Table 10 presents field counts at the Palau Islands in the period from
August 24 to September 21, 1945. Of 20 species of shore birds known from
the Palaus, 17 species were collected or identified on this trip. It was
apparent that the fall migration was at its height at this time. Birds
were numerous at inland openings and ponds, air field strips, and on the
extensive tidal flats at Akarakoro Point. The latter area is between
Peleliu and the adjacent island of Ngesebus to the north. Several
observations were made at this area (as indicated by the dates marked
with asterisks in the table); on September 8, 271+ shore birds were
counted; on September 16, 129+ were counted. Six species were observed
to be abundant. The majority of the birds found at these beaches were in
small flocks which consisted of several birds of one or more species.
The birds observed at Angaur on September 21 were seen at several fresh
and brackish ponds. Four species (_Tringa glareola_, _Erolia acuminata_,
_Limicola falcinellus_, _Gallinago megala_), which were not taken on the
tidal flats or elsewhere at Peleliu, were found at these ponds.
The abundance, and more especially the variety, of shore birds at the
Palau Islands during this period was in marked contrast to the smaller
and less diversified populations of shore birds in rather similar
insular environments at Ulithi and Guam. These differences offer support
for the supposition that the Asiatic-Palauan Migratory Shore Bird Flyway
is distinct from the Japanese-Marianan Migratory Shore Bird Flyway.
LAND AND FRESH-WATER BIRDS
The land and fresh-water avifauna of Micronesia consists of 147 kinds of
birds. Of these, 37 kinds are non-residents, 104 kinds are residents,
and 6 kinds have been introduced by man. The 104 resident birds include
98 kinds (94 percent) which are found only within the confines of
Micronesia. Included in these 98 kinds which are restricted to
Micronesia are 5 endemic genera, 31 endemic species and 76 endemic
subspecies.
Gulick (1932: 407, 413) stresses that the fauna and flora of the oceanic
islands may be "disharmonic" (he uses Easter Island as his example) and
says, "It is evident that mature groups of islands will attain an
internal harmony, from the standpoint of the systematist. But this
harmony, instead of reflecting the pre-existing harmony of some
continental source (as in the case of the continental islands or
land-bridge remnants) will be recognizably derivable by descent from a
quite limited number of original importations, at the start distinctly
miscellaneous and 'disharmonic'." Analysis of the land and fresh-water
avifauna of Micronesia supports Gulick's view.
[Illustration: FIG. 7. Divisions of the islands of part of the Pacific
Basin from the standpoint of the distribution of land birds and
fresh-water birds: (1) Micronesia; (2) Hawaii; (3) Central Polynesia;
(4) Eastern Polynesia; (5) Southern Melanesia; (6) Melanesia.]
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