National Museum of Natural History (U.S.) Pacific Ocean Biological Survey Program, 1961-1973 : McKean annotated list

ORNITHOLOGY OP THE VITI? SAMOA AND TONGA ISLANDS
by Finsch and Hartlaub

-\Wo^eA Ovv<-\&\a

Peale found N. femoralis in large numbers on Vincennes Island of
the Paumotu group. Through Dr. Grfiffe we obtained it from McKeans Is¬
land of the Phoenix group, with the comment: "rare; feeds on crabs
along the beach."

QVevw*. O'c** * (AVc ‘me*, ojn

In the Calcutta Museum from the Bay of Bengal and from Singapore*
Individuals from the coast of the Sunda Islands (Java, Borneo, Sumatra)
and from the Moluccas (Obi Islands) in the Leiden Museum* According to
Gould, frequently in the Torres Strait and on the coast of Hew Holland,
particularly on the West Coast* It also occurs in the Philippines* Sent
in by Dr* Griffe from the Vitis and McKeans Island, Phoenix group. Accord¬
ing to Bloxham, on the Sandwich Islands.

Since our museum, thanks to Mr* Johann Ces. Godeffroy received
three of the eggs of this type sent by Dr. GrSffe from McKeans Island, we
consider it necessary to describe them in greater detail, particularly
since they differ substantially in form and markings. In general they
resemble very closely the eggs of St. fuliglnosa and stolida, and they
show the same grain.

Peale found them on the Vincennes Island of the Paumotu group. Dr.
Griffe on McKeans Island in the Phoenix group. In the Leiden Museum there
are individuals from the Indian Ocean and from Halmahera, the Eastern
Moluccas. r~ _

\ e>cy\

According to Gould it is common along the southeastern coast of
Australia, from Moreton Bay to Cape York. Forster cites it from the

* Fiji

6

Friendly Islands (Eaue and Gonga-tabu) and the Society Islands (Waihoo,
Waitahoo, Otaheiti and Huaheine). It is represented in the Paris Museum
from the Marquesas, thanks to Filleux. According to Peale it also occurs
on all coral islands in the South Seas. Dr. Pickering names Sydney Is¬
land and Gardner's Island as localities where this species was observed.
Darwin observed it on Keeling Island. Latham cites Christmas Island. Ac
cording to Cuming it breeds on Norfolk Island. Von Kittlitz identified
it on several of the islands in the Caroline Islands.

Dr. Graffe, who observed G. alba on McKeans Island in the Phoenix
group, reports the following: "breeds in October and November. Lays a
greenish brown, marbled, roundish egg, out in the open on rocks or
’ x>ulderB -"

A. stolidus is very gregarious, even during the incubation period,
which seems to take place at quite different times of the year, depending
on the locality. In the southern states and Cuba this occurs in May and
June, on the Somali Coast as well. But Darwin found this species nesting
on St. Paul in February, Gilbert observed this on the Australian coast in
November and December, and Pickering on Gardners Island in February. On
the Mordlock Islands the Senjawln naturalists observed large nesting
colonies, and according to Swinhoe these also occur on the coast of For¬
mosa. A. stolidus also nests on most of the Polynesian Islands.

The range of this Anous seems to extend exclusively over the eastern
seas. It is known from the north coast of Australia (Gould), Norfolk and
Nepean Island (Gray), Viti Islands and USa, the Wallis Islands (Griffe)
and Paumotu group, Raraka. Here Peale found them nesting in large numbers
on Enderby Island in January. According to Gould A. leucocapillus is
identical to A. stolidus in daily and nesting habits.

Neboux does not give a special locality, but names the Pacific Ocean
as the bird's range. Gould obtained this species from Christmas Island,
Peale from Hondean Island of the Paumotu group. Here he found this tern
nesting in the month of August. The eggs lay in small depressions of the
coral reef near the beach without any sign of a nest. Three eggs per
cavity were found. The bird may also lay four. The color of the egg is
pale, milky white with irregular sepia brown spots. Dr. Griffe sent in
this species from McKeans Island with the following comment: "lives
in pairs in rocky areas of the island and lays a white, brownish-black
spotted egg in October and November."

These observations thus do not exactly coincide with those made
by Peale.

These eggs, two of which were sent to us by Dr. Griffe from McKeans
Island, seem first to be very large in comparison with the size of the

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bird and differ greatly in coloration from all tern eggs known to us, but
they possess the same fine grain, showing only under the magnifying glass
fine pores and have a rather smooth feel*

P. nugax has been observed up to the present in the following lo¬
calities: on the east coast of Australia, in the northeastern part of New
Zealand, on the island of Norfolk (Gould), Lord Howes Island (Gray),

Christmas Island (Gray) and by GrSffe on Viti and McKeans Island (Phoenix
group). McGillivray found in July l8$4 nesting areas of this species on
Royal Island. The two eggs are snow-white.

The egg sent in by Dr. Gr&ffe is not snow-white but has a slightly
yellowish tint and is somewhat shiny on the surface. Due to the fine,
shallow but clearly visible pores it does not feel completely smooth. In
form it is rather similar to the eggs of Puffinus cinereus and major but
is less pointed, rather long, the two halves are almost identical, whereby
the pointed end contrasts very little. Length l n 10 ,n . Width l"3 ,n .

McKeans Island (Phoenix group), collected by Godeffroy. The entire
top, along with the lores, narrow under the eye and the posterior cheek
region dark smoky brown and black, the base of the feathers white; sides
of the head and entire underside, along with under wing linings and
axiilaries white; only the smallest wing liners on the underside of the
fore edge -- brown. The feathers of the sides of throat and breasts are
sooty brown with white tips. The feathers of the tarsus and undertail-
coverts sooty brown, with fine white tips; the lateral undertail-coverts
whitish on inside vane. The secondaries and primaries are a lighter brown
on the inner vane than on the outer, changing toward the base to pale white,
grayish on the underside. The bill is black; legs and toes blackish gray,
Inner side of the legs brownish; webs light, pale brownish. In life, iris,
feet and bill black (il) (Graffe). Nestlings from the same locality were
covered by long, soft down, dusky, gray-brown on the upper parts and white
on the under parts. Bill blackish-brown. Length circa ll ,f . Wings 6 f, 10 ,? ’.
Secondaries 2 t? 9 ,tf . Primaries 2 ff . Vanes ll’ f? . Bill height at base 4 ,n .
Length l6 ftr . M. Z. 15 f ”.

This typical Puffinus Is most similar in size and overall color dis¬
tribution to P. nugax. Sol. (assimilis. Gould) and P. obscurus. Gml. It
differs from P. nugax in its sooty brown undertail coverts and in the fact
that the sooty black of the head also covers the lores, the under-eye region
and the cheek area. These parts are white in the nugas. P. dichrousis
therefore even more similar to P. obscurus, differing however from the
latter due to the whitish inner vane of the lateral undertail-coverts. In
this respect P. dichrous is to obscurus as P. anglorum is to yelkuan. Since
we with Schlegel consider the difference in coloration of the undertail
coverts important enough for species differentiation for the Puffinus species,
we must consider this a new species. But if later studies indicate that

- 8 -

this characteristic is without specific value, P. dichrous could perhaps
he assigned to obscurus. Up to the present we have seen only one example
among those sent by Dr. Griffe. This came from McKeans Island, Phoenix
group. The species breeds here and lays a white, oblong, oval egg under
holes in rocks (Gr&ffe).

One individual from McKeans Island (Griffe) perfectly matched Gould*s
description. The bird skin was as follows: bill horny blackish, feet light
brownish, toes and webs light fawn-colored.

Gould discovered this species on the west coast of Australia where
it nested on many of the sandy Islands, on West Wallaby Island by name.
McGillivray also found it on Lord Howes Island, and Dr. Griffe sent In an
Individual from McKeans Island (Phoenix group). Its range has thus become
quite extensive.

Ph. phoenicurus breeds on most of these South Sea islands, as on the
Masearenes (Rodriguez) and the islands in the southern half of the Red Sea
(according to Riippell). Peale found it nesting in August in large numbers
on Houden and Sydney Islands in the Paumotu group, Krefft in July on the
Brampton Shoals to the east of Australia, Junge and McGillivray on Raines
Island In the Torres Strait. Eggs — according to the latter scientist
there are two eggs, while according to Peale there is usually only one.

The egg is laid in niches in the coral or under clumps of grass.

The long red tail feathers were formerly highly prized by the South
Sea islanders, particularly the Tahitians, as ornamentation. They were also
greatly sought after on the Sandwich Islands (Bloxh).

be PWj&gw o.e^seA^A-5 - * ol

The following localities have been definitely determined for this
species: West Indies, Bermuda (Wedderb et Hurd), Tobago (Kirk), Martinique
(Taylor), the coast of Peru (Tschud), Atlantic Ocean, the Island of As¬
cension (Acland), the Azores (Bolle); the west coast of Africa (Hartl),
the Somali coast (von Heuglin); in Polynesia; New Caledonia (Gray), McKeans
Island, Phoenix group, Viti and Samoa islands (Gr&ffe), the Friendly Is¬
lands (Gray), Society Islands (Gray), Paumotu group (Peale), Carolines
(Gray), Palmerston and Christmas Island (Gray).

~ ?o.ce€> oqS

Young bird: (McKeans Island) almost as the preceeding, but many
brown feathers on the back, and the rump thus appears an almost uniform
brown; the upper tail-coverts are white with brown tip edges.

Young bird (Texas?) Bremen Museum: the entire upper parts are al¬
most uniform brown, only on the shoulders, back and rump many white feathers
appear, most of which however show a washed out brown spot in the middle.

Many of the wing coverts have white tips; also the brown feathers of the
front part of the throat; the rest of the under parts, along with the wing
linings pure white*

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Atlantic Ocean (Sundev.), Ascension Island (Lesson), Red Sea (von
Heuglin), Cocos Islands and Sunda Strait (Leiden Museum), Torres Strait
and north Australia (Gould), Paumotu group, Honden Island (Peale), Phoenix
group, McKeans Island (Graffe). Dr. Pickering observed this species on the
last-named island also, as well as on Gardner and Wake Island and in the
vicinity of the Sandwich Islands, below l67°30' west longitude. It there¬
fore seems not improbable that this species reaches as far as the coast of
the Americas. The "Texas" on the tag of our individual is therefore un¬
doubtedly correct, although we cannot state this with absolute assurance.
The Sula dactylatra is a similar story. Bryant assigns this bird to the
Bahama Islands, at least including our species. Without comparing the
specimens we cannot say whether Disporus eyanops from the Berlin Museum
from Peru is genuine.

Peale found this species breeding in August on Honden Island and in
January on Enderby Island. Thus breeding is not limited to a specific
season, as with the related species. The birds had not made a real nest,
but the single egg lay on the bare sand or earth. In one nest two eggs
were found. According to Gould this species nests in large numbers as
well on Raines Island on the north coast of Australia and lays only one
egg. This latter is a dirty white, shot with reddish brown. As Peale
indicates, it receives this latter color through external influences.

Bryant gives S. dactylatra as breeding from Santo Domingo Rock (Bahamas),
but gives the number of eggs as two.

In the Facific Ocean we know of the following localities up to the
present time: Society Island, Huaheine, Oriadea (Forst.), Marquesas Is¬
lands (Jardine), Paumotu group, Honden Island, Enderby Island, Gardner
Island (Peale) and the Phoenix group, McKean Island (Peale, Gr&ffe). Gray
also indicates the Friendly Islands as an area. Gray also mentions this
species among the birds of New Zealand; it would thus extend at least south¬
ward past the Tropic of Capricorn.

D. piscator is identical to D. sula in habits. As the latter it is
a very gregarious bird, which dives very skillfully and feeds on fish and
crustaceans. In August Peale found hundreds of pairs nesting on Honden
Island (Paumoto group). The rather loosely built nests were placed in and
on bushes and some of them still contained eggs. The picture was the same
on Enderby Island in January. Some nests already contained well developed
young, while freshly laid eggs were found in others. Mostly there was only
one egg or one young. McGillivray also gives one egg as the usual number.

It is white in color. McGillivray found in May on Raine Island off the
north coast of Australia only one egg; the nesting seemed to be over. Sal-
vin investigated the nesting places of this booby in May on the coast of
Honduras. Nesting activities thus do not seem to be limited to a specific
season. A detailed report on this is given by Peale, McGillivray and Salvin
(Ibis 1864, page 379).

- 10 -

We have collected the following remarks on the distribution of
this species: Australia and Polynesia: north and northeast coast of
Australia (McGillivray) Torres Strait (Gould), New Caledonia (Forster,
Verreaux), Tonga Islands, Lord Howes Island, Society Islands, Huaheine,
Oriadea (Forster), Endery Island (Gray), Bonin group (Kittlitz), Viti Is¬
lands, Samoa Islands, McKean Island, Phoenix group (Gr&ffe), Kingsmill
group, Gilbert Island, Paumotu group, Aurora Island (Peale), Marquesas,
Palmerston and Christmas Island (latter indications according to Gray).

D. sula breeds on most of the coral islands of the Pacific (accord¬
ing to Peale), as well as in the areas of central Polynesia to be dis¬
cussed by us, for Dr. Gr&ffe sent eggs from McKean Island.

The egg, collected by Dr. Griffe on McKean Island, Is oblong,
asymmetrical, clearly pointed at the narrow end and of a light greenish-
bluish color. This latter color is first in evidence when one removes
the dull, yellowish-white covering with a knife. This chalky covering
does not cover the egg evenly, but is so thin in places that a bluish
coloration shows through. In other places it seems particularly thick
and forms marked protuberances containing marks which at least in a fresh
state occurred during laying. Also under external influences the egg
has a rusty yellow coloration toward the end. Length 2"! 1 ", width l n 6 ttT .

D. sula may also breed along the African coast; the Leiden Museum possesses
a speciman collected in August on the Gold Coast.

Cassin's attempt to divide the great Frigate Bird into two species,
an Atlantic (T. aquilus) and a Pacific (T. Palmerstoni) has proven to be
quite untenable, since the characteristics which Cassin gives for the
Palmerstoni, such as "larger throat sack, narrower primaries and tail
feathers, longer tail and smaller size,” are far from constant and must
be ascribed to chance deviations. Between skins from McKean Island and
Brasil we have not found the slightest support for a species differenti¬
ation. It is also unjustified for Cassin to assign the smaller birds to
T. Palmerstoni Gml., since Latham indicates a larger size for these than
for aquilus.

The coast of the southernmost of the United States, Texas, Florida
(Baird), Gulf of Mexico (Audub.), West Indies: Cuba (Gundlach), Jamaica
(Gosse), Antigua and St. Croix (Newton), Bahamas (Bryant), Bermuda (Wedder-
burn); the coast of Guiana (Schomburgk) and Brasil (Prince Max, Burm.);
the west coast of the Americas: California (Baird), Venezuela (Sclat.),
Honduras (Salvin), Peru (Tschudi) and the Galapages (Darwin); in the At¬
lantic: Ascension Island (Lesson. Sclat.), Cape Verdes Islands (Bolle);
the west coast of Africa (Morgan), Congo (Turkey); Madagascar and Mauritius
(Goudot), Rodriguez (Newton); in the Indian Ocean: Ceylon (Kelaart), Cocos
Islands, Malabar coast and the Bay of Bengal (Jerdon), Sumatra (Raffles);
the Moluccas Halmahera (Leiden Museum), Batjan (Leiden Museum); in the

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Pacific: the north and east coast of Australia (Gould), Brampton Shoals
(Leiden Museum), New Caledonia (Forst.), Samoa Islands (Rosa Island,
Peale), Phoenix group, McKean Island (Gr&ffe), Society (Tahiti Forst.,
Huaheine Sclat.) and Marquesas Islands (Forst.), Paumotu group (Honden,
Bow and Ducis Islands, Peale), Palmerston Island (Latham), coral reef to
the north of the Sandwich Islands (Kittlitz) and Sandwich Islands (Gray).