R.S. Boorman Audubon's Shearwater McKean Island 24 Oct. One adult bird buried up a gravity of a 3" Scombrids. An adult ? or fr. egg was collected Last night. Bird was pure melanistic - had a few flicks of small white feathers around the head region; otherwise was all black. The mate was normal colored. Nest was under a pile of Pteridophyta molds (dead) just west of the main wall complex on W. side. This is the first I have ever seen personally on this island. This species is speedily numerous in practically all portions of the island at night. During the day they are rarely in evidence, but begin coming in from the ocean at near dusk. Apparently, the McKean population is highly concentrated and I would imagine the nest totals of the resident population sleeps each night on the island - whether or not the members are breeding. I inadvertently skulled several hundred of this species during the stay, but never got a single band return. I believe the bulk of the bands have been worn off. They are fierce little dividers. Since I had 450 banded birds, I decided not to waste time putting more aluminum bands on. Thus in effect I did little at all with the species. To the best of my recollection, I saw throughout the stay about as many young Audubon's eggs as I saw eggs. The total of each, I would imagine R.S. Boorman Audubon's Shearwater Archer Island 24 Oct. get about 10" each. There I mainly found while digging for WSP or Balmoral Petrels. From fairly good recollection, however, for every egg or chick noted, about 70 nest cavities were found empty with birds in them. There is certainly far less nesting and fewer in July. I would imagine that a loss or kill in the nesting is occurring at this time. Birds however are everywhere. In all types of cover and even on the whole island except coastal regions - I had neither the opportunity nor the desire to mess with any female. Daily testing with this species, without any live birds, and no male or female specimens. I believe the July figure was considerably less (4-500) and think that there can be no less than 8000 of this species present, probably considerably more. Taking into consideration the number of Megapodius present on the island - although there are perhaps granted in our area - I do not believe there can be any less than 500 Audubon's Shearwater in their widespread presence in all types of habitat.