Ludwig, James P. 1963 54 plane out for Midway. I brought back the completed McBee cards. It was good to see the group once again. Spent the evening working on the report, writing, and reading. It rained again. December 16--Up today and rain until 1100. So worked on report some more and read Hall's accounts on the Erolia in an effort to identify what I have skinned. In the P.M. collected more insects, saw a seal at the harbour entrance (yearling, oiled, no tag.). Walked through the overrun. At least two strange Sandpipers there, three teal, two pintail, two Widgeon and one Shoveller. Counted thirteen Sharptails, twenty-eight Sanderlings, seventy-one Turnstones, 142 Plovers, two Grey Erolia and some other bird - half again larger than Sanderling, darker above but otherwise similarly colored. Black legs. Made arrangements to hunt at 8 a.m., Tuesday and tonight. Saw more Hawaiian Noddies today than in the past two weeks. Seemed to be numbers roosting in the Casarina at night, but few during day. They may be coming in at dusk or soon after to roost from the sea. I have been unable to count them on roosts at night but from their noise there must be plenty. Went Bonin banding but had little success (forty-seven birds, seven recoveries). The Bonins are very wary. Many have been killed. Rained out by 8:30. I did watch the whole precopulatory behavior in three pair of Bonins. No actual display, a very little moaning, BUT, the very same head pruning behavior I have seen as precopula for behavior in both the Albatross. The long session of preening three to seven minutes by the ♂ on the ♀'s head ends abruptly to no apparent signal and the ♂ simply