no THE ARCTURUS ADVENTURE 



my presence, was very striking. The former 

 watched my approach gravely and without fuss or 

 sound chose their course of action. If on an egg 

 they permitted no famiharity, but snapped with 

 their powerful hooked beaks, and vigorously re- 

 sented any advance. With a stick I gently pushed 

 one of the great birds back until the egg was un- 

 covered, then took it up, examined it, and replaced 

 it, when the parent, with no show of resentment 

 or worry, shifted slowly forward, opened wide her 

 breast feathers and gently sank close down upon it 

 again (Fig. 25). 



I am describing this rookery of albatrosses 

 calmly, as if it was to me merely an extension of 

 the myriads of nests of the other seabirds. But in 

 reality it was one of the gi-eat experiences of my 

 life, set apart from the rest of the rookery as 

 Buckingham Palace is from the houses of Gros- 

 venor Square. Here at last was the bit of dry 

 land where these splendid creatures of the air 

 deigned to alight and to carry on the affairs of 

 everyday life. 



I saw one coming in from the open sea, steadily 

 as a triplane, without quiver or shift or balance 

 of wing. When over the level ground the wings 

 were tipped backward — the under surface pre- 

 sented as a brake, the legs lowered, the head held 

 up, and with all its might the albatross bore back 

 and began paddling furiously with its great 

 webbed feet, seeking foothold as it taxied over the 

 rough gi'ound. Slower and slower became its 

 speed, and finally the wings half reefed and gave 



