_ available for the population -in the Marianas. The placing of the honey-eaters of Micronesia within -the species _Myzomela cardinalis_ by Mayr (1932:19) is, I think, -justified. - -Little information is available concerning the habits of the honeyeater -at Kusaie. In 1931, Coultas (field notes) regarded the bird as common -in the lowlands, especially in the coconut groves. He did not find the -bird at high elevations on the island. - - -=Myzomela cardinalis dichromata= Wetmore - -Cardinal Honey-eater - - _Myzomela rubratra dichromata_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 220. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Myzomela rubratra_ Pelzeln, Reise "Novara," Vögel, 1865, pp. 55, - 162 (Puynipet = Ponapé); Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, - 1876, pp. 17, 26 (Ponapé); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 - (1878), p. 778 (Ponapé); Forbes (part), Proc. Zool., Soc. London, - 1879, p. 271 (Ponapé); Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. - 285 (Ponapé); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 575 - (Ponapé); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, pp. 111, 115 (Ponapé); _idem_ - (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 (Ponapé); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 31 (Ponapé); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. - Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 202 (Ponapi). - - _Myzomela rubrata_ Nehrkorn (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. - 397 (Ponapé); Christian, The Caroline Islands, 1899, p. 358 - (Ponapé); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 - (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 55 - Ponapé); Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 - (Ponapé). - - _Myzomela chermesina_ Gadow, Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. - 137 (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 - (Ponapé). - - _Myzomela rubratra dichromata_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - pp. 15, 20, 21, 22 (Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 73 (Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 743 (Ponapé). - - _Myzomela rubratra rubratra_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 395 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), rev., 1932, p. 172 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. 191 - (Ponapé). - - _Myzomela cardinalis dichromata_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 299 Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles adult males of _M. c. - rubratra_, but with more extensive black markings on lores and - below eye; tips of feathers lighter "scarlet." - - Adult female: Resembles adult female of _M. c. rubratra_, but - duller and with red coloring much reduced; head, neck, shoulder, - ear-coverts, and sides of neck sooty brownish-gray; rest of upper - parts dark brownish-gray with plumage of middle of back, rump, and - upper tail-coverts tipped with scarlet; wings and tail dark brown - with outer edges olivaceous-gray; chin and throat reddish; breast - light brownish-gray, may be washed with reddish; axillaries, - abdomen, and under tail-coverts grayish. - - Immature male: Resembles adult male, but scarlet coloring less - brilliant and thinner on forehead, middle of back, rump, upper - tail-coverts, and underparts and absent, or nearly absent, on - crown and neck. - - Immature female: Resembles adult female, but scarlet coloring - thinner and present only on underparts, back, rump, and upper - tail-coverts; abdomen and under tail-coverts washed with buff. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 48. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 52 (26 males, 24 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 3 (Feb. 11, - 12); AMNH--Ponapé, 49 (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:395) records a large collection of - eggs of the honey-eater, taken at Ponapé in 1931. Of 13 sets of - eggs listed, 10 include two eggs per set and 3 include one egg per - set. These were obtained from July 20 to - September 2. Coultas (field notes) found one nest with young in a - tree-fern in the period of November and December, 1930. The nest - was cup-shaped and made of fern and fine grasses and lined with - lichens. Coultas writes that only the female feeds the young. He - suspects that the honey-eater nests at all times of the year. - - _Molt._--Most of the birds taken by Coultas in November and - December are in molting plumage. - -_Remarks._--The Cardinal Honey-eater at Ponapé is, according to Coultas, -found in most habitats of the island. He found it to be an aggressive -bird, often chasing the white-eye _Zosterops cinerea_. The committee -(Hachisuka _et al._) which prepared the Hand-list of Japanese Birds in -both the revised edition (1932) and the third edition (1942) does not -recognize the Ponapé honey-eater as separable from the bird at Kusaie. I -see no reason for this action and find the bird at Ponapé to be a -well-marked subspecies. - - -=Myzomela cardinalis major= Bonaparte - -Cardinal Honey-eater - - _Myzomela major_ Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, 38, - 1854, p. 264. (Type locality, "ex Ins. Carolinis ab Homb. et Jacq." - = Truk.) - - _Myzomela major_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 153 (Caroline - = Truk); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 1875, p. 681 (Carolinae = Truk?); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Ruk); Kuroda, - Dobutsu, Zasshi, 27, 1915, p. 28 (Ruk); _idem_, Dobutsu Zasshi, - 28, 1916, p. 71 (Ruk). - - _Myzomela rubratra_ Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, - p. 575 (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 253 (Ruk); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 31 (Ruk); Oustalet - (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 202 - (Ruk); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 56 (Ruk); _idem_ - (part), Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 2 (Ruk); Dubois (part), Syn. - Avium, 1, 1902, p. 714 (Carolines = Truk?). - - _Myzomela rubrata_ Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. - 112 (Ruck); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 55 - (Ruk). - - _Myzomela rubratra rubrata_ Wetmore (part), in Townsend and - Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 221 (Uala). - - _Myzomela rubrata wetmorei_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 15 (Type locality, Ruk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 73 (Ruk); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, - p. 743 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 172 (Truk); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 190 (Truk). - - _Myzomela cardinalis major_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 299 (Truk); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 72 (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles adult male of _M. c. - rubrata_, but tips of plumage lighter "scarlet." - - Adult female: Resembles adult female of _M. c. rubrata_, but - underparts more heavily tipped with scarlet; abdomen and under - tail-coverts black; tail slightly darker. Differs from _M. c. - dichromata_ by presence of scarlet tips on feathers of head. - - Immature male: Resembles adult female, but scarlet coloring of - tips of feathers of head and neck narrower. - - Immature female: Resembles immature female of _M. c. rubrata_, but - upper parts grayer; underparts darker. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 48. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 19 (13 males, 6 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 2 (Feb. 16, Dec. 13); - AMNH--Truk, 17 (Feb., March, Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Concerning the honey-eater at Truk, Hartert (1900:2) - writes "many nests were found from end of May to July, and one in - March." McElroy examined three males in December, which had swollen - testes. As seems to be the case with other races of this species, - the Cardinal Honey-eater at Truk may nest at all times of the year. - - _Molt._--Specimens examined that were taken in November, December - and February are in fresh or in molting plumages. - -_Remarks._--Bonaparte described his _Myzomela major_ as "Similis -praecedenti, sed major et percoccinea." He compares it here with -_Myzomela rubrata_, which he considered as a resident of the Mariana -Islands. According to Oustalet (1895:202) Hombron and Jacquinot obtained -one specimen of the honey-eater at Truk in 1841. This subspecies, as -well as most of the others of _M. cardinalis_ in Micronesia, is best -distinguished by the characteristics of the female. The male of the -different subspecies shows much less geographic variation. - - -=Myzomela cardinalis saffordi= Wetmore - -Cardinal Honey-eater - - _Myzomela rubratra saffordi_ Wetmore, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, - 30, 1917, p. 117. (Type locality, Guam.) - - _Cinnyris rubrater_ Lesson (part), Dict. Sci. Nat., éd. Levrault, - 50, 1827, p. 30 (Mariannes); _idem_ (part), Voy. "La Coquille," - Zool., 2, 1828, p. 678 (Mariannes); _idem_ (part), Man. d'Ornith., - 2, 1828, p. 55 (Mariannes); _idem_ (part), Traité d'Ornith., 1831, - p. 299 (Mariannes); Kittlitz (part), Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, - 1, 1832. p. 6, pl. 8, fig. 1 (Guaham); _idem_ (part), Denkw. Reise - russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 1, 1858, pp. 364, 381; 2, 1858, - pp. 39, 49 (Guaham). - - _Certhia cardinalis_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 304 (Guaham). - - _Myzomela rubrater_ Hartlaub (part), Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, - 1852, p. 109 (Mariannen); Finsch and Hartlaub (part), Fauna - Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 57 (Guaham). - - _Myzomela rubratra_ Bonaparte, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, - 38, 1854, p. 263 (Mariannes); Hartlaub (part), Journ. f. Ornith., - 1854, p. 167 (Mariannen); Gray (part), Cat. Birds Trop. Is. - Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 11 (Guam); _idem_ (part), Handlist Birds, - 1, 1869, p. 154 (Marian); Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, - 12, 1876, pp. 17, 26 (Marianen); Forbes (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1879, p. 270 (Marianis); Giebel (part), Thes. Ornith., 2, - 1875, p. 681 (Marinae); Finsch (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, - 1884, p. 48 (Guam); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. - Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 31 (Marianne); Oustalet - (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 197 - (Guam, Rota, Saypan, Pagan, Agrigan); Hartert (part), Novit. - Zool., 5, 1898, p. 55 (Guam, Saipan, Pagan, Agrigan); _idem_ - (part), Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 2 (Guam); Wheeler, Report Island - of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. - Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 55 (Marianae); Safford, The Plant World, - 7, 1904, p. 263 (Guam); _idem_, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, - p. 79 (Guam); Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 36, 1909, p. 477 - (Guam); Reichenow (part), Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 482 (Marianen); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Marianas); - Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam). - - _Myzomela rubrata_ Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 260 (Mariannes); - Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Guam, Saipan); - Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam); Prowazek, Die deutschen - Marianen, 1913, p. 101 (Saipan). - - _Myzomela rubratra saffordi_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, - Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 221 (Guam, Saipan); Momiyama, - Birds Micronesia, 1922, pp. 17, 20, 21, 22 (Guam, Rota, Saipan, - Pagan, Agrigan); Kuroda in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 74 - (Guam, Rota, Saipan, Pagan, Agrigan); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 744 (Guam); Yamashina, Tori, 7, - 1932, p. 395 (Marianas?); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 171 (Marianas); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2. 1936, p. 25 - (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 190 (Guam, - Rota, Agiguan, Tinian, Saipan, Almagan, Pagan, Agrigan, - Assongsong). - - _Myzomela rubrata saffordi_ Yamashina, Tori, 19, 1940, p. 673 - (Assongsong, Agiguan). - - _Myzomela cardinalis saffordi_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 299 (Marianas); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, - 1946, p. 103 (Tinian); Borror, Auk, 1947, p. 417 (Agrihan); Stott, - Auk, 1947, p. 527 (Saipan, Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., - vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 72 (Guam, Rota). - - _Myzomela cardinalis_ Watson, The Raven, 17, 1946, p. 41 (Guam); - Strophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 540 (Guam); Baker, Condor, 49, 1947, p. - 125 (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam, Rota, - Tinian, Agiguan, Saipan, Almagan, Pagan, Agrihan, Asuncion. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles _M. c. rubratra_, but smaller - with red coloring lighter and more orange; edges of wing and tail - feathers olivaceous. Differs from adult males of _M. c. - dichromata_ and _M. c. major_ by smaller size and presence of - olivaceous edgings on wing and tail feathers. - - Adult female: Resembles adult female of _M. c. rubratra_, but - smaller and paler with upper parts dark olivaceous-gray, sparsely - mottled with scarlet; outer edges of wing and tail feathers - greenish-olive; abdomen and under tail-coverts buffy-gray. Differs - from _M. c. dichromata_ by smaller size and presence of scarlet - tips of feathers on top of head. Differs from _M. c. major_ by - smaller size and presence of broad olivaceous edges on tail - feathers. - - Immature male: Resembles adult male, but red coloring less - brilliant, upper parts, lower breast, and abdomen more narrowly - edged with the red coloring; plumage of breast, abdomen, and under - tail-coverts buffy-gray, lighter in very young birds. - - -TABLE 49. MEASUREMENTS OF ADULT MALES OF _Myzomela cardinalis saffordi_ - FROM THE MARIANA ISLANDS - - ==========+=====+=========+=========+=============+========= - ISLAND | No. | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus - ----------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - Guam | 35 | 72 | 54 | 20.0 | 22 - | | (69-75) | (51-56) | (19.5-20.5) | (21-23) - | | | | | - Rota | 1 | 73 | | 20.0 | 22 - | | | | | - Tinian | 5 | 73 | 53 | 19.5 | 22 - | | (71-74) | (52-55) | (19.0-20.0) | (21-24) - | | | | | - Saipan | 4 | 74 | 54 | 19.5 | 22 - | | (72-76) | (53-55) | (19.0-20.5) | (22-23) - | | | | | - Agrihan | 1 | 77 | 55 | 20.0 | 22 - ----------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - - - Immature female: Resembles adult female, but paler with upper parts - darker brown; underparts pale buffy-brown; outer edges of wing and - tail. feathers greenish-olive, more extensive than in adult. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of the subspecies of _M. cardinalis_ - in Micronesia are listed in table 48. Measurements of male - specimens of _M. c. saffordi_ from various islands in the Marianas - are listed in table 49. - - _Weights._--The author (1948:72) records weights of _M. c. - saffordi_ from Guam as: 17 adult males, 12.7-18.0 (15.0), and 5 - adult females, 10.4-15.0 (12.7). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 80 (61 males, 17 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 43 (Jan. 22, May - 26, 30, June 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 13, 18, 19, 25, 28, July 6, 10, 12, - 17, 19, 20, 21, Sept., Nov. 20, 21)--Rota, 2 (Oct. 10)--Tinian, 3 - (Oct. 23, 25)--Saipan 2 (Sept. 27, 30); AMNH--Guam, 23 (Jan. 22, - 23, Feb. 5, 7, 9, 16, March 8, 10, 11, 13, 23, June 28, July 8, 21, - Aug. 22, Nov. 25, Dec. 4, 11)--Tinian, 2 (Sept. 7, 14)--Saipan, 3 - (July 8, Aug. 5, 22)--Asuncion, 1 (June)--Agrihan, 1 (June). - - _Nesting._--Seale (1901:55) obtained nests and eggs in the period - from May to July at Guam. He found the nests 8 to 15 feet above the - ground. Strophlet (1946:540) observed a pair of honey-eaters with - two young on October 9 at Guam. In 1945 at Guam the NAMRU2 party - obtained individuals with enlarged gonads on January 22, June 2, 5, - July 21 and 23, and found evidence of nesting on June 16. Hartert - (1898:56) writes that Owston's Japanese collectors obtained nests - in January, February, and March. Each nest contained two eggs; they - were placed four to eight feet from the ground. Probably the - Cardinal Honey-eater in the Marianas nests at most times of the - year. - - _Molt._--Specimens, with molting plumage, have been examined that - were taken at most times of the year. I suspect that this bird - molts at irregular intervals. - - _Food habits._--The honey-eater feeds partly on insect life and - partly on nectar and juices from flowers. At Guam, the honey-eater - was frequently found at flowers of the ink berry bush, where - evidently both nectar and insects were obtained. The birds were - attracted also to the coconut palms, especially when the - reproductive parts of the palms were developing. - -_Remarks._--The Cardinal Honey-eater is one of the most conspicuous land -birds in the Mariana Islands. Its scarlet plumage and characteristic -fluttering flight cause it to stand out against its habitat of forest, -scrub, and garden. At Guam, the author (1947b:124) found the honey-eater -on 37.6 percent of the 125 roadside birds counts made in 1945. The -species included 3.9 percent of all of the birds observed on these -counts. Seale (1901:55) and Strophlet (1946:540) also commented on its -abundance at Guam; however, in 1931, Coultas (field notes) wrote that -the bird was rare; he obtained only one skin at Guam. At Rota, the -NAMRU2 party found the honey-eater to be abundant. Coultas obtained only -a few birds at Tinian and Saipan in 1931. In 1945, Downs (1946:103) saw -only a single pair at Tinian; Gleise (1945:220) estimated the population -at Tinian to be 12 in 1945. At Agrihan, Borror (1947:417) reported that -the honey-eater was a common bird in 1945. - -Table 49 lists the measurements of males of _M. c. saffordi_ from -several islands in the Marianas. Measurements of birds from Guam, Rota, -Tinian, and Saipan are fairly similar, although the birds at Saipan seem -to have a slightly longer wing than those at Guam. A single skin from -Agrigan has larger measurements than those of birds obtained in the -southern Marianas. Whether the birds in the northern Marianas are -separable because of larger size can only be ascertained by the studying -of more material from that region. - -Mayr (1945a:102) writes that males of _M. cardinalis_ seem to outnumber -the females by approximately four to one. On the basis of collections -and field observations, the males were found to outnumber the females in -the Micronesian islands; although the ratio may not be so great as four -to one. At Guam, the NAMRU2 party obtained 21 males and 8 females. -Although these birds are often seen as pairs (male and female), single -males are frequently observed. The females do not appear to have more -secretive habits than the males. - - -=Myzomela cardinalis kurodai= Momiyama - -Cardinal Honey-eater - - _Myzomela rubratra kurodai_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 17. (Type locality, Yap.) - - _Myzomela rubratra_ Hartlaub and Finsch (part), Proc. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 94 (Uap); Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. - 122 (Yap); Finsch (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 4 - (Yap); Forbes (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1879, p. 271 (Yap); - Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und. Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 31 (Uap); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. - Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 202 (Yap); Takatsukasa and - Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Yap); Kuroda, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 27, 1915, pp. 331, 332 (Yap). - - _Myzomela rubrata_ Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. - 112 (Yap). - - _Myzomela rubrata kurodai_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 74 (Yap); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, - p. 743 (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), rev., 1932, p. 172 - (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., 1942, p. 190 - (Yap). - - _Myzomela cardinalis kurodai_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 299 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--Adult male: According to Momiyama (1922:17), _M. c. - kurodai_ is "Similar to _M. r. saffordi_ Wetmore from Southern - Marianne islands, but the tarsus is decidedly shorter, not - exceeding 21 mm. (more than 21 mm. in _M. r. saffordi_), and the - colour of plumage is not so much tinged with vermillion. It - differs from _M. r. rubratra_, _M. r. dichromata_, and _M. r. - wetmorei_ by the body measuring much shorter, and by the scarlet - colour of plumage being less pronounced. The length of bill in _M. - r. wetmorei_ and _kurodai_ is nearly the same." - - Adult female: According to Momiyama (1922:17), "Upper-parts of - body dark olivaceous brown; under-parts, including chin, throat - and fore neck like upper-parts, but somewhat paler; breast and - abdomen yellowish ashy-white; head, lower back, rump, upper - tail-coverts, chin, throat as well as lower breast tinged with - scarlet (the red colour more distinct on lower back but less so on - lower breast); pale olive margin to the outer web of - flight-feathers." - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 48. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 2 males, from Caroline - Islands, AMNH--Yap (Sept.). - -_Remarks._--This subspecies is tentatively recognized as distinct from -_M. c. kobayashii_ of Palau. No female has been examined, and the two -males seen and the description by Momiyama indicate that the population -at Yap closely resembles the one at Palau. The Hand-list of Japanese -Birds (Hachisuka _et al._, 1932:172) places the birds from Yap and Palau -in the same subspecies. - - -=Myzomela cardinalis kobayashii= Momiyama - -Cardinal Honey-eater - - _Myzomela rubratra kobayashii_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 19. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Cinnyris rubrater_ Lesson (part), Dict. Sci. Nat., éd., Levrault, - 50, 1827, p. 30 (Pelew); _idem_ (part), Voy. "La Coquille," Zool., - 1, 1828, p. 678 (Pelew); _idem_ (part), Man. d'Ornith., 2, 1828, - p. 55 (Pelew). - - _Myzomela rubratra_ Gray (part), Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific - Ocean, 1859, p. 11 (Pelew); Hartlaub (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1867 (1868), p. 829 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. - Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 5, 116, 118 (Pelew); Gray (part), - Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 154 (Pelew); Hartlaub and Finsch - (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 94 (Pelew); Finsch - (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 4, 16 (Palau); _idem_ - (part), Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 17, 26 (Palau); - Forbes (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1879, p. 270 (Pelew); - Finsch (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 (Palau); - Gadow, Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 129 (Pelew); Tristram, - Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 206 (Pelew); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und - Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 31 (Pelew); - Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, - p. 202 (Palaos); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 79 - (Palau-inseln); Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., - 1, 1901, p. 57 (Pelew); Reichenow (part), Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. - 482 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 - (Pelew). - - _Myzomela rubratra_ Nehrkorn (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. - 397 (Palau); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 - (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 55 - (Pelew); Kuroda, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 28, 1916, p. 71 (Pelew). - - _Myzomela rubratra kobayshii_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 74 (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 722 (Pelew). - - _Myzomela rubratra kurodai_ Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), rev., - 1932, p. 172 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds (part), 3d ed., - 1942, p. 190 (Babelthuap, Koror, Peleliu). - - _Myzomela rubratra kurodai_ Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 674 - (Palau). - - _Myzomela cardinalis kobayashii_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 299 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. - 15, 1948, p. 72 (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands;--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Angaur. - - _Characters._--Adult male: Resembles _M. c. rubratra_, but smaller - and with red coloring darker, near "scarlet-red"; margins of wing - feathers olivaceous. Differs from adult males of other subspecies - of _M. cardinalis_ by red coloring of feathers being darker. - - Adult female: Resembles adult female of _M. c. dichromata_ but red - coloring darker, top of head only partly red; abdomen, under - tail-coverts, and axillaries buff-gray; outer edges of wing and - tail feathers light olive. Differs from adult females of other - subspecies of _M. cardinalis_ by having top of head only partly - red. - - Immature male: Resembles adult male, but red coloring lighter and - thinly distributed; wings and tail brownish-olive; abdomen and - under tail-coverts grayish. - - Immature female: Resembles adult female, but red coloring paler - and underparts more buffy and less grayish. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 48. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 42 (28 males, 11 females, 3 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 4 - (Nov.)--Peleliu, 11 (Aug. 29, 30, 31, Sept. 1, 5); AMNH--exact - locality not given, 27 (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - - _Molt._--Many of the specimens taken from late August to December - are in molt. Of the adult males obtained during this period almost - a half had enlarged testes. - - _Food habits._--Stomachs of specimens obtained by the NAMRU2 party - in August and September, 1945, contained vegetable matter, seeds - and small insects. - -_Remarks._--Honey-eaters were found by the NAMRU2 party in open -woodlands, in coconut groves and about human habitations. They were not -seen in dense jungle areas, and appeared to prefer the plantation areas. - -The Cardinal Honey-eater at Palau is distinguished from other subspecies -of _M. cardinalis_ in Micronesia by its deeper red coloring. In size, it -closely resembles the bird at Yap and in the Marianas. - -_Evolutionary history of Myzomela cardinalis in Micronesia._--The genus -_Myzomela_ is found in Australia, northward to Timor, Tenimber, -Moluccas, Celebes, Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia. The range of the -species _M. cardinalis_ includes the islands from the eastern Solomons, -New Hebrides, and Loyalty Islands east to central Polynesia and north to -Micronesia. It appears likely that _M. cardinalis_ was derived, probably -along with _M. nigrita_, _M. lafargei_ and others, from an ancestral -stock in the Melanesian area. Within the species _M. cardinalis_ there -is one group of subspecies which exhibits a marked degree of sexual -dimorphism, with the males having a much greater amount of red -coloration than the females. These subspecies occur in the southern part -of the range of the species (Loyalty, Santa Cruz, New Hebrides, and -Samoa islands). A second group of subspecies exhibit a lesser amount of -sexual dimorphism, the females possessing more of the red coloration and -resembling the males more closely. This second group includes subspecies -which occur in the more northern part of the range of the species -(Solomons, Micronesia, and Rotuma islands). The males of the various -subspecies of _M. cardinalis_ vary one from another considerably less -than do the females. - -[Illustration: FIG. 16. Geographic distribution of _Myzomela cardinalis_ -and routes of its dispersal. (1) Probable center of dispersal of -_Myzomela_; (2) ranges of _M. c. sanfordi_ and _M. c. pulcherrima_ in -the Solomon Islands; (3) _M. c. rubratra_; (4) _M. c. dichromata_; (5) -_M. c. major_; (6) _M. c. kurodai_; (7) _M. c. kobayashii_; (8) _M. c. -saffordi_; (9) _M. c. chermesina_; (10) range of _M. cardinalis_ in the -Santa Cruz, New Hebrides, Banks and Loyalty islands; (11) _M. c. -nigriventris_.] - -Figure 16 shows the probable routes of colonization used by _M. -cardinalis_ to attain its present distribution in the Pacific islands. -The subspecies in the eastern Solomon Islands (_M. c. pulcherrima_ -Ramsey and _M. c. sanfordi_ Mayr) may be representative of the first -colonization by the supposed ancestral stock. From a focal point in this -area, _M. cardinalis_ has dispersed by what may be considered as two -routes. One route evidently was to the south as far as the Loyalty -Islands with a side branch extending to the Samoan Islands where _M. c. -nigriventris_ Peale occurs. The second route extended north to the -islands of Micronesia. The Caroline Islands were seemingly inhabited -initially, with invasions of the Palaus made via Yap, and of the -Marianas via Kusaie or Ponapé (as indicated by the comparison of -specimens). Mayr (in conversation) has pointed out the close -relationship between the subspecies in Micronesia and _M. c._ -_chermesina_ Gray of Rotuma Island. This subspecies at Rotuma, which is -located between Santa Cruz and Samoa, resembles closely _M. c. -dichromata_ of Ponapé, especially in the case of the female. It is -evident that the honey-eater arrived at Rotuma from Micronesia, rather -than from the Solomon and Santa Cruz area to the west. - - -=Zosterops conspicillata conspicillata= (Kittlitz) - -Bridled White-eye - - _Dicaeum conspicillatum_ Kittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 2, - 1833, p. 15, pl. 19, fig. 1. (Type locality, Guaham.) - - _Dicaeum conspicillatum_ Kittlitz, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. - Pétersbourg, 2, 1835, p. 3, pl. 4 (Guaham); _idem_, Obser. Zool., - in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 305 (Guaham). - - _Zosterops conspicillatum_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, p. - 398 (Mariann. = Guam). - - _Zosterops conspicillata_ Reichenbach, Syn. Avium, 1852, p. 92 - (Guaham); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 187 (Mariannen = - Guam); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 16 - (Guam); Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1865, pp. 5, 17 (Guaham); - Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 163 (Ladrone = Guam); Hartlaub - and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 95 (Guaham); Giebel, - Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 775 (Ladrone = Guam); Gadow, Cat. Birds - British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 187 (Guam); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und - Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Guam); - Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, - p. 205 (Guam); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 - (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 3 (Guam); Matschie - (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Guam); Seale, Occ. - Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 58 (Guam); Finsch - (part), Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 37 (Guam); Safford, - Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 711 - (Guam); Safford, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 264 (Guam); _idem_, - Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 (Guam); Takatsukasa and - Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1901, p. 64 (Marianne = Guam); Cox, Island - of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 706 (Guam); Bryan, Guam. Rec., vol. - 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam); Strophlet, Auk, 1948, p. 540 - (Guam). - - _Zosterops conspicillatus_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 76 (Guam). - - _Zosterops conspicillata conspicillata_ Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. - Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 173 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, - p. 192 (Guam); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 - (Guam); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Guam); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, pp. 72, 73 - (Guam). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Guam. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small white-eye with upper parts near - "serpentine green," becoming slightly lighter on the rump; orbital - ring broad and white; fronto-loral band light yellowish-white; - auriculars grayish-green; chin and throat yellowish-white; breast - and abdomen dingy yellow; wing and tail feathers dark brown with - greenish-yellow edges; upper mandible horn colored, lower mandible - lighter yellow; legs and feet dark olive-gray; iris light umber. - Adult female may be lighter on underparts. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but underparts paler yellow and upper - mandible light yellowish-brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of _Z. c. conspicillata_ are listed - in table 50. Males and females have measurements which are nearly - equal. - - -TABLE 50. MEASUREMENTS OF THE SUBSPECIES OF _Zosterops conspicillata_ - - ======================+=====+=========+=========+=============+========= - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus - ----------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - _Z. c. conspicillata_ | 43 | 56 | 41 | 13.5 | 19 - | | (52-59) | (37-43) | (13.0-14.5) | (18-20) - | | | | | - _Z. c. saypani_ | 29 | 52 | 38 | 12.5 | 18 - | | (50-55) | (35-40) | (12.0-13.5) | (17-19) - | | | | | - _Z. c. rotensis_ | 3 | 53 | 42 | 13.0 | 18 - | | (51-55) | (42-43) | (13.0-13.5) | (18-19) - | | | | | - _Z. c. semperi_ | 28 | 55 | 38 | 12.5 | 18 - | | (54-57) | (36-41) | (12.0-13.5) | (17-19) - | | | | | - _Z. c. owstoni_ | 22 | 55 | 36 | 12.5 | 19 - | | (52-57) | (34-38) | (12.0-13.0) | (18-20) - | | | | | - _Z. c. takatsukasai_ | 16 | 54 | 36 | 13.0 | 19 - | | (53-55) | (34-39) | (13.0-14.0) | (19-20) - ----------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - - - _Weights._--The author (1948:73) records the weights of 11 adult - males as 9.5-14.0 (10.5), of 3 adult females as 8.0-10.0 (9.3). - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 61 (33 males, 17 females, 11 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--Guam, 27 (May 24, 29, - 30, June 2, 3, 25, 28, July 12, 18, 19, 20, 23, 26, Sept., Oct. 8); - AMNH--Guam, 34 (Jan., March, July, Aug., Sept., Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Seale (1901:58) reports the taking of one nestling and - three nests with eggs of the bridled white-eye at Guam in the - period from May to July. The NAMRU2 party obtained little evidence - of nesting in late May to July. Three males taken in the period of - June and July had enlarged gonads. Hartert (1898:57) records - several nests taken in February and March at Guam. He writes, "The - nest is a fairly deep cup, placed in the fork of a branch, woven - together of fine grasses and roots, and on the outside ornamented - with cobwebs, wool and cottonwood, varying in width from 8 to 5 cm. - The clutches consist of 2 or 3 eggs. The eggs are pale blue, like - all _Zosterops_ eggs. They measure 18:13, 17:13.2, 17:12.2, - 15.5:12:5, 17:13.5, and between these measurements." Coultas - obtained specimens with enlarged gonads in August. According to - Oustalet (1895:207), Marche found nests and young in May or June. - -_Remarks._--Kittlitz obtained the Bridled White-eye at Guam, when he -visited the island, in March, 1828. He found the birds common and they -reminded him of titmice. Marche obtained a series of 21 skins at Guam in -August and September, 1887, and in February and March, 1888. Seale -(1901:58) observed the birds in flocks of 10 to 20 in roadside bushes -and in waste areas. He mentions that their principal foods are insects. -The NAMRU2 party found the birds to be restricted to certain areas on -Guam, where they were found in small flocks moving about in low trees. -They were taken at only five localities, two of these being at the -northern end of the island in vegetation along the high, coastal cliffs. -The other localities were in the central part of the island in low trees -in the uplands. Strophlet (1946:540) found them in grasslands on the -foothills. Arvey (field notes) saw a flock of 12 white-eyes at Mount -Tenjo in July, 1946. - -The white-eye is a very active bird, always moving rapidly through the -vegetation or flying across open areas to disappear into scrub foliage. -As they move about they make a twittering sound, which is considered to -be a flocking call. - - -=Zosterops conspicillata saypani= Dubois - -Bridled White-eye - - _Zosterops conspicillata Saypani_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. - 711. (Type locality, Saypan.) - - _Zosterops conspicillata_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 205 (Saypan); Hartert (part), Novit. - Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 (Saipan); Finsch (part), Das Tierreich, no. - 15, 1901, p. 37 (Saipan); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., - 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Saipan); Prowazek, Die deutschen Marianen, - 1913, p. 101 (Saipan); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, - 1915, p. 64 (Marianne = Saipan). - - _Zosterops conspicillata_ var. _saypani_ Snouckaert, Alauda, (2), - 3, 1931, p. 22 (Saypan). - - _Zosterops conspicillatus_ Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922; p. 76 (Saipan). - - _Zosterops saipani_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 706 (Saipan). - - _Zosterops conspicillata saipani_ Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. - Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Saipan); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 173 (Saipan, Tinian); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 192 (Saipan, Tinian); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, - 1944, p. 7 (Tinian, Saipan); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, - 1945, p. 299 (Saipan, Tinian); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., - 49, 1946, p. 104 (Tinian); Stott, Auk, 64, 1947, p. 527 (Saipan); - Baker, Smithson, Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 73 - (Saipan, Tinian). - - _Zosterops conspicillatus saipani_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. - 398 (Tinian). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Tinian, Saipan. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles _Z. c. conspicillata_, but - slightly smaller with fronto-loral band more greenish yellow; - auriculars olivaceous; orbital ring narrower; upper parts brighter - olive; underparts pale yellowish-white; bill darker. Birds from - Saipan resemble closely birds from Tinian, but upper parts may be - slightly brighter and underparts slightly more yellowish; iris - chestnut. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 50. Twenty-three - birds from Tinian measure: wing, 51 (50-53); tail, 38 (35-41); - full culmen, 12.0 (12.0-13.0); tarsus, 18 (17-18); six birds from - Saipan measure: wing, 54 (52-55); tail, 37 (35-39); full culmen, - 13.0 (13.0-15.0); tarsus, 18 (17-19). Birds from Saipan are - slightly larger than birds from Tinian. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 33 (18 males, 13 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM--7 (Oct. 7, 8, 9, 10, - 23); AMNH--26 (July, Aug., Sept.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:398) records the taking of three nests - of the Bridled White-eye at Tinian on January 8, 1932. The nests - contained one, two, and three eggs, respectively. The color of the - eggs is uniformly pale blue; the nests were situated two to four - meters from the ground. Oustalet (1895:207) writes that Marche - obtained records of nesting at Saipan in the period from May to - July. Of 18 birds taken by Coultas at Tinian in September, 1931, - one-half of them had enlarged gonads. - - _Molt._--Specimens examined that were taken in July, August, - September, and October have molting plumage. - -_Remarks._--Marche obtained the first skins of this white-eye at Saipan; -he got 23 specimens in May, June, and July, 1887. The population at -Saipan was initially considered similar to that at Guam; it was later -given subspecific separation by Dubois. The birds at Tinian exhibit some -differences from the birds at Saipan, and it is possible that these two -populations should be regarded as subspecifically distinct from one -another. - -In 1931, Coultas (field notes) found this white-eye common at Saipan and -Tinian. He writes "The little fellow has adjusted himself to the gardens -and shrubs in the villages. He is a seed eater and makes himself at home -now around human habitation. I have seen him climbing over potted plants -on the window ledges of dwellings. His cheerful little sibilation -uttered continuously while at work or while on the wing makes him -friends wherever he goes. He is no longer a bird of the forest as he has -none here to go to." Several observers in the late war have published -notes on this white-eye. Stott (1947:527) writes that he was reminded of -the bush-tit (_Psaltriparus_) when he observed the behavior of this -white-eye; Moran (1946:262) writes that it is "Similar in size and -behavior to our vireos." Gleise (1945:220) estimated the population of -white-eyes at Tinian at 500 plus in 1945. Downs (1946:104-105) found the -birds to be abundant at Tinian; he found them in small flocks in low -brush or trees and at edges of open fields as well as elsewhere. He saw -a white-eye eating "a large green fuzzy caterpillar." - - -=Zosterops conspicillata rotensis= Takatsukasa and Yamashina - -Bridled White-eye - - _Zosterops semperi rotensis_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 486. (Type locality, Rota.) - - _Zosterops semperi_ Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. - Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 207 (Rota); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., - 5, 1898, p. 57 (Rota); Finsch (part), Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, - p. 30 (Rota); Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 58 (Rota); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 - (Rota); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 - (Marianne = Rota). - - _Zosterops semperi semperi_ Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 23 (Rota); Kuroda, (part) in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 75 (Rota). - - _Zosterops semperi rotensis_ Snouckaert, Alauda. (2), 4, 1932, p. - 459 (Rota); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 399 (Rota); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Rota). - - _Zosterops conspicillata rotensis_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 193 (Rota); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, - p. 7 (Rota); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Rota); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 73 - (Rota). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Mariana Islands--Rota. - - _Characters._--Adult: Upper parts and sides of neck between - "warbler green" and "pyrite yellow" becoming lighter on the rump; - auriculars light yellowish-green; orbital ring white; fronto-loral - band narrowly tinged with yellow; underparts dingy yellow; wing - and tail feathers dark with light greenish-yellow edges; upper - mandible light brown; lower mandible light yellowish-brown; feet - light brown. - - Resembles _Z. c. conspicillata_, but brighter greenish-yellow - above; chin and throat yellow like rest of underparts; - fronto-loral band tinged with bright yellow; auriculars resemble - closely the upper parts in color; narrow orbital ring. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 50. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 5 (3 males, 1 female, 1 - unsexed), from Mariana Islands, USNM--Rota (Oct. 18, 20, 22). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:399) records the taking of one nest - containing two eggs at Rota on March 7, 1931. - - _Molt._--Specimens taken in October were in molt. - -_Remarks._--Oustalet (1895:207) reported on two specimens of white-eye -taken at Rota by Marche. He considered them as being similar to the -birds at Palau. The birds at Rota were named as a separate subspecies by -Takatsukasa and Yamashina in 1931. The NAMRU2 party found the birds to -be numerous at Rota in October, 1945. - - -=Zosterops conspicillata semperi= Hartlaub - -Bridled White-eye - - _Zosterops semperi_ Hartlaub, in Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. - Soc. London, 1868, p. 117. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Zosterops semperi_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 95 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 4, 16, pl. 4, fig. 1 (Palau); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, - p. 777 (Pelew); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 396 (Palau); - Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 286 (Palau); _idem_ - (part), Ibis, 1881, p. 111 (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause (part), - Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Finsch - (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 (Palau); Gadow - (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 183 (Pelew); - Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 212 (Pelew); Wiglesworth (part), - Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. - 37 (Pelew); Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, - (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (Palaos); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, - 1898, p. 57 (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, - 113 (Palau); Finsch (part), Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 30 - (Palau); Seale (part), Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, - 1901, p. 58 (Pelew); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 - (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 - (Pelew). - - _Zosterops semperi semperi_ Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 2 - (Pelew); Momiyama (part), Birds Micronesia, 1922, pp. 22, 23 - (Pelew); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 75 - (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 705 - (Pelew); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. - 486 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 174 (Palau). - - _Zosterops conspicillata semperi_ Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. - Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d - ed., 1942, p. 193 (Babelthuap, Koror, Peliliu); Mayr, Amer. Mus. - Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Palau); Mayr, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1945, p. 73 (Garakayo). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _Z. c. rotensis_, but - fronto-loral band lighter yellow, and coloring is usually not - continuous above; auriculars paler; breast and abdomen paler - yellow; maxilla and feet darker; mandible whitish. Resembles adult - of _Z. c. conspicillata_, but brighter greenish-yellow above; - coloring of chin and throat like that of rest of underparts; - auriculars colored like back; fronto-loral band narrowly tinged - with bright yellow and not completely connected above; orbital - ring narrow; iris grayish-white. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 50. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 30 (15 males, 14 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Babelthuap, 2 (Nov. - 27)--Koror, 4 (Nov. 14, 19)--Garakayo, 4 (Sept. 18, 19); - AMNH--exact locality not given, 20 (Oct., Nov., Dec.). - - _Molt._--All birds examined (taken in September, October, and - November) are in molting plumage. - - _Food habits._--At Garakayo, birds were observed in small flocks - feeding in low trees. Two stomachs examined, which were from - individuals of these flocks, contained very small seeds. - -_Remarks._--Oustalet (1895:207) first pointed out the relationship -between the Bridled White-eye at Palau and the one at Rota. Hartert -(1898:57) thought that the occurrence of the same kind of bird at Palau -and at Rota was "very peculiar." It was not until 1931 that Takatsukasa -and Yamashina separated the two populations by name. - -Coultas (field notes) found the Bridled White-eye to be uncommon in the -Palaus in 1931. He observed them in the tops of trees, noting that they -were wary and easily frightened away by the shooting of a gun. Coultas -writes that he found the birds to be numerous at Peleliu; in 1945, the -NAMRU2 party did not find the birds at that island. The only locality -where they were found to occur was on the small island of Garakayo where -the writer shot four Bridled White-eyes on September 18 and 19. He found -two or three small flocks in low trees near the summit of a hill on the -island. Approximately 25 birds were in this area. - - -=Zosterops conspicillata owstoni= Hartert - -Bridled White-eye - - _Zosterops semperi owstoni_ Hartert, Novit., Zool., 7, 1900, p. 2. - (Type locality, Ruk.) - - _Zosterops semperi semperi_ Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., - 1880, p. 287 (Ruck); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, - p. 575 (Ruk); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, p. 110 (Ruk); Schmeltz - and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 - (Ruk); Gadow (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 183 - (Central Carolines=Truk); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Ruk); Oustalet - (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 - (Ruk); Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 57 (Ruk); - Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers, 1899, p. 80 (Ruk). - - _Zosterops semperi owstoni_ Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 - (Ruk); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., - 63, 1919, p. 223 (Truk); Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 24 - (Ruk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 75 (Ruk); - Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 705 (Ruk); - Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 496 (Ruk); - Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 400 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 174 (Truk). - - _Zosterops owstoni_ Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 31 - (Ruk); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 - (Ruck); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 470 (Karolinen = Truk); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 (Ruk). - - _Zosterops conspicillata owstoni_ Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. - Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 277 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 193 (Truk); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 - (Truk); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 (Truk); - Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, pp. 73, 74 - (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _Z. c. semperi_, but - upper parts darker olive and less yellowish-green; fronto-loral - band deeper yellow; auriculars slightly darker; black line on - lores and under eye more distinct; underparts deeper yellow; - abdomen with greenish tinges. Resembles adult of _Z. c. rotensis_, - but upper parts duller, more green and less yellow; fronto-loral - band lighter and less distinct, coloring near that of _Z. c. - semperi_; auriculars darker green; underparts slightly darker, - more olive-green and less yellow. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 50. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 23 (12 males, 10 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 3 (Feb. 16); - AMNH--Truk, 20 (Feb., March, May, Nov.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:400) records the taking of a nest with - one egg at Truk in May. Hartert (1900:2) records nests containing - single eggs taken at Truk from May to July. Nests were found in - bushes and trees four to eight feet above the ground. The eggs are - pale blue. He gives measurements of seven eggs. - -_Remarks._--Kubary obtained the first specimens of the Bridled White-eye -at Truk. Hartert described the population as a new subspecies using -material taken by Owston's collectors. The bird was named in honor of -Alan Owston. McElroy of the NAMRU2 party visited Truk in December, 1945. -He found this white-eye in the mountainous areas at Moen and Udot -islands. - - -=Zosterops conspicillata takatsukasai= Momiyama - -Bridled White-eye - - _Zosterops semperi takatsukasai_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, - p. 22. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Zosterops semperi_ (part), Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. - 286 (Ponapé); _idem_ (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 575 - (Ponapé); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, p. 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and - Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 - (Ponapé); Finsch (part), Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 - (Ponapé); Gadow (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 183 - (Central Carolines, Ponapé); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Ponapé); - Oustalet (part), Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, - p. 208 (Ponapé); Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 30 - (Ponapé); Dubois (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 710 (Ponapé); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 (Ponapé). - - _Zosterops owstoni_ Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. - 112, 113 (Ponapé). - - _Zosterops semperi takatsukasai_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 76 (Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 705 (Ponapé); Snouchaert, Alauda, - (2), 3, 1931, p. 22 (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Tori, 7, - 1932, p. 400 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 174 - (Ponapé). - - _Zosterops conspicillata takatsukasai_ Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. - Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - 3d ed., 1942, p. 193 (Ponapé); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, - 1944, p. 7 (Ponapé); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 - (Ponapé); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. - 73 (Ponapé). - - _Zosterops conspicillata_ Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, - 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _Z. c. semperi_, but - slightly smaller with fronto-loral area more sulfur-yellow; - underparts brighter, especially the coloring of the abdomen and - under tail-coverts; iris light chestnut. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 50. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 20 (10 males, 9 females, 1 - unsexed) from Caroline Islands, AMNH--Ponapé (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1932a:400) records nests and eggs of _Z. c. - takatsukasai_. The nests, each containing a single egg, were taken - on July 10 and 20, 1931. Coultas (field notes) writes that the nest - consists of a small, cup-shaped structure of grasses and hair. The - natives told him that two eggs were laid. In birds taken by Coultas - in November the gonads were beginning to enlarge; specimens taken - in December had swollen gonads. From the evidence at hand, it would - appear that the Bridled White-eye at Ponapé breeds at two periods - of the year, the winter and the summer. - - _Molt._--Specimens examined, which were taken by Coultas in - November and December, are in fresh plumage. - -_Remarks._--In 1931, Coultas (field notes) found this white-eye to be -rare at Ponapé. He obtained almost every one that he saw to get his -series of 20 specimens. He found the birds usually in pairs around -yellow-flowering bushy trees. A specimen taken by Richards had "small -insects" in its stomach. - - -=Zosterops conspicillata hypolais= Hartlaub and Finsch - -Bridled White-eye - - _Zosterops hypolais_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, p. 95. (Type locality, Uap.) - - _Zosterops hypolais_ Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. - 122 (Yap); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 776 (Carolinae=Yap); - Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 391 - (Yap); Gadow. Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 186 (Uap); - Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, - 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Uap); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. - Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (Uap); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. - Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 60 (Yap); Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, - 1901, p. 24 (Yap); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 - (Yap); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 708 (Uap); Reichenow, Die - Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 469 (Karolinen=Yap); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, - Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Mackenzie=Yap); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 76 (Yap); Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 700 (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - 3d ed., 1942, p. 192 (Yap). - - _Zosterops conspicillata hypolais_ Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. - Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 227 (Yap); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, - 1944, p. 7 (Yap); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 299 - (Yap). - - _Zosterops hypolais_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 - (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--According to Hartlaub and Finsch (1872:95), "Upper - parts of a pale greyish green, throat and under tail-coverts a - pure but very pale whitish-yellow; breast and abdomen of a mixed - pale grey and pale yellow; wing- and tail-feathers pale blackish, - margined with greenish colour of the back; under wing-coverts and - inner margins of remiges white; eye-ring indistinct; beak fuscous, - the under mandible paler, except at the tip; feet plumbeous." - -_Remarks._--No specimen has been examined by me. I am following -Stresemann (1931:227) in placing the Bridled White-eye at Yap as a -subspecies of _Z. conspicillata_. This is one arrangement; the committee -who prepared the Hand-list of Japanese Birds (1942:192) treat this bird -as a separate species. The Japanese probably have more specimens of this -bird than anyone else and may be in a better position to judge its -taxonomic status. Specimens of this white-eye were taken by Fisher in -1946 at Yap. His report (soon to be published) may throw additional -light on the degree of distinctness of _Z. c. hypolais_. On the basis of -published descriptions it is evident that _Z. c. hypolais_ has a few -characters in common with other members of the species. - -_Evolutionary history of Zosterops conspicillata._--The small -olive-green and yellow white-eyes of Micronesia have been considered as -belonging to several species by authors in the past. As late as 1930, -Mathews (1930; 700, 706) placed them in four species. Stresemann (1931a: -227) put them all in the species _Z. conspicillata_, an arrangement -which is being followed in this report. It is evident, however, that -these subspecies of _Z. conspicillata_ can be associated into three -groups. The author (1948:73) states that _Z. c. conspicillata_ and _Z. -c. saypani_ have pale chins and throats, light fronto-loral bands, -blackish coloring at the bend of the wings and broad, white orbital -rings. Another group, _Z. c. rotensis_, _Z. c. semperi_, _Z. c. -owstoni_, and _Z. c. takatsukasai_, have bright yellow chins and -throats, matching the rest of the underparts, obscure fronto-loral -bands, which are narrowly tinged with yellow, yellowish coloring at the -bend of the wings, and narrow, white orbital rings. _Z. c. hypolais_ -apparently falls into a third group by itself, as indicated by the -published descriptions. There is apparently some variation in the color -of the eyes of these subspecies; they may be either whitish or chestnut -in color. The data are insufficient to determine the significance of -this color character. - -_Z. conspicillata_ is restricted to Micronesia and appears to have -little close relationship to other species of the genus. _Z. -conspicillata_ shows little affinity to white-eyes to the north and -northwest of Micronesia belonging to the species _Z. japonica_, of which -representatives are found in the Bonin and Volcano islands. _Z. -conspicillata_ shows greater affinity to species found to the west and -to the south of Micronesia. - -It may have colonized Micronesia from the south or southeast -(Polynesia), even though the species is absent at Kusaie; however, _Z. -conspicillata_ shows more relationships to species now living to the -westward and the southwestward, and it probably invaded Micronesia from -some place in that direction. _Z. conspicillata_ differs from species -found in Melanesia and Malaysia chiefly in color of the forehead, lores, -fronto-loral band, crown, nape, breast, abdomen, orbital ring, and bill. -Also there are differences in the breadth of the orbital ring. - -_Z. conspicillata_ shows evidence of relationships with _Z. nigrorum_ of -the Philippines and _Z. montanus_ of the Philippines and other parts of -Malaysia. _Z. nigrorum_ resembles _Z. c. semperi_ of Palau in size, but -is brighter yellow-green above with a darker and less curved bill and -brighter underparts. The fronto-loral band and the lores are colored the -same in _Z. nigrorum_ and _Z. c. semperi_. _Z. montanus_ resembles _Z. -conspicillata_ especially in size and in shape of the bill. _Z. lutea -intermedia_ of the Makassar area shows some affinity to _Z. -conspicillata_, although the bill is heavier. The Micronesia species -also bears a close resemblance to _Z. griseotincta_ of the Papuan -region. This is especially true of _Z. c. takatsukasai_ at Ponapé; -however, _Z. griseotincta_ has a heavier and larger bill. _Z. lateralis_ -from southern Melanesia and Australia is not very different from _Z. -conspicillata_ aside from its grayish and brownish coloring. - -_Z. conspicillata_ probably was derived from an ancestral stock which -came to Micronesia from the Philippine or Moluccan area, rather than -directly from Melanesia. _Z. conspicillata_ seemingly shows the closest -resemblance to _Z. nigrorum_ or to some of its relatives in the -Australo-Moluccan area. The subspecies at Palau, _Z. c. semperi_, -appears to be the connecting link. Whether the form at Yap represents an -independent colonization is not known; such might also be true in the -case of the subspecies at Guam and at Saipan and Tinian. If these are -considered as separate colonizations, then the populations can be -regarded as separate species. Mayr, (in conversation) has pointed out -the affinity of the white-eye at Samoa, _Z. samoensis_, with _Z. -conspicillata_ and suggests that _Z. samoensis_ is derived from the -Micronesian species. - - -=Zosterops cinerea cinerea= (Kittlitz) - -Micronesian Dusky White-eye - - _Drepanis cinerea_ Kittlitz, Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 1, 1832, - p. 6, pl. 8, fig. 2. (Type locality, Ualan = Kusaie.) - - _Drepanis cinerea_ Kittlitz, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci., St. - Pétersbourg, 2, 1835, p. 4, pl. 5 (Ualan); _idem_, Obser. Zool., - in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 285 (Ualan); - Reichenbach, Syn. Avium, 1853, p. 242 (Ualan); Kittlitz, Denkw. - Reise, russ. Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 1, 1858, p. 367 (Ualan). - - _Zosterops cinerea_ Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, p. - 131 (Ualan); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 16 - (Oualan); _idem_, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 163 (Caroline = - Kusaie); Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, p. 96 - (Ualan); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. 27 (Ualan); - _idem_, Ibis, 1881, pp. 107, 108 (Kuschai); Gadow, Cat. Birds - British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 198 (Kushai); Tristram, Cat. Birds, - 1889, p. 210 (Kuschai); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 36 (Ualan); Hartert, Kat. - Vogelsamml., Senckenb., 1891, p. 31 (Ualan); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. - Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (Oualan); Finsch, Das - Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 45 (Kusaie); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, - 1902, p. 713 (Kusaie); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, pp. - 55, 64 (Kusaie); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. - Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 224 (Kusaie); Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. - Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 230 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, - rev., 1932, p. 173 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 192 (Kusaie). - - _Dicaeum cinereum_ Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen = Kusaie). - - _Zosterops cinereus_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, p. 17 - (Ualan); idem, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 286, 297, 300 - (Kuschai); _idem_, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. 48 - (Kuschai). - - _Zosterops Kittlitzi_ Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 300 - (Type locality, Kusaie); Reichenow and Schalow, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1881, p. 94 (Kusaie?). - - _Tephras cinereus_ Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 111, - 112, 113 (Ualan). - - _Tephras cinerea_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 77 (Kusaie); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. - 712 (Oualan). - - _Zosterops cinerea cinerea_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, - 1944, p. 7 (Kusaie?); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 300 (Kusaie). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small, dusky white-eye with upper parts - smoky olivaceous-gray; lores dingy white; auriculars brownish; no - white orbital ring; wing and tail feathers dark brownish-gray with - paler greenish-gray outer edges; underparts pale ashy-gray, chin - lighter, flanks darker; bill black; feet light brown; iris brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of _Z. cinerea_ are listed in table - 51. Males and females have approximately equal measurements. - - -TABLE 51. MEASUREMENTS OF _Zosterops cinerea_ - - ====================+=====+=========+=========+=============+========= - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - --------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - _Z. c. cinerea_ | 47 | 63 | 37 | 15.0 | 20 - | | (60-65) | (35-39) | (14.0-16.5) | (19-20) - | | | | | - _Z. c. ponapensis_ | 38 | 59 | 38 | 13.5 | 20 - | | (57-61) | (36-40) | (13.0-14.5) | (18-21) - | | | | | - _Z. c. finschii_ | 30 | 65 | 43 | 17.5 | 21 - | | (63-67) | (40-46) | (16.0-18.5) | (20-23) - --------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 50 (33 males, 17 females), as - follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Kusaie, 1 (Feb. 9); AMNH--Kusaie, - 49 (Jan., Feb., March). - - _Nesting._--Coultas found that approximately one-half of the males - which he obtained in March, 1931, had swollen gonads. - - _Molt._--Many of the birds obtained in January and February were - molting, and many of those obtained in March were in fresh - plumage. - -_Remarks._--Coultas obtained a large series of these birds at Kusaie in -1931, where he found them to be common. - - -=Zosterops cinerea ponapensis= Finsch - -Micronesian Dusky White-eye - - _Zosterops ponapensis_ Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1875 - (1876), p. 643. (Type locality, Ponapé.) - - _Zosterops ponapensis_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, - pp. 17, 27, pl. 2, fig. 1 (Ponapé); _idem_., Proc. Zool. Soc. - London, 1877 (1878), p. 778 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Journ. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1879, p. 396 (Ponapé?); Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., - 1880, pp. 286, 300 (Ponapé); _idem_, Ibis. 1881, pp. 110, 111, 115 - (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 281 (Ponapé); Finsch, Mitth. Ornith. Ver. Wien, 1884, p. - 48 (Ponapé); Gadow, Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 198 - (Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. - 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 36 (Ponapé); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. - Mus. Hamburg. 1898, p. 60 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, - p. 80 (Ponapé); Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 46 - (Ponapé); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 713 (Ponapé); Reichenow, - Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 470 (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, - 1, 1915, pp. 55, 65 (Ponapé); Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, - 17, 1931, p. 230 (Ponapč); Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 397 - (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Ponapé); - Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 192 (Ponapé). - - _Tephras ponapensis_ Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 111, - 112, 113 (Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. - 77 (Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. - 712 (Ponapé). - - _Zosterops ponapenensis_ Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. - Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 224 (Ponapé). - - _Zosterops cinerea ponapensis_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, - 1944, p. 7 (Ponapé?); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 300 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _Z. c. cinerea_, but - smaller with upper parts umber-brown, forehead pale gray; - underparts mostly pale gray, sides of breast and abdomen - brownish-buff; under tail-coverts pale buffy-gray. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 51. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 47 (28 males, 17 females, 2 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 1 (Feb. 11); - AMNH--Ponapé, 46 (Nov., Dec.). - - _Nesting._--Yamashina (1931a:397-398) describes two nests of _Z. c. - ponapensis_, each containing one egg. These were taken at Ponapé on - August 4 and 11, 1931. The nests were located 2.5 meters from the - ground. The eggs are light blue and pale greenish-blue in color; - one measures 18.5 by 13.5. He writes, "The nest consists of two - layers, the inner and the outer. The outer layer is made of fine - roots, fibers, leaves and petals, interwoven with a large quantity - of cotton-wool, and the inner layer is made of fibers of fine roots - only." Coultas found that a large number of birds taken in November - had enlarged gonads, especially the males; in December, fewer birds - with swollen gonads were obtained. - -_Remarks._--Coultas found this white-eye to be common at Ponapé, when he -visited that island in November and December, 1930. He observed the -birds in flocks and found them noisy and quarrelsome. They feed in -bushes and small trees on seeds and insects. Richards obtained "small -large-seeded blackish berries" from the stomach of a female from Ponapé. -He found the birds to frequent low altitudes in and about native -gardens. - - -=Zosterops cinerea finschii= (Hartlaub) - -Micronesian Dusky White-eye - - _Tephras finschii_ Hartlaub, in Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. - Soc. London, 1868, p. 6, pl. 3. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.) - - _Tephras finschii_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1868, pp. 117, 118 (Pelew Islands). - - _Zosterops finschii_ Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 164 - (Pelew); Gadow, Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 197 (Pelew); - Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 60 (Palau). - - _Zosterops finschi_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, pp. 89, 96 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, - pp. 4, 17 (Palau); _idem_, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. 27 - (Palau); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 775 (Pelew); Finsch, - Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 300 (Pelew?); Schmeltz and Krause, - Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Tristram, - Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 211 (Pelew); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 36 (Pelew); - Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 45 (Palau); Dubois, Syn. - Avium, 1, 1902, p. 713 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. - 470 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 - (Pelew); Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 230 - (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Palau); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 192 (Babelthuap, - Koror). - - _Tephras finschi_ Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 - (Palau); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 77 - (Pelew); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 712 - (Pelew). - - _Zosterops cinerea finschi_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, - p. 300 (Palau). - - _Zosterops cinerea finschii_ Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. - 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 74 (Peleliu, Garakayo). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap, Koror, - Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad. - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _Z. c. cinerea_, but - upper parts mostly browner; wing and tail feathers browner; head - blacker; rump lighter than back; auriculars grayish-brown; lores - dark; sides of head and neck brownish; underparts mostly dark; - chin and throat smoky gray; breast and abdomen more brown less - gray; sides, flanks and under tail-coverts brown. Resembles adult - of _Z. c. ponapensis_, but larger with underparts more buffy; - upper parts darker. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 51. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 37 (15 males, 19 females, 3 - unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Babelthuap, 1 (Nov. - 27)--Koror, 3 (Nov. 4, 5)--Garakayo, 6 (Sept. 18)--Peleliu, 5 (Aug. - 27, Sept. 10); AMNH--exact locality not given, 22 (Oct., Nov., - Dec.). - - _Molt._--Many of the specimens of _Z. c. finschii_ taken in the - period from August to December show evidences of molt. Some of the - birds taken in November and in December appear to be in fresh - plumage. All three subspecies of _Z. cinerea_ evidently undergo a - period of molt in the late summer and fall. - -_Remarks._--The Micronesian Dusky White-eye of Palau was found on -several of the islands of the southern Palaus by the NAMRU2 party in -1945. The bird was observed in flocks of five or more individuals moving -rapidly through the foliage of trees and shrubs. It was not found in the -dense, undisturbed jungle areas, but rather in second growth vegetation -and along the margins of woodlands. At Peleliu, birds were noted in -trees and shrubs along the roadways; at Garakayo, birds were seen in low -trees near the summits of hills. At Garakayo, _Z. cinerea_ and _Z. -conspicillata_ were found in the same areas near the tops of the hills. -Both species appeared to be feeding on seeds of the same trees -(unidentified but resembling the hibiscus). _Z. cinerea_ was more -numerous than _Z. conspicillata_ and appeared (from observations made on -September 18, 1945) to be the dominant species and was seen to chase the -smaller _Z. conspicillata_ away. Coultas (field notes) found _Z. -cinerea_ "fairly common" in 1931 at Palau. - -_Evolutionary history of Zosterops cinerea._--The dusky white-eyes of -Micronesia were considered as separate species until 1944, when Mayr -(1944b:7) treated them as conspecific, stating that the bird at Ponapé -has characters intermediate between those at Kusaie and Palau. Earlier, -Hartert (1900:3) suggested a close association between _Z. cinerea_ and -the species at Truk (now _Rukia ruki_). Mayr concludes that _Z. cinerea_ -and _R. ruki_ are not closely related, and points out that the absence -of a white orbital ring in _Z. cinerea_ does not necessarily mean that -the bird should be considered as belonging to a genus other than -_Zosterops_. - -The pathway of colonization and the ancestral stock of _Z. cinerea_ are -not certainly known. Among the white-eyes of the Polynesian, Melanesian -and Malayan areas, there are few kinds which _Z. cinerea_ resembles -closely. Mayr (1941b:204) writes that the _Z. cinerea_ at Ponapé was -derived from either Polynesia or Papua. I find little in common between -_Z. cinerea_ and the species in these areas, and in my opinion _Z. -cinerea_ is closest to _Z. atriceps_ of the Moluccas. _Z. atriceps_ has -plumage which is part grayish and part brownish. Its underparts resemble -those of _Z. c. cinerea_ but are paler gray; crown, neck, and shoulder -much like that of _Z. c. ponapensis_ and _Z. c. finschii_; and bill -resembling that of _Z. c. cinerea_. _Z. atriceps_ differs by having -olive-green coloring on back and wings and yellowish coloring on under -side of tail. Thus, it is possible that _Z. cinerea_ invaded Micronesia -from the Moluccan region, reaching either Palau or Ponapé initially. - - -=Rukia palauensis= (Reichenow) - -Palau Greater White-eye - - _Cleptornis palauensis_ Reichenow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1915, p. 125. - (Type locality, Babeldzuap = Babelthuap, Palauinseln.) - - _Megazosterops palauensis_ Stresemann, Ornith. Monatsber., 38, - 1930, p. 159 (Baobeltaob); Snouckaert, Alauda (2), 3, 1931, p. 26 - (Palau); Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 235 - (Baobel Taob = Babelthuap); Mathews, Ibis, 1931, p. 48 (Palau); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 172 (Palau); Yamashina, - Tori, 10, 1940, p. 674 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., - 1942, p. 191 (Babelthuap, Peleliu). - - _Rukia palauensis_ Mayr, Amer. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 - (Palau); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, pp. 294, 300 - (Peliliu); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, - pp. 67, 74 (Peleliu). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands-Babelthuap, Peleliu. - - _Characters._--Adult: A large white-eye with upper parts near - "Saccardo's olive" (some individuals darker brown), head and neck - more olivacious, rump browner; auriculars blackish with pale - yellow streaks; narrow supra-orbital stripe pale olive; orbital - ring indistinct; underparts near "olive lake," chin lighter, under - tail-coverts light yellowish-brown; wing and tail feathers dark - brown, except for tawny outer edges and whitish inner edges; - maxilla horn-color; mandible yellowish to tawny; feet tawny; iris - grayish-brown. - - _Measurements._--Measurements of _Rukia_ are listed in table 52. - Measurements of males and females are comparable within the same - species. - - -TABLE 52. MEASUREMENTS OF _Rukia_ - - =================+======+=========+=========+=============+========= - SPECIES | No. | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - -----------------+------+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - _R. palauensis_ | 19 | 80 | 54 | 21.5 | 25 - | | (76-84) | (51-57) | (20.0-22.5) | (24-26) - | | | | | - _R. ruki_ | 8 | 81 | 52 | 21.5 | 23 - | | (76-85) | (51-52) | (20.0-23.0) | (22-24) - | | | | | - _R. sanfordi_ | 18 | 70 | 44 | 23.0 | 21 - | | (67-71) | (41-47) | (22.0-24.0) | (20-22) - -----------------+------+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 21 (12 males, 9 females), as - follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Peleliu, 11 (Aug. 27, 29, 30, Sept. - 4, 5, 6, 7, Dec. 4, 5); AMNH--Peleliu?, 10 (Dec.). - - _Molt._--Specimens taken in August and September are in worn - plumage, a few individuals show evidence of molt. Specimens taken - in December are in fresh plumage, although two or three individuals - are in the final stages of molt. This places the period of molt as - September, October, and November. Nesting evidently occurs in the - summer; one male taken on August 27, 1945, had enlarged gonads. - -_Remarks._--The Palau Greater White-eye was described under the generic -name _Cleptornis_ by Reichenow. This generic allocation was not followed -by subsequent authors; Stresemann proposed the generic name -_Megazosterops_ in 1930, and Mayr (1944b:7) placed this white-eye in the -genus _Rukia_ along with other large white-eyes from Micronesia. In -employing this name, Mayr writes, "The generic names _Rukia_ (for -_ruki_) and _Kubaryum_ (for _oleaginea_) were published simultaneously -in the same publication. As first reviser I select the name _Rukia_, -which not only is shorter but is also based on a species which I have -been able to examine." - -_R. palauensis_ is recorded from Babelthuap and Peleliu of the Palau -Islands. In 1931, Coultas found the birds only at the island of Peleliu, -where he obtained nine specimens from a flock. In 1940, Yamashina -(1940:674) writes that it is a very rare species at Palau. Marshall -(1949:219) found the bird at Peleliu but at no other islands visited. In -1945, the NAMRU2 party obtained eight specimens at Peleliu from two -localities on the eastern side of the island in jungle areas relatively -undisturbed by war activities. The birds were fairly common in the brush -and vines of the jungle undergrowth at these two areas. There were no -flocks seen; usually singles or pairs were noted. The bird bears a -striking resemblance to _Psamathia annae_, which lives in the same -environment and has a somewhat similar coloration, shape and posture. -These two birds probably have undergone a parallel development. -Competition between the two was not noted. _Psamathia_ is evidently less -restricted in its distribution. - -_R. palauensis_ has a restricted distribution in the Palau Islands, as -indicated by the observations of Coultas, the Japanese and the NAMRU2 -party. The disturbance resulting from the war activities has undoubtedly -influenced the population and restricted further the preferred habitat -of this white-eye, especially at Peleliu. - - -=Rukia oleaginea= (Hartlaub and Finsch) - -Yap Greater White-eye - - _Zosterops oleaginea_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1872, p. 95. (Type locality, Uap.) - - _Zosterops oleaginea_ Gräffe, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 2, 1873, p. - 122 (Yap); Gadow, Cat. Birds British Mus., 9, 1884, p. 187 (Yap); - Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 24 (Yap); Dubois, Syn. - Avium, 1, 1902, p. 708 (Uap); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. - 469 (Karolinen=Yap); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 - (Mackenzie); Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 230 - (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 173 (Yap); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 192 (Yap). - - _Zosterops oleaginea_ Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 3, 1877, p. 777 - (Mackenzie); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, - 1881, p. 391 (Yap); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. - Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 37 (Uap); Oustalet, Nouv. - Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 208 (Uap); Bolau, - Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 60 (Yap). - - _Tephras oleaginea_ Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, - 113 (Yap). - - _Kubaryum oleaginus_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 1 (Yap); - Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 77 (Yap). - - _Kubaryum oleagineum_ Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 712 (Yap). - - _Rukia oleaginea_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 - (Yap); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 300 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--According to Hartlaub and Finsch (1872:95), - "General colour a deep oil-green, with a decided fulvous hue; - underparts a little paler, and a little more yellowish; eye-ring - satin-white; ears blackish; upper and under tail coverts with a - slight rufous tinge; wing- and tail-feathers blackish, with - oil-green margins; under wing-coverts whitish-grey; beak fulvous, - under mandible, except at the tip, yellowish; feet pale, probably - yellow; iris reddish white." - -_Remarks._--No specimens of _R. oleaginea_ have been examined by me, and -I am following Mayr (1944b:7) in including it with the other large -white-eyes of Micronesia in the genus _Rukia_. - - -=Rukia ruki= (Hartert) - -Truk Greater White-eye - - _Tephras ruki_ Hartert, Bull. British Ornith. Club, 7, 1897, p. 5. - (Type locality, Ruk.) - - _Tephras ruki_ Hartert, Ibis, 1898, p. 144 (Ruk); _idem_, Novit. - Zool., 7, 1900, p. 3 (Ruk); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. - 111, 112, 113 (Ruck); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, - 1930, p. 712 (Ruk). - - _Zosterops ruki_ Finsch, Das Tierreich, no. 15, 1901, p. 46 (Ruk); - Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 713 (Ruk); Reichenow, Die Vögel, - 2, 1914, p. 470 (Ruk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. - 64 (Ruk); Stresemann, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 17, 1931, p. 230 - (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, pp. 172 (Truk); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 191 (Truk). - - _Rukia ruki_ Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 2 (Ruk); Kuroda, - in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 78 (Ruk); Mayr, Amer. Mus. - Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 (Truk); _idem_, Birds Southwest - Pacific, 1945, p. 301 (Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk. - - _Characters._--According to Hartert (1897:5), "Entirely - sepia-brown, the inner webs of the remiges and under wing-coverts - lighter, inclining to whitish; the primaries darker, the outer - webs bordered with the same colour as the back. Bill black; iris - red; tarsi and feet orange-rufous; claws mouse-brown." _R. ruki_ - may be distinguished from other species of _Rukia_ by its dark - olive-brown coloring. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 52. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 7 (4 males, 2 females, 1 - unsexed), from Caroline Islands, AMNH--Truk (Nov., Dec.). - -_Remarks._--This white-eye was first obtained by Owston's collectors in -1895 at Truk. Hartert (1900:3) writes, "It is most peculiar that the -late J. Kubary, who was an excellent collector, and who spent more than -fourteen months on Ruk, did not obtain this bird. It is probably not -numerous, and occurs only on a certain secluded spot not visited by -Kubary." In like manner, _R. palauensis_ was not described from Palau -until 1915, although several collectors had visited the island at -previous times. Hartert included the Truk Greater White-eye in the genus -_Tephras_ of Hartlaub. Later, Momiyama (1922:2) made this bird the type -for his new genus _Rukia_, in which Mayr has placed all of the large -white-eyes of Micronesia. - - -=Rukia sanfordi= (Mayr) - -Ponapé Greater White-eye - - _Rhamphozosterops sanfordi_ Mayr, Ornith. Monatsber., 39, 1931 - [mailing date, Nov. 4, 1931, _ex_ Mayr, 1944b:8], p. 182. (Type - locality, Ponapé.) - - _Cinnyrorhyncha longirostra_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. - Zasshi, 43, 1931 [printed date, Oct. 15, 1931, but mailing date - for extra-Japanese recipients, Nov. 23, 1931, _ex_ Mayr, 1944b:8], - p. 599. (Type locality, Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., - 1932, p. 172 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 191 (Ponapé). - - _Cinnyrorhyncha longirostris_ Mathews, Ibis, 1933, p. 94 (Ponapé). - - _Rhamphozosterops sanfordi_ Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., - 4, 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé). - - _Rukia sanfordi_ Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 7 - (Ponapé); _idem_, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 301 (Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé. - - _Characters._--Adult: upper parts buffy-olive, head greenish, rump - and upper tail-coverts buffy-brown; wing and tail feathers dark - brown, outer edges yellowish-olive; underparts grayish-buff, chin - and throat faintly washed with greenish-yellow; under tail-coverts - darker; bill long, curved and brownish-black, base of mandible - paler; feet yellowish; iris chestnut. _R. sanfordi_ is - distinguished from other species of _Rukia_ by its smaller size, - its paler coloration and its longer and more curved bill. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 52. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 18 (12 males, 6 females), from - Caroline Islands, AMNH--Ponapé (Nov., Dec.). - -_Remarks._--Coultas obtained this white-eye at Ponapé in 1931; he writes -(field notes) that it is "a very rare bird on Ponapé. I found them at -one tree, a sort of a gum-tree, at about 2,000 feet, where they were -collecting from the flowers of the tree. I was attracted by their -deep-throated sibilation that is uttered while feeding. They were not in -the least disturbed by the noise of the gun and remained long enough for -me to collect a substantial series. One old man, who lives not far from -the tree, was the only one I could find who knew the bird." Six males -and one female taken in December had swollen gonads. Richards found this -bird to be rare at Ponapé in 1947-1948. He writes (field notes) that the -bird was seen twice (he obtained one male), once in deep forest at about -700 feet and once at the summit of Jokaj at 900 feet. He observed a -group of three birds "wildly and loudly chasing one another from tree to -tree." The male obtained had yellowish sap adhering to its bill. - -The Ponapé Greater White-eye has an appearance very much like that of -some of the honey-eaters. Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1931c:599) write, -"General appearance very much like either _Cinnyris_ or _Myzomela_, but -it differs from them by its very small first primary, which is far -shorter than the primary coverts, and also the smooth cutting edge of -the bill, though the bill is similarly shaped as to that of _Cinnyris_. -These characteristics show that this bird belongs to _Zosteropidae_ but -not _Nectarinidae_ or _Meliphagidae_." - -Mayr and the Japanese workers, Takatsukasa and Yamashina, published -descriptions of this white-eye at Ponapé almost simultaneously. Mayr -(1944b:8) contends that his name, _Rhamphozosterops sanfordi_, is valid -because the mailing date of the journal (Ornithologische Monatsberichte) -in which _R. sanfordi_ was proposed was November 4, 1931, while his -investigations show that the earliest mailing date to European and -American ornithologists and libraries of the issue of Dobutsugaku Zasshi -in which the name _Cinnyrorhyncha longirostra_, proposed by Takatsukasa -and Yamashina, appeared was November 23, 1931. Mayr (1944b:8) points out -that Japanese friends of the authors of the name _C. longirostra_ assert -that they saw copies of the description [inferentially printed copies] -prior to November 23, 1931. These Japanese, as far as is known, have not -claimed that they saw copies before November 4, 1931, and Mayr's -conclusion that his name, _R. sanfordi_, has priority is here accepted. -If the name _C. longirostra_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina appeared in -printed form and if copies, in requisite number, were distributed to -specialists or libraries in Japan, or anywhere else, on or before -November 3, 1931, the name _C. longirostris_ has priority over _R. -sanfordi_. - -_Evolutionary history of Rukia in Micronesia._--There is little known -concerning the status of the large white-eyes of Micronesia. Most of -them were not found by the earlier collectors and are at present -reported to be rare or restricted in their distribution. Little is known -concerning the food preferences and nesting activities of the birds and -also whether they are actually in danger of extermination or whether -their populations are normally as low as have been reported. Originally -described under four different generic names, they are now considered as -belonging in a single genus, _Rukia_. - -I have compared specimens of _Rukia_ with those of other members of the -family Zosteropidae found in the Pacific area. _Rukia_ is apparently not -closely related to _Z. conspicillata_ and _Z. cinerea_ of Micronesia but -has been derived from a different source or sources. The author has -compared _Rukia_ with the genera _Zosterops_, _Woodfordia_, -_Hypocryptadius_, _Apoia_, _Chlorocharis_, _Pseudozosterops_, and -_Tephrozosterops_. Results of these comparisons indicate that large and -well-differentiated white-eyes are found on a number of the islands of -Oceania. These white-eyes include _Woodfordia_, _Rukia_, _Zosterops -inornata_, _Z. albogularis_, _Z. tenuirostris_, and _Z. strenua_. These -birds are all large, have large bills (either longer or stouter or -both), large and long tarsi, and often short and rounded wings. _Rukia_ -apparently has undergone a differentiation which parallels that which -has taken place in these other white-eyes, but there is no evidence of a -close relationship between these birds and _Rukia_. There are some -resemblances between _Rukia_ and _Woodfordia superciliosa_ of Rennell -Island; _W. superciliosa_ is the same size and has a bill somewhat -similar to that of _R. ruki_ and a coloration not very different from -that of _R. sanfordi_. _R. ruki_ and _R. sanfordi_ may have been derived -originally from a common ancestral stock in Melanesia, with subsequent -isolation on small islands for considerable time where differentiation -took place. _Rukia_ also shows some resemblance to the genus _Apoia_, -especially to _A. pinaiae_ of Ceram. There is also a possibility that -the large white-eyes of Micronesia are merely highly modified species of -the genus _Zosterops_; this has been suggested by Mayr (1944b:7). It is -my opinion that _Rukia_ is a valid genus and is as much different from -the genus _Zosterops_ (or more so) than other recognized genera of large -white-eyes (_Woodfordia_ and _Apoia_). There is also the strong -possibility that the large white-eyes of Micronesia have been derived -from more than one source (and are falsely united in one genus); -however, it is my feeling that they represent a single colonization, -which successfully established itself at four islands and evolved into -four divergent species. Possibly _R. oleaginea_ is the least specialized -and is closest to the ancestral stock; however, this supposition is -based on study of the original description and on a colored plate of the -bird in a paper by Kuroda (1922b:pl. 7, fig. 4). - -In summary, it seems that the large Micronesian white-eyes of the genus -_Rukia_ came originally from Melanesia. Possibly they came from -Malaysia. Probably the birds have been derived from a single ancestral -stock, that became established at four islands of Micronesia and became -differentiated along diverse lines, so much so that some ornithologists -have considered them as belonging to separate endemic genera. - - -=Erythrura trichroa trichroa= (Kittlitz) - -Blue-faced Parrot-finch - - _Fringilla trichroa_ Kittlitz, Mém. Acad. Imp. Sci. St. - Pétersbourg, 2, 1835, p. 8, pl. 10. (Type locality, Ualan = - Kusaie.) - - _Fringilla trichroa_ Kittlitz, Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le - Séniavine," 3, 1836, p. 285 (Ualan); _idem_, Denk. Reise russ. - Amer. Micron. und Kamchat., 2, 1858, p. 38 (Ualan). - - _Estrelda trichroa_ Gray, Genera Birds, 2, 1849, p. 369 (Kusaie?); - Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 27 (Oualan). - - _Erythrura trichroa_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, p. 457 - (Ualan); Hartlaub, Archiv f. Naturgesch., 18, 1852, p. 133 - (Carolinen = Kusaie); _idem_, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 - (Carolinen = Kusaie); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 2, 1870, p. 58 - (Ualan); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 118 (Carolinen = - Ualan); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, p. 36 (Ualan); - _idem_ (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, pp. 290, 297, 302 - (Kusaie); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, pp. 104, 108 (Kuschai); - Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, 2, 1881, p. 442 (Carolinis = - Kusaie?); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 (Kusaie); Sclater (part), Ibis, 1881, p. - 545 (Ualan); Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, 1890, p. - 385 (Carolines = Kusaie); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. - Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 42 (Ualan); - Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ualan); Dubois - (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, pp. 583 (Carolines = Kusaie); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 64 (Kusaie). - - _Erythrura kittlitzi_ Bonaparte, Consp. Avium, 1, 1850, p. 457 - (_ex_ Bonaparte MSS.) (Type locality, Ualan); Gray, Hand-list - Birds, 2, 1870, p. 58 (Caroline Islands = Kusaie). - - _Erythrura trichros trichros_ Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 7, - 1900, p. 6 (Kusaie); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, pp. 27, 29, 78 (Kusaie); Mayr (part), Amer. Mus. Novit., no. - 489, 1931, p. 4 (Kusaie); Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Tori, 7, - 1931, p. 110 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. - 170 (Kusaie); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 189 - (Kusaie); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Kusaie). - - _Chloromunia trichroa trichroa_ Mathews (part), Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 840 (Ualan). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Kusaie. - - _Characters._--Adult: A small finch with thick, stout bill; head, - neck, back, and scapulars between "parrot green" and "grass - green"; forehead, orbital area, auriculars, and malar area bluish; - sides of neck green tinged with yellowish; edge of forehead and - lores blackish; wing-coverts and outer margins of wings - yellowish-green; underparts like back but paler green; rump, upper - tail-coverts and outer edges of tail feathers near "Pompeian red"; - wing and tail feathers mostly brownish; bend of wing greenish; - under wing-coverts brownish; axillaries buffy tinged with - greenish; bill black; feet light yellowish-brown; iris brown. - Adult female duller than male. - - Immature: Resembles adult, but lacks bluish coloring on sides of - head and on forehead; underparts washed with buffy brown; rump and - tail duller carmine. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 53. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 14 (12 males, 2 females), from - Caroline Islands, AMNH--Kusaie (Feb., March, April). - - _Molt._--Specimens taken in February and March have mostly new - feathers, molt having been almost completed when obtained. - -_Remarks._--Kittlitz was the first person to describe the Blue-faced -Parrot-finch; he found it at Kusaie when he visited the island in the -winter of 1827-28. Later, it was found to have an extensive range in -Micronesia, Melanesia, northern Australia, Celebes, and the Moluccas. -This small finch may be kept as a pet in a cage by native peoples, but -as far as I know there is no evidence that the bird has been introduced -to island areas as a result of this practice. - - -TABLE 53. MEASUREMENTS OF _Erythrura trichroa_ IN MICRONESIA - - =====================+=====+=========+=========+=============+========= - SUBSPECIES | No. | Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - ---------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - _E. t. trichroa_ | 6 | 58 | 46 | 13.0 | 17 - | | (57-59) | (43-48) | (12.5-13.5) | (16-17) - | | | | | - _E.t. clara_ | 29 | 59 | 45 | 13.5 | 17 - | | (57-62) | (41-50) | (13.0-14.5) | (17-18) - | | | | | - _E. t. pelewensis_* | 1 | 61.5 | 51 | 13.5 | 18 - ---------------------+-----+---------+---------+-------------+--------- - - * Kuroda (1922:28). - - -Coultas observed the finch at Kusaie in 1931; he wrote (field notes) -that it is a common bird but difficult to obtain. He found it in most -parts of the island and at all elevations; the bird appeared to prefer -dense underbrush of the jungle or marginal vegetation. He found no -evidence of breeding activity in February, March or April. - - -=Erythrura trichroa clara= Takatsukasa and Yamashina - -Blue-faced Parrot-finch - - _Erythrura trichroa clara_ Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Tori, 7, - 1931, p. 110. (Type locality, Ruk Island.) - - _Erythrura trichroa_ Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. - 290 (Ponapé, Hügeln = Truk); _idem_, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, - 1880, p. 576 (Ruk); _idem_ (part), Ibis, 1881, pp. 104, 110, 112, - 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. - Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Salvadori (part), Ornith. Papuasia, - 2, 1881, p. 442 (Ponapé); Sclater (part), Ibis, 1881, p. 545 - (Ponapé, Ruk); Sharpe (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, 1890, - p. 385 (Carolines = Truk, Ponapé); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. - und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 42 - (Ponapé, Ruk); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers, 1899, p. 122 (Ruk); Matschie - (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Ruk, Ponapé); Dubois - (part), Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 583 (Carolines = Ponapé); - Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, pp. 55, 64 (Ponapé); - Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé). - - _Erythrura trichroa trichroa_ Hartert (part), Novit. Zool., 7, - 1900, p. 6 (Ruk, Ponapé); Kuroda (part), in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, pp. 27, 28, 29, 78 (Ponapé, Ruk); Mayr (part), - Amer. Mus., Novit., no. 489, 1931, p. 4 (Ponapé, Ruk). - - _Chloromunia trichroa_ Mathews, Birds Australia, 12, 1925, p. 208 - (Ruk). - - _Chloromunia trichroa trichroa_ Mathews (part), Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 840 (Carolines = Truk, Ponapé). - - _Erythrura trichroa clara_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 170 (Truk, Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 189 (Truk, Ponapé); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 - (Truk, Ponapé); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, - 1948, p. 74 (Truk). - - _Lobospingus trichroa clara_ Mathews, Ibis, 1933, p. 96 (Ruk, - Ponapé). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk, Ponapé, - Lukunor? - - _Characters._--Adult: Resembles adult of _E. t. trichroa_, but - slightly larger with underparts more yellowish and less greenish; - blue on head slightly paler; sides of neck tinged more strongly - with yellowish. Birds from Ponapé are slightly paler than those - from Truk. - - _Measurements._--Measurements are listed in table 53. Birds from - Ponapé and Truk differ but little in measurements. - - _Specimens examined._--Total number, 39 (22 males, 16 females, 1 - unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Truk, 2 (May 5, - Dec.); AMNH--Truk, 15 (March, June, Nov.)--Ponapé, 22 (Dec.). - - _Molt._--Birds taken in March and June are not in molt. Some of the - specimens obtained in November and December are in molt. - -_Remarks._--The differences between _E. t. trichroa_ at Kusaie and _E. -t. clara_ at Ponapé and Truk are slight. Takatsukasa and Yamashina -(1931d:110) separate _E. t. clara_ from _E. t. trichroa_ of Kusaie on -the basis of a paler blue coloring on head, body more yellowish green -and sides of neck more distinctly golden-yellow. - -Coultas obtained specimens at Ponapé in 1930 and reports (field notes) -that the bird occurs in the extensive grassland areas of the island but -that the numbers are small. He estimates the population to be less than -100 individuals. He learned that the Japanese had trapped them for -shipment to Japan as caged birds. Coultas writes that the finch at -Ponapé "is very shy and flies readily when he is disturbed. As soon as a -call of alarm is uttered the whole flock flies up from the ground and -heads for the true forest where they will hide. They will also work -along in the grass, and make a getaway. The bird has a little hissing -sybilation that it utters when on the wing." He found the bird in flocks -of 3 to 20; immatures were frequently found alone. - -McElroy of the NAMRU2 party obtained a female at Moen Island in the Truk -Atoll in December, 1945. He found small flocks of these birds in dense -vegetation along streams. - - -=Erythrura trichroa pelewensis= Kuroda - -Blue-faced Parrot-finch - - _Erythrura trichroa pelewensis_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds - Micronesia, 1922, p. 27. (Type locality, Pelew Islands). - - _Erythrura trichroa pelewensis_ Kuroda, Ibis, 1927, p. 692 - (Pelew); Mayr. Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 489, 1931, p. 4 (Pelew); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 171 (Palau); Hand-list - Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 189 (Babelthuap); Mayr, Birds - Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 301 (Palau). - - _Chloromunia trichroa pelewensis_ Mathews, Syst. Avium - Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 840 (Pelew). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Palau Islands--Babelthuap. - - _Characters._--Kuroda (1922a:27) describes the bird as follows, - "Resembles _E. trichroa_ (Kittlitz) from Carolines (the type from - Kusaie), but distinguishable from it by the bill being much - thicker and stouter, by the chin being tinged with blue, by the - under-parts being paler throughout and somewhat tinged with - bluish, by the rump and upper tail-coverts being bright crimson - instead of dull crimson, by the central tail-feathers brownish red - instead of dull crimson, by the distinct shafts of central - tail-feathers and by longer wing and tail." - - _Measurements._--The measurements by Kuroda of a single specimen - are listed in table 53. - -_Remarks._--Only one specimen of this subspecies is known. The NAMRU2 -party did not obtain any record of it in the southern Palaus in 1945. If -still present in the islands, it may be confined to the higher forested -areas of Babelthuap. - -_Evolutionary history of Erythrura trichroa in Micronesia._--The -Blue-faced Parrot-finch has been recorded from Kusaie, Ponapé, Truk and -Palau, which are all "high" islands of southern Micronesia. This bird -belongs to a species which occurs in Melanesia, northern Australia, -Celebes, and the Moluccas. Stresemann (1940:40) points out the -interesting observation that this species ranges only east of Wallace's -Line. Mayr (1931c:1-10) has reviewed the parrot-finches of the genus -_Erythrura_ and places _E. trichroa_ in the subgenus _Erythrura_, noting -that _E. t. cyaneifrons_ from Banks and the New Hebrides is similar to -the subspecies found in Micronesia. As a group the subspecies of _E. -trichroa_ are very similar, but the populations in Micronesia appear -closest to subspecies from the Solomons, Admiralty Islands and possibly -to _E. t. modesta_ from the Moluccas, which appears to indicate that -Micronesia was invaded from the south or from the southwest via the -Moluccas. Whether the little known subspecies at Palau represents an -independent invader from the Moluccas is uncertain. - - -=Lonchura nigerrima minor= (Yamashina) - -Black-breasted Weaver-finch - - _Munia (Donacola) hunsteini minor_ Yamashina, in Takatsukasa and - Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 600. (Type locality, - Ponapé.) - - _Lonchura hunsteini minor_ Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, - p. 171 (Ponapé, Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. - 190 (Ponapé, Truk). - - _Donacola hunsteini minor_ Mathews, Ibis, 1933, p. 95 (Ponapé). - - _Lonchura nigerrima minor_ Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. - 301 (Ponapé, ?Truk). - - _Geographic range._--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé, Truk? - - _Characters._--Yamashina in Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1931c:600) - characterizes this subspecies as similar to _M. hunsteini_ from - New Ireland, but smaller; the wing of the adult of the bird from - Ponapé is from 46 to 49 mm, instead of 50-51 mm. as in the New - Ireland bird. Moreover the crown and nape are white instead of - pearl gray. - -_Remarks._--Little is known concerning this subspecies named by -Yamashina at Ponapé. No specimens have been seen by me. Richards -obtained one male at Ponapé in 1947-1948. He found the birds in large -flocks. - - -=Lonchura punctulata cabanisi= (Sharpe) - -Philippine Nutmeg Mannikin - - _Munia cabanisi_ Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 13, 1890, p. 353. - (Type locality, Luzon.) - - _Munia punctulata cabanisi_ Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, - 1922, p. 78 (Yap). - - _Lonchura punctulata cabanisi_ Yamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 395 - (Yap); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 171 (Yap); - Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 189 (Yap). - - _Geographic range._--Philippine Islands and Micronesia. In - Micronesia: Palau Islands; Caroline Islands--Yap. - - _Characters._--A small finch with upper parts light grayish-brown, - feathers with white shafts producing a streaked appearance; lores, - anterior part of auriculars, malar region, and feathers of chin - and throat chocolate-brown with faint white shafts; breast and - sides mottled white and dark brown, middle of abdomen and under - tail-coverts pale buffy-white, wings brown with lighter edges, - under wing dark with lighter coverts; upper tail-coverts and - middle tail feathers dark olive, outer tail feathers colored like - wings; bill heavy and black; feet dark brown. - -_Remarks._--The Philippine Nutmeg Mannikin is a resident on the island -of Yap. Yamashina (1932a:395) records a nest containing one egg taken -there on May 15, 1932. Marshall (1949:221) records this bird at Palau on -November 6 and December 2, 1945. Whether this bird was introduced to Yap -and Palau by man or whether it reached there by independent invasion is -unknown. - - - - -SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION - - -The avifauna of Micronesia consists of 206 kinds of birds belonging to -37 families and 91 genera. Of these, 30 kinds are sea birds, 29 kinds -are migratory shore birds, and 146 kinds are land and freshwater birds. -Of the 30 sea birds, 18 kinds are resident; of the 147 land and -fresh-water birds, 104 kinds are resident and 6 kinds have been -introduced by man. There are no resident shore birds in Micronesia. The -following conclusions can be drawn from this study: - -1. The islands of Micronesia are oceanic islands and were seemingly -formed independently of any present day continental land mass. -Terrestrial organisms have reached these islands by "over-water -dispersal." The avifauna of Micronesia has been received from the -following sources: Polynesia, Melanesia, the Moluccas, Celebes, -Phillipines, and Palearctica (see figure 8). - -2. Oceanic birds are among the oldest forms of bird life inhabiting -Micronesia. The presence of elevated islands containing phosphate, -resulting from the deposition of guano by oceanic birds, is some -indication of the length of time during which these birds have been -present. In number of individuals, the oceanic birds inhabiting the -inshore zone are more numerous than those inhabiting the offshore and -pelagic zones, although twelve of the eighteen resident kinds of oceanic -birds prefer the offshore and pelagic zones. Most of the species of -oceanic birds resident in Micronesia are circumtropical in distribution; -no residents are known in Micronesia which have been derived from -Palearctica or the North Pacific. Micronesia has no endemic oceanic -birds. - -3. On the migratory flights, shore birds reach Micronesia along three -distinct flyways, which in this report are named the Asiatic-Palauan -Flyway, the Japanese-Marianan Flyway, and the Nearctic-Hawaiian Flyway -(see figure 7). The shore birds began to utilize the Pacific islands as -wintering grounds by gradually spreading from the Eastern Hemisphere -rather than from the Western Hemisphere. - -4. More than half (52 percent) of the land birds and fresh-water birds -in Micronesia were derived directly from ancestral stocks in Melanesia. -The areas of the Moluccas and of Celebes (Malaysia) supplied 21 percent -of the birds; the Philippines, 10 percent; Polynesia, 9 percent; and -Palearctica, 8 percent. Results of this study show that there may have -been only 46 actual colonizations of Micronesia by birds from other -areas, and that many of the large number of endemics present have been -the result of secondary colonizations within the islands of Micronesia. -It is concluded that Micronesia, except for the Marshall Islands, has a -much closer affinity to Melanesia than to any other area as regards -avifauna. The Marshall Islands may be regarded as a part of the -Polynesian Subregion from the viewpoint of avian zoogeography. - -5. Endemism in the land birds and fresh-water birds of Micronesia is -extreme. Of 104 native, resident birds, 97 (93.5 percent) have become -differentiated and can be separated taxonomically from related forms. In -Micronesia, there are 5 endemic genera, 31 endemic species, and 76 -endemic subspecies. The families containing the greatest number of -endemic forms are Muscicapidae (14), Zosteropidae (14), Columbidae (13), -and Sturnidae (9). - -6. It is concluded that some of the more important factors controlling -the dispersal of the bird life to Micronesia are the direction and the -intensity of the winds, the small size of the islands, the isolation of -the islands (especially those "high" islands), and the insular -climates, which appear to favor colonists from tropical homes rather -than those from Palearctic homes. - -7. The factors most important in the process of differentiation of birds -in the islands of Micronesia are isolation, paucity in numbers of -individuals, freedom from predation, absence (and presence) of -interspecific and intraspecific strife, and nutrition. The importance of -the "dilution" factor is discussed, and the possibility of -cross-breeding between different kinds of birds is considered. 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For exchanges and information, -address the EXCHANGE DESK, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LIBRARY, LAWRENCE, -KANSAS, U. S. A. - -MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.--E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Editorial Committee. - - This series contains contributions from the Museum of Natural History. - Cited as Univ. Kans. Publ., Mus. Nat. Hist. - - Vol. 1. 1. The pocket gophers (genus Thomomys) of Utah. By Stephen D. - Durrant. Pp. 1-82, 1 figure in text. August 15, 1946. - - 2. The systematic status of Eumeces pluvialis Cope, and - noteworthy records of other amphibians and reptiles from - Kansas and Oklahoma. By Hobart M. Smith. Pp. 85-89. August - 15, 1946. - - 3. The tadpoles of Bufo cognatus Say. By Hobart M. Smith. Pp. - 93-96, 1 figure in text. August 15, 1946. - - 4. Hybridization between two species of garter snakes. By Hobart - M. Smith. Pp. 97-100. August 15, 1946. - - 5. Selected records of reptiles and amphibians from Kansas. By - John Breukelman and Hobart M. Smith. Pp. 101-112. August 15, - 1946. - - 6. Kyphosis and other variations in soft-shelled turtles. By - Hobart M. Smith. Pp. 117-124. July 7, 1947. - - 7. Natural history of the prairie vole (Mammalian genus - Microtus). By E. W. Jameson, Jr. Pp. 125-151, 4 figures in - text. October 6, 1947. - - 8. The postnatal development of two broods of great horned owls - (Bubo virginianus). By Donald F. Hoffmeister and Henry W. - Setzer. Pp. 157-173, 5 figures in text. October 6, 1947. - - 9. Additions to the list of the birds of Louisiana. By George - H. Lowery, Jr. Pp. 177-192. November 7, 1947. - - 10. A check-list of the birds of Idaho. By M. Dale Arvey. Pp. - 193-216. November 29, 1947. - - 11. Subspeciation in pocket gophers of Kansas. By Bernardo - Villa-R. and E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 217-236, 2 figures in text. - November 29, 1947. - - 12. A new bat (Genus Myotis) from Mexico. By Walter W. Dalquest - and E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 237-244, 6 figures in text. December - 10, 1947. - - 13. Tadarida femorosacca (Merriam) in Tamaulipas, Mexico. By - Walter W. Dalquest and E. Raymond Hall. Pp. 245-248, 1 figure - in text. December 10, 1947. - - 14. A new pocket gopher (Thomomys) and a new spiny pocket mouse - (Liomys) from Michoacán, Mexico. By E. Raymond Hall and - Bernardo Villa-R. Pp. 249-256, 6 figures in text. July 26, - 1948. - - 15. A new hylid frog from eastern Mexico. By Edward H. Taylor. - Pp. 257-264, 1 figure in text. August 16, 1948. - - (Continued on inside of back cover.) - - - - - (Continued from inside of front cover.) - - 16. A new extinct emydid turtle from the Lower Pliocene of - Oklahoma. By Edwin C. Galbreath. Pp. 265-280, 1 plate. - August 16, 1948. - - 17. Pliocene and Pleistocene records of fossil turtles from - western Kansas and Oklahoma. By Edwin C. Galbreath. Pp. - 281-284, 1 figure in text. August 16, 1948. - - 18. A new species of heteromyid rodent from the Middle Oligocene - of northeastern Colorado with remarks on the skull. By Edwin - C. Galbreath. Pp. 285-300, 2 plates. August 16, 1948. - - 19. Speciation in the Brazilian spiny rats (Genus Proechimys, - Family Echimyidae). By Joăo Moojen. Pp. 301-406, 140 figures - in text. December 10, 1948. - - 20. Three new beavers from Utah. By Stephen D. Durrant and Harold - S. Crane. Pp. 407-417, 7 figures in text. December 24, 1948. - - 21. Two new meadow mice from Michoacán Mexico. By E. Raymond - Hall. Pp. 423-427, 6 figures in text. December 24, 1948. - - 22. An annotated check list of the mammals of Michoacán, Mexico. - By E. Raymond Hall and Bernardo Villa-R. Pp. 431-472, 5 - figures in text. December 27, 1949. - - 23. Subspeciation in the kangaroo rat, Dipodomys ordii. By Henry - W. Setzer. Pp. 473-573, 27 figures in text. December 27, - 1949. - - 24. Geographic range of the hooded skunk, Mephitis macroura, - with description of a new subspecies from Mexico. By E. - Raymond Hall and Walter W. Dalquest, Pp. 575-580, 1 figure - in text. January 20, 1950. - - 25. Pipistrellus cinnamomeus Miller 1902 referred to the genus - Myotis. By E. Raymond Hall and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. - 581-590, 5 figures in text. January 20, 1950. - - 26. A synopsis of the American bats of the genus Pipistrellus. - By E. Raymond Hall and Walter W. Dalquest. Pp. 591-602, 1 - figure in text. January 20, 1950. - - Index, Pp. 605-638. - - Vol. 2. (Complete) Mammals of Washington. By Walter W. Dalquest. - Pp. 1-444, 140 figures in text. April 9, 1948. - - Vol. 3. 1. The avifauna of Micronesia, its origin, evolution, and - distribution. By Rollin H. Baker. Pp. 1-359, 16 figures in - text. June 12, 1951. - - - - -Transcriber's Note(s): - -- moved first part of 'UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS' to end of e-book. - - - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Avifauna of Micronesia, Volume 3, by -Rollin H. 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