Part 4

Many land birds in Micronesia depend directly on the plant life for food. Possibly the soil (including its mineral content), upon which the plants themselves depend for development of fruits and other edible parts, may offer a limiting factor to the distribution of birds in Micronesia. Possibly the fruits and other edible parts of plants do not provide the necessary amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and other essential food items for species of plant-eating birds, which have not become established in Micronesia. Possibly some species of plant-eating birds have reached Micronesia but have failed to establish themselves because of some dietary deficiency caused by poverty of the soils on which the plants grow. If a comparison were made of soils and of the food values of fruits of plants in both the islands of Micronesia and similarly sized islands in the Malay region, a difference might be revealed which would partly explain why some plant-eating birds have not become established in Micronesia.

GAZETTEER OF ISLANDS OF MICRONESIA

In the following list the name in current usage for each island or island group in Micronesia is followed by other names which have been used. There is no attempt made to list the names of the small islands of each atoll or those of the myriads of small islets that lie offshore from the larger volcanic islands. Collections have not been made on most of the smaller islands. For the few on which a species has been collected, the islet is adequately described in the account of the particular species concerned. The reader may refer to Brigham (1900) for a listing of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the islands included in the following list may be located on the map of Micronesia as shown in figures 2, 3, 4, and 5. These listings follow in order of arrangement those in the Civil Affairs Handbooks, published by the United States Navy Department (1943, 1944a, 1944b, and 1944c).

MARIANA ISLANDS

The Mariana Islands (also called Ladrone, Marianne, Marian) consist of 14 single islands and one group of three islands. The Marianas are all "high" or volcanic islands. The islands, shown in figure 2, are listed as follows:

Agrihan (also called Agrigan, Arijan, Francisco Xavier, Granger, Gregus, Grigan, San Francisco Javier).

Agiguan (also called Agaigan, Agiigan, Agiguan, Agigwan, Aguigan, Aguijan, Aguyan, Guigan, Saint Ange, Santa Angel).

Alamagan (also called Almagan, Aramagan, Concepcion).

Anatahan (also called Anatagen, Anatajen, Anataxan, San Joaquin).

Asuncion (also called Asonson, Assongsong, Assumption).

Guam (also called Guaham, Guahan).

Guguan (also called Guguwan, Guugwan, Piedras, San Felipe, St. Philippe).

Maug (also called Mang, Mangs, Mauga, Monjas, Mougu, Saint Laurent, San Lorenzo, Tunas).

Medinilla (also called Bade, Bird, Farallon de Medinilla, Rocher).

Pagan (also called Pagon, Paygan, St. Ignace, San Ignacio).

Rota (also called Luta, St. Anne, Santa Ana, Sarpan, Satpana, Suta, Zarpane).

Saipan (also called (Saepan, St. Joseph, San José, Saypan, Siepan, Serpan, Seypan).

Sarigan (also called St. Charles, San Carlos, Sariguan, Sarigwan).

Tinian (also called Bona Vista, Buenavista, Temean, Tenian, Tiniamou).

Uracas (also called Guy Rock, Farallon de Pájaros, Pájaros, Urakasu).

PALAU ISLANDS

The Palau Islands (also called Arrecifos, Palaos, Paleu, Pally, Paloc, Pannog, Parao, Pelew) consist of 8 large islands, 18 smaller islands, and a large number of minute islets, all enclosed in a single reef system. The northern islands (Babelthuap and Koror) are of volcanic origin; the southern islands (Peleliu and others) are of coralline formation. Angaur, to the south of Peleliu, may be included with the Palau Archipelago. From the standpoint of the avian zoogeography, the coral islands or atolls of Kayangel, Merir, Pulo Anna, Sonsorol, and Tobi are also included. The principal islands, shown in figure 3, are listed below:

Arakabesan (also called Ngarekobasang).

Aurapushekaru (also called Aburashokoru, Auluptagel, Oluksakel, Oropu-shakaru).

Babelthuap (also called Babeldzuap, Babel Taob, Babelthouap, Baberthaob, Baberudaobu, Babldaob).

Eil Malk (also called Amototi, Cogeal, Irakong, Makarakaru).

Garakayo

Koror (also called Coror, Goreor, Kororu).