-102- Marquesas and Tuamotu groups, for example. On some of the small islands, where the number of individuals is small, and "in-breeding" frequent, there is a decided tendency to albinism. In general shape, these birds are somewhat like our catbird, but in habits they appear to resemble the marsh wren. Their colors are dull browns, buffs or grayish browns, with lighter buffy or yellowish underparts. There are no marked color patterns or patches of color that stand out promi- nently, such as a throat or breast patch of color; the underparts are buffy or yellowish of various shades, and the upperparts darker, of browns or grayish browns. There is a possibility that Conopoderas may be found on Caroline atoll, Flint, Tongareva and Vostok, but hardly on Jarvis, Malden, or Starbuck. There are no clues available as to what may occur in the way of Tubinares on the several islands, other than is given in the follow- ing pages. Lieut. J. R. H. MacFarlane, R. N., made a trip through several of these islands, in October, 1884, but he had little time to spend on any of them, and at some he did not land at all. His interests were directed to terns and other sea birds, but the results show he was a pure amateur.