R. S. Crossin 1965 Laysan 7 August Less than 1,000 birds left. Most still appear healthy, although very reduced in weight. Very few newly dead individuals are to be found, so apparently most have at least left the island alive. One adult seen in the night by a chick. 8 August Two adults seen standing by chicks - daytime. 10 August One adult seen on the south end during the night. 18-21 July Black-footed Albatross - All Black-foot chicks are about equal in the size and weight ranges to those of the Laysan. A great many of the Black-feet are concentrated on the N end of the island along the beach. This is apparently the center of nesting. In comparing like stages of young, the black-feet appear to be slightly heavier and larger proportioned than the Laysans. Estimated number of Black-feet are about 4-5,000. No Black-feet adults were observed coming in to feed the chicks. 7 August Less than 50 individuals are now on the island. A number (ca. 25) carcasses were found on the north end of the island where the large concentrations were found in July. Those that remain are small, light individuals which do not appear to have the strength to even fly. 18-21 July Wedge-tailed Shearwaters - Next to the Sooty Tern, this is the most numerous bird on the island. The wedge-tails nest over most of the island and are not confined to specific colonial areas. They are to be found on the larger beaches, Scaevola stretches, within the tern colonies and around the lake in all types of cover. The burrows may be up to about 3 feet deep, but most are not dug to this depth. Occasionally a bird will be seen incubating an egg in the open, but I believe these are birds which have had their burrows destroyed at about the time of egg laying and have chosen the handiest spot because those in the open usually have very fresh eggs, whereas all eggs checked in burrows were in varying stages of incubation. In certain areas, especially in the grass tuft fields about the tern colonies, it is extremely difficult to walk, because the ground is so undermined with tunnels and ? ? inconstantly as one moves about. Estimated 100,000 birds on island. 7 Aug New estimate of between 150,000 and 200,000. Possibly up to 1/3 of the occupied burrows have newly-hatched chicks on piping eggs. Some new burrows are constantly being dug, but whether these birds will lay or not is unknown. Large clubs of up to a couple at night in open areas. In daytime large groups are found by the lagoon shore, but these increase at night. Christmas Island Shearwater - Estimated 3,000 birds on island. Very very few birds seen. Those that were seen were usually in Scaevola ? along the west beach. One pair was found with a full grown chick in a burrow within the Sooty tern colony on the east side of island in the grass clump field. This young was in a shallow burrow (about 1 ft. deep) and completely covered with fuzzy down (blackish). Another young about the same size was found crawling under dense Scaevola