-3- SPECIES ACCOUNTS Laysan Albatross This species was most abundant near the breeding grounds on Laysan and Lisianski. As usual, individuals which began following the ship usually continued so for hours or even the entire day. There is a good possibility that certain individuals were recorded on consecutive days. Policy for determining numbers of both this and the following species is that used by King and others in that an hourly count of ship followers is made and the highest hourly count is used for the daily total. Black-footed Albatross This species was over three times as abundant as Laysan Albatrosses. This is in direct opposition to the ratio of birds on the two breeding islands visited, where Laysans outnumbered Black-foots at a ratio of 9-1. This may only indicate that Black- footed Albatrosses are more prone to follow ships and may change flight course to do so thus producing a false density picture. Wedge-tailed Shearwater Medium to high daily totals were recorded throughout the cruise; the only exceptional peak day was 16 June between Laysan and Lisianski. Only three Dark Phase and a few variable intermediate phase birds were noted of the 2734 total, thus demonstrating that a purely northern population is present in the area.