Warren King Robert Fleet - Manana Island 1963 December 19 Party consisted of Warren King, David Bratley, and Ron Walker. Arrived 1730 hours under ideal conditions, very calm, tide not too low, no wind, pleasantly cool, few scattered clouds. I immediately struck by greenness of vegetation, all the way up to the summit. Saw two rabbits as we landed. Made general survey of burrows up slope and dropped into crater for check. Climbed to top of island from crater and came back down ridge to boat. Departed 1830 hours. In the 2 1/2 weeks elapsed time since we were on island there had been nine days of rain. As a result at least 95 percent of the burrows on the slope leading up to crater were either caved in or obliterated by erosion. In the crater most of the burrows, except for those in harder ground or along the ridges between small gullies were similarly destroyed. There were a maximum of 200 usable burrows left. Dave Bratley found one Wedge-tail, immature in good health, with small tuft of down on lower abdomen. When launched, bird fluttered to landing without showing any flying ability. The burr grass was green and lush, as were all the plants. Ron Walker took plant samples. Hippoboscid flies were very common as were a little gnat-like bug. Many burrows were checked but we only found the one Wedge-tail. It was unbanded. There were two Noddy Terns found, one immature and rather weak, although capable of flight. The other was an adult. The reason for Wedge-tails breeding in the summer is obvious: There would be probably 75 % + mortality of chicks if rains similar to those