LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN PETRELS AND PELICANS. 15 



The youne; of most albatrosses are dark colored in their first plu- 

 mages, but in this species the youno- assume a first plumage closely 

 resembling that of the adult, hence the specific name, immutabilis. 



Food. — Doctor Fisher (1906) says of their food: 



Near the forms or nests one not infrequently finds solid pellets — disgorged by 

 the yonng in all probability, and by old birds too — consisting entirely of squid 

 beaks and opaque lenses of the eyes. These lenses become very brittle and 

 amber-like under the action of stomach juices and show a concentric structure. 

 Candle nuts, the large seed of Aleurites moUuccmia, were found by Mr. Snyder 

 in the interior of tlie island and were almost undoubtedly ejected by albatrosses. 

 As is well known, albatrosses pick up all sorts of floating material, and candle 

 nuts are frequently seen on the ocean, having been swept seaward by mountain 

 streams. 



Elsewhere (1904) he says: 



In their hours of toil they hie themselves off to sea and scour the waves for 

 tlie elusive squid, which is a staple article of diet for the larger members of 

 the vast bird population, the gannets, perhaps, excepted. About sunrise the 

 main body of the white company begins to return, and for several hours they 

 straggle in, tired but full, and seek their sleepy children, who are soon very 

 nmch awake. Although the Laysan albatrosses undoubtedly do a small part of 

 their fishing during the day, I can not help but feel, from the nocturnal or 

 crepuscular habits of their food — certain cephalopods — and the prevalent feed- 

 ing hours, that the major portion is done in the very early morning, perhaps 

 from just preceding dawn till light. I noted particularly during the one day I 

 was on the steamer, while she was dredging in the vicinity of Laysan, that 

 very few Laysan gonies were seen at sea after about 9 a. m. That same day 

 we sighted the island about 5 a. m., and when I arrived on deck about 5.30 

 I distinctly remember seeing many of the white species (immutahilis) circling 

 about the vessel. Later in the morning immutahilis almost entirely disappeared, 

 but some nigripes remained with us all day. On the following morning we 

 landed and I had no further opportunity to observe. 



As Prof. C. C. Nutting, one of the naturalists of the expedition, has said, 

 " the most conservative estimate of the necessary food supply yields almost 

 intredible results. Cutting Mr. Schlemmer's estimate (of the total number of 

 albatrosses on the island) in two, there would be 1,000,000 birds, and allowing 

 only half a pound a day for each, surely a minimum for these larger, rapidly 

 growing birds, they would consume no less than 250 tons daily." From rather 

 extended observations on the feeding habits, I would place the quantity fed 

 each young bird every morning at nearer one or one and a half pounds 

 of squid {Ommastreplies oualaniensis Less., O. sloanei Gray, and Onychotenthis 

 hanksi F^r.). I believe Professor Nutting's estimate of a million birds is not 

 too great. Thus, in one day the albatrosses alone would consume nearer 600 

 tons of squid. 



BehaviDT. — The flight of the Laysan albatross is said to be inferior 

 to that of the black-footed albatross, but, as I have not seen it, I can 

 not say in what way it differs from it. Its vocal powers have been 

 already referred to in connection with the nuptial dance. Doctor 

 Fisher (1906) also refers to the notes of the young as follows: 



It is worthy of record that the young often " sing " in a thin, high squeak, 

 which is kept up continuously for periods, and may be of service in guiding the 



