CLASS AVES. 



135 



beauty. Unable to move on land, except by a constant 

 succession of awkward tumbles, in the water it is a rare 

 swimmer and diver. Usually floating about half sub- 

 merged, it can at pleasure settle down, showing only its 

 head, or entirely sink, and, escaping with great swiftness, 

 rise far distant.* 



ORDER LONGIPENNES (Ion jl pen'nez). 



The long-winged birds are distinguished by the size 

 of their pointed wings and their palmate feet, with free, 

 elevated hind toe. Generally oceanic, they rest upon the 

 water, but do not dive. 



LONGIPENNES. 



f NOSTRILS TUBULAK. 



I 



I NOSTRILS NOT TUBULAR. 



Hallux rudimentary, 

 or wanting. 



Hallux small. 



> Albatross. 

 Gull. 



The Albatross and Petrel are characterized by a hooked 

 bill and long tubular nos- FIG. 227. 



trils. The Wandering Al- 

 batross is the largest sea- 

 bird, having an expanse of 

 ten to fifteen feet. Repos- 

 ing on the surface of the 

 water, with its head under 

 its wing, it is often found a 

 thousand miles from land.f 

 Once elevated in the air, 

 it seldom flaps its wings, 

 and yet ascends or descends apparently without an 



Di o mZ de' a ex' u lam. 

 Wandering Albatross. ( T V) 



* Its cry is somewhat like the howling of a wolf, and is thought to portend 



rain. 



t From a scrap of paper taken from an Albatross' neck by a sea-captain, and 

 now preserved in the Museum of Brown University, it is conclusively proved that 

 this bird, on one occasion at least, flew a distance between two points of 3,150 

 miles in twelve days. 



