158 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



Longitude 50 3' 47" W., the first albatros* was 

 seen. 



I may here mention that, though many attempts 

 were made in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian 

 Oceans, we never caught an albatros on a line. 

 We subsequently came to the conclusion that they 

 will not take a baited hook unless they are very 

 badly in want of food. Possibly we were sailing 

 at too great a speed, but a long line was used, 

 and the bait was kept motionless on the water 

 for as long a time as possible. When hove-to off 

 Tristan da Cunha, Captain Caws and I spent hours 

 " fishing " for sooty albatroses, but although several 

 of these birds took the bait in their bills, they 

 would not swallow, and usually dropped it im- 

 mediately. This is, I know, not the experience 

 that others have had with albatros " fishing,' 1 

 as several friends have since assured me that these 

 birds are easily caught. 



The next day the giant petrelf was seen. In 

 size this fine bird equals several of the smaller 

 species of albatroses, and when on the wing it 

 much resembles the sooty albatros, but its yellow 

 bill serves to distinguish it. Occasionally, almost 

 entirely white examples of the giant petrel are 

 met with, but we only once saw one. It is now, 

 I believe, well known that the attacks which have 

 often been reported as having been made by 



* Diomedea exulans. f Ossifraga gigantea. 



