DIOMEDEID^: ALBATROSSES. 1023 



for its length, coracoids short, with broad bases and widely divergent axes and a small manu- 

 brium of the furcula. The skull lacks basipterygoids. The species are ©f maximum size in 

 the order Tuhinares, and among the very largest of swimming birds, equalling or exceeding a 

 Goose in bulk of body. The adult and young generally differ in plumage, contrary to the rule 

 in this order. The nest is built on open ground, not in a burrow as is common among Petrels. 

 The egg is single, colorless or nearly so ; both sexes incubate. There are about 1.5 good spe- 

 cies of Albatrosses, besides 2 or 3 doubtful ones, representing 3 genera; most of them belong 

 to Southern seas; only 3 are properly North American, but I describe 3 others as stragglers to 

 our shores. Among well-known extralimital species are Diomedea melanophri/s, Thalassogeron 

 chhrorhj/nchus, and T. cautus. A fossil species, D. anrjlka, occurs in the Pliocene of England. 



Analysis of Genera. 



Tail rounded, contained about thrice in length of wing. Bill stout ; under mandible not sulcata. 



Culminicorn wide at base, there joining latericom Diomedea 



Culminicorn narrow at base, there separated from latericom Thalassogeron 



Tail cuneate, contained about twice in length of wing. Bill compressed, with frontal re-entrance and lateral salience 

 of feathers at base ; under mandible with a long lateral groove Phaebetria 



DIOMEDE'A. (Gr. AiofirjSrjs, Diomedes, a Grecian hero at the siege of Troy ; literally, coun- 

 selled from Zeus; Zeis (in compos. Aio-, Dio-), Zens, and /njjSea, medea, pi. of /i^Soy, medos, 

 counsel. But Newton observes that the Ares Diomedece of Pliny, inhabiting certain Adriatic 

 islands of the same name, ''seem to have been Shearwaters of some sort.") Albatrosses. 

 Bill thick, stout, and heavy, especially broad at base, without colored groove along lower man- 

 dible, or other special particoloration. Nasal tubes ample. Tail short, rounded, less than 

 half the wing (in one species about one-third the wing). Coloration variegated with white 

 and black, or uniformly fuliginous. Of largest size. D. exulans is type of this genus ; our 

 two species fall in a subgenus Phosbastria. 



Arialysis of Subgenera and Species. 



Bill very large, with outline of culmen very concave from base to hook, and outline of feathers at base strongly an- 

 gulated on both mandibles. (Diomedea proper.) exulans 



Bill small, with little culminal concavity, and nearly straight outline of feathers around the base. (Ph(ebastria.) 



Adult white, with yellowish head and dark wings and tail ; bill and feet light nlbatrns 



Adult white, with dark spot before eye, and dark wings and tail ; bill dark, feet flesh-color . . immutabilis 

 Adult chiefly fuliginous ; bill dark and feet black nigripes 



(Subgenus Diomedea.) 



D. ex'ulans. (Lat. ])rosent participle of e.rulare, exsulare, to banish, be or make an exile or 

 wanderer.) WAXDRiiiNct Albatross. Adult: White; the flight-feathers dusky or black- 

 ish, the back, scajjulars, and wing-coverts more or less barred or otherwise variegated with 

 black ; tail mostly white, but somewhat variegated. Bill dull yellowish tinge, very large 

 and stout, strongly hooked, with deeply concave culmen, and strongly angulated outline of 

 feathers on both mandibles. Feet Hcsh-colored. Young : Dark brown, paler or whitish oa 

 the under parts and neck ; fixce and lining of wings white ; flanks variegated ; a dark crown- 

 patcli ; upper surface of wings uniformly dusky ; under tail-coverts dark. Very large ; 

 length 3^ to 4^ feet ; extent 10 feet or more; wing 2 feet or more; tail 8.00 inches; bill 

 about 7.00 ; tarsus 5.00 ; middle toe and claw (1.50. Egg single, 4.75 X 3.25, ovate-ellip- 

 tic, white, but minutely dotted in ])art. A species of most extensive distribution in South- 

 ern seas, repeatedly attributed to North America, and as often dropped for lack of conclusive 

 evidence of its occurrence. It probably requires to be reinstated ; but its present status is 

 hypothetical, as late records from Tampa Bay, Florida, and the mouth of the Columbia 

 Kiver are considered unsatisfactory. See CoUES, Auk, Oct. 1885, p. 387 ; Apr. 1895, p. 178; 



