134 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



[1898' 



snowy mountains of the Aleutian Islands. These birds offer a never 

 failing source of interest and instruction to the ocean traveller when 

 the sails flap idly against the mast and the voyage stretches out to a 

 wearisome length. As a matter of curiosity I made it a point at a 

 certain time each day to count and note down the number of Black- 

 footed Albatrosses that could be seen from the deck of the vessel, 

 the position of our vessel and any peculiar hydrographic conditions. 

 I copy the resulting table from my note book. 



Date. 



May 27 

 May 28 

 May 29 

 May 30 

 May 31 



June 

 June 

 June 

 June 

 June 

 June 

 June 

 June 

 June 

 June 10 

 June 11 

 June 12 

 June 13 

 June 14 

 June 15 

 June 16 

 June 17 

 June 18 

 June 19 

 June 20 

 June 21 

 June 22 

 June 23 



Longitude W. 



126° 40' 



122° 

 131° 

 131° 34 / 

 134° 16' 



12 / 

 20 / 



154° 41' 

 154° 41' 

 158° 43' 

 159° 58' 



164° 56' 



164° 55" 



Hydrographic Conditions 



Light breeze 



Fresh breeze 



Rough sea 



Gale 



Heavy sea ; little wind 



Calm 



Becalmed 



Fog ; strong breeze 



Calm 



Fresh breeze 



Rain 



Cold rain ; strong wind 



Rain ; heavy wind 



Warm and pleasant 



Strong breeze 



Slight breeze 



Cold ; calm 



Calm 



Slight breeze 



Fair breeze 



Calm ; cold 



High fog ; warm 



Fog 



Fresh breeze 



Fog; good breeze 



Fog ; cold 



Becalmed 



Becalmed 



Number 

 of 



Albatrosses. 



6 

 8 

 7 

 5 



11 



19 

 8 

 7 



17 

 7 

 7 

 6 

 7 

 8 

 8 



12 

 8 

 3 

 4 

 3 

 3 

 3 

 4 

 3 

 2 

 2 



1 

 



From the above table it would seem that in this case, at least, the 

 Black-footed Albatross during the early month of June is found 

 most abundant in latitudes between 50° and 52° north, and that 

 they are seen in greater numbers about a vessel on calm days. A 

 fine specimen of this species was taken May 11th by letting a 

 baited hook over the side of the vessel, the hook catching merely in 



