NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 41 



tint shell blotches; sizes range from 1.65 to 1.98 in length by 1.31 

 to 1.40 in breadth. 



* * Diomedea exulans LINN. 



Wandering Albatross. 



Hab. Southern seas, north very irregularly to Florida (Tampa Bay) and coast of Washington Ter- 

 ritory. 



This Albatross wanders over the vast waters of southern seas 

 ranging as far north on the Atlantic coast of Africa as the Canary 

 Islands, on that of South America to Trinidad Island and beyond. 

 The bird has been taken in Europe, and it is admitted to the North 

 American fauna on the grounds of its occurrence as stated in the hab- 

 itat. It has been found breeding on various islands of the South At- 

 lantic and Indian Oceans, on Prince Edwards, Crozete, and Kergue- 

 len Islands lying southeast of Africa, and on the Island of Tristan d' 

 Acunda to the southwest. At the latter place it breeds in January, 

 nesting on the highest ledges of the cliffs. Dr. J. H. Kidder met with 

 a number of these birds nesting on Kerguelen Island on the 2nd of 

 January. The nests were upon tall mounds, built up of grass to the 

 height of two or more feet from the ground, and, being of different 

 heights, seemed to have been used again and added to year after year. 

 Dr. Kidder counted twenty-three birds in sight at one time, each 

 perched upon its nest. Driven from the nests and compelled to walk, 

 the birds looked not unlike overgrown geese.* 



The single egg is white, minutely sprinkled over the large end 

 with brownish. Various specimens measure from 4.80 to 5.21 long by 

 3.08 to 3.25 broad; the average size is about 4.79 x 3.15. 



81. Diomedea nigripes AUD. [700.] 



Black-footed Albatross. 



Hab. North Pacific, including west coast of North America. 



The Black-footed Albatross is an abundant bird of the North 

 Pacific Ocean. Like others of this family, it is noted for its protracted 

 powers of flight, following vessels for hundreds of miles and subsisting 

 on the refuse thrown overboard, which, with crabs, etc., is its main food. 



Very little is known concerning the nesting habits of this species. 

 It is said to breed on the small guano islands south-west of the Sand- 

 wich group in the North Pacific, depositing a single white egg in a 

 depression of the soil, surrounded with a little sea-weed. 



82. Diomedea albatrus PALL. [701.] 



Short-tailed Albatross. 



Hab. Pacific Ocean, including western coast of America, northward to Bering Sea. 



This Albatross inhabits the Pacific Ocean at large. It breeds on 



* Bulletin No. 2, United States National Museum, p. 20. 



