46 



THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



WHITE-CAPPED ALBATROSS ON EGG 



Professor Mosetey describes the eg^ of' the albatross as beinr 

 held in a sort of pouch 



albatross, haunting the coasts in search 

 birds. Professor Moseley aptly 

 likens it to the vulture: "It 

 soars all day along the coast 

 on the look-out for food. No \ 

 sooner is an animal killed 

 than numbers appear as if 

 by magic, and the birds are ^•^'-- ^'^^ 

 evidently well acquainted with 

 the usual proceedings of 

 sealers, who kill the sea- 

 elephant, take off the skin 

 and blubber, and leave the 

 carcase. The birds gorge 

 themselves with food, just like 

 the vultures, and are then 

 unable to fl\'. I came across 

 half a dozen at Christm.is 

 Harbour in this condition. 

 We landed just opposite 

 them ; they began to run to 

 get out of the way. The 

 men chased them ; the_\- ran 

 off, spreading their wings, but 

 unable to rise. Some struggled 



Rothschild. They are from his book on the avifauna 

 of Laysan Island, in the North Pacific. Unfortu- 

 iiatel)' for the albatrosses and other birds, traders 

 have been attracted to Laysan for the sake of the 

 guano deposits. The birds were strictly protected 

 during the occujiation of .Mr. I'reece, but when he 

 left they had no friend to shield them, and their 

 eggs were taken in cart-loads, as the accompan\-ing 

 photograph shows. 



When an albatross makes love. Professor Moseley 

 tells us, he stands " by the female on the nest, 

 raises his wings, spreads his tail and ele\ates it, 

 throws up his head with the bill in the air, or 

 stretches it straight out forwards as far as he can, 

 and then utters a curious cry. . . . \\ liilst uttering 

 the cry the bird sways his neck up and down. The 

 female responds with a similar note, and the}' bring 

 the tips of their bills lovingly together. This sort 

 of thing goes on for half an hour or so at a time." 



There are several different kinds of albatross. 

 The largest measures over i i feet across the out- 

 stretched wings. They are inhabitants of the southern 

 seas. 



After the Albatrosses, the largest bird of the 



group is the Gl.WT Petrei,. The sailors call 



it " Break-bones," "Nelly," or " Stinker." In habits 



it differs much from its aristocratic relative the 



if dead seals and whales, and the bodies of other 



' th, Htn. ll'altir Ktlhuhil.t] 



[rr„j. 



CARTING ALBATROSS EGGS ON THE ISLAND OF LAYSAN 



Wf one time these birds tvere protected ^ as this photograph testifies, this is no longer the case 



