SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION WASHINGTON 25, D. C. Progress Report McKean Island Four nights were spent here, the moon greatly hampering the bird banding. Surf was variable, being rough enough one day to upset the boat completely, tossing it and blood samples end over end. Only damage was the loss of our second motor cover, putting both S.I. motors our of action. (first cover lost during a near capsize on Howland) Birds Very abundant with Sooty Terns being one of the commoner species. An epidemic had hit the immature frigates and boobies killing 75 percent or better of the birds and as a result 845 Lesser Frigate and 43 Masked Booby bands were recovered. 14,495 birds of 14 species were banded and 197 returns were obtained on previously banded birds. This is broken down by species below. Species Number Banded Returns Pct. Pop. Handled Wedge-tailed Shearwater 253 4 70 Audubon's Shearwater 418 2 50 White Th. Storm Petrel 9 - 50 Red-tailed Tropic Bird 6 - 40 Blue-faced Booby 248 151 85 Brown Booby 23 1 50 Red-footed Booby 410 34 90 Golden Plover 1 - 01 Bristle Th. Curlew 22 - 25 Sooty Tern 11,926 - 10 Gray-backed Tern 299 1 08 Common Noddy 579 1 08 Fairy Tern 101 2 20 Blue-gray Noddy 200 1 08 11 birds of 4 species which died during blood sampling were collected Mammals: None Reptiles: Several geckos collected Fish: 15 individuals of 5 species were collected. Insects: All habitats and plant species were sampled. Six Berlizi samples were run. 140 specimens of 13 species were preserved. 1500 live ticks were collected