Gray-backed Tern (Sterna lunata) March 8 Nihoa Island Saw Eggs, no chicks found. The species appeared to be very common and distributed all over the island. Gene Kniddle commented that they commonly nested in the gullys to the west of our campsite but I didn't get me time to check. Population is at least 1,000 a[illegible] March 10 Necker Island Difficult to assess population because the birds were resting down the cliff walls around the island. No chicks were found. Only about 10 eggs were found. Two of these were hatched and were only slightly incubated. Population - at least 200 birds [illegible] March 11 East Island, French Frigate Shoals Four birds were observed during the afternoon during circuit of the island. None observed or dead at night. March 13 Trig Is., French Frigate Shoals 15 birds scattered around island. No nests found. March 14 White - Skete French Frigate Shoals 75-100 birds scattered over the island in little groups of 2-10 birds. Most birds behaved as if they had eggs but only 1 egg was found. Gray-backed Tern (Sterna lunata) March 17 Offshore Laysan Island Occasional birds seen or heard calling from the ship throughout the day. March 18 Laysan Island Numerous small groups of from 5 to 50 along the north + west shores in the NW quarte[r] of the island. These small groups were normally in or around Seawalls and clumps of grass. No hatched birds were observed among the approximately 400 birds observed after dark. March 19 Laysan Island Found a small colony with eggs around a series of rock shelves on the southwest beach while making the circuit of the island on a seal census. Saw 15 eggs but had no time to check this. Had to pull off the island hope measurements could be made. Total seabird population exceeds 1000 birds. March 20 Lisianski Island Small groups of nesting birds scattered fine and three under Scaevola. Three groups of birds yielded a total of 26 eggs. Total seabird population appears to be around 200 birds at the present time. One egg that was broken had been barely incubated. Nests were on bare ground in slight depressions made in the sandy soil. Several hundred south end of island. March 21-23 Southeast S. Pearl + Hermes Reef About 75 birds on the island in several locations - on the ground during the day. No eggs were found as the result of several careful searches. Birds are courting March 22 Seal Is., Pearl + Hermes Reef 25 birds on a rocky area on the north end of the island. No nests or eggs were found.