6 to the surface by skipjack. The heaviest concentration of birds was found on the eastern leg where perhaps some effect of the Humboldt cur- rent may have brought fish to the surface. Area "F". 5°N-10°N along 112°W A rich counter-current with moderate winds, choppy seas, and rain squalls characterized this area. Large flocks of Sooty Terns and Wedge- tailed Shearwaters with assorted Pterodroma made this area quite inter- esting ornithologically. Plankton counts were higher in the North Equatorial Current, and yet bird populations were always found in the narrow counter-current. Complete analysis of environmental data from EASTROPAC cruises will aid in answering important questions of zoo- geographical distribution and niches of species native to the Equatorial Countercurrent.