322 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



as the adults, covered with Ijrownish down, except on the breast where 

 the wdiite permanent feathering had in most cases been acquired. 

 Their appearance is ludicrous bej'ond description, reminding one of 

 great Ijrown goslings sitting upright, balanced on their heels with 

 their toes in the air. Upon being approached they make no attempt 

 whatever to escape, but straighten up as if about to give a military 

 salute and snap their mandibles together with great rapidity, making 

 a rattling noise amusing at first, but annoying after a few thousand 

 repetitions. Occasionally they resented the intruding foot and vom- 

 ited a quantity of half-digested food, a most disgusting mess, over 

 the trouser leg of the visitor. 



Fu 



ACRES AND ACRf;S OF LEVEL GROUND LITERALLY COVEHKl) W ll'll A1.1;aT1:us^ES. 



The scene at the main rookery is beyond description. Here are 

 acres and acres of level ground worn bare of vegetation and lit- 

 erally covered with albatrosses. At the time of our visit probably 

 four out of five were young birds born the preceding February, al- 

 though adults are everywhere sprinkled among them. Although the 

 vast majority are of the white species, there are a few sooty albatrosses 

 which generally prefer the u])per levels of the beaches. Of course all 

 these youngsters have to be fed, and at any given time most of the 

 adults are at sea fishing for sustenance for theii' ra])idly growing and 

 voracious progeny. So far as we could ascertain lliis food consisted 

 almost exclusively of squid. The stomachs wo dissected contained 

 S(|iii(! and iiolliiiig else, and tlie only solid excrement was tlie eyes 

 and heaks of these animals. Mr. Sclilcinincr. maiiaiiXT for the guano 

 ('(iiiinanv, cstiniatcs thai alioiil twD mill ion albatrosses make (licir homo 



