C.D. Hackman 1967 Species Account Gray-backed Tern (Sterna lunata) March 8 Nihoa Island Several 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 gullies to the west of our campsite but I didn't get time to check. Population is at least 1,000 and [illegible]. March 10 Necker Island Difficult to assess population because the birds were nesting down the cliff walls around the island. No chicks were found. Only about 10 eggs were found. Two of these were cracked and were only lightly incubated. Population - at least 2000 birds [illegible]. March 11 East Island, French Frigate Shoals Four birds were observed during the afternoon during a circuit of the island. None observed or heard at night. March 13 Trig Is., French Frigate Shoals 15 birds scattered around island. No nests found. March 14 White - Slate French Frigate Shoals 75-100 birds scattered over the islands in little groups of 2-10 birds. Most birds behaved as if they had eggs but only 1 egg was found. Hackman 1967 Species Account 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 quarter of the island. These small groups were normally in or around [illegible] and clumps of grass. No banded 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 did no time to check them. Had to pull off the island before measurements could be made. Total island population exceeds 1000 birds. March 20 Lisiantha Island Small groups of nesting birds scattered here and there under [illegible]. Three groups of birds yielded a total of 26 eggs. Total island 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 Is., 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.