4 BULLETIN 121, UNITED STATES NATIONAL. MUSEUM. 



peated attempts to seize the bait. It is said by Baird, Brewer, and 

 Ridgway (1884) to feed largely on " a pelagic crab." 



Behavior. — Doctor Fisher (1906) has described the flight of this 

 species so well that I can not do better than quote his remarks as 

 follows : 



As is well known, albatrosses are past masters at soaring or sailing. If the 

 wind is favorable they are able to skim over the water for a long time without 

 once flapping their wings. D. nigripes is certainly no exception to the general 

 rule, and we had ample opportunity to witness their powers. The long slender 

 wings, with long humeral bones, are eminently fitted for this sort of existence, 

 and their construction renders flapping laborious, for in proportion to its size 

 the albatross is not a very muscular creature and could not fly a great distance 

 if obliged to do so by wing beats. When a stiff breeze is blowing albatrosses 

 can sail only against the wind or with it, and are able to quarter a breeze, or go 

 directly across it only for a short distance and when under great momentum. 

 When we were steaming directly against the wind the albatrosses had no trouble 

 in following us, and they would fly all around the ship without flapping their 

 wings except when the breeze was strong, and then they were obliged to give 

 a few vigorous beats when turning up into the wind. When, however, our course 

 lay at an angle to the wind, they followed us by sailing in a series of ellipses. 

 They would, in this case, sail directly against the wind, approaching us on the 

 starboard quarter, go over the stern a short distance to port, then wheel and 

 scud before the breeze perhaps 100 yards off the starboard quarter, when they 

 turned and approached us as before. Their speed was so superior to ours that 

 they were able to keep up without any trouble, and their frequent trips astern 

 and rapid overhauling again made our cumbersome gait all the more apparent. 

 Of course as they neared the turning point each time they had to quarter the 

 breeze a little and for a moment sail directly across it. 



The position in which the wings are held when sailing against or with the 

 wind is quite characteristic in either case. When coming against the breeze 

 the carpal segment and primaries are bent downward, as if to catch the wind, 

 but when the bird turns and goes with the breeze the ends of the wings ar« 

 bent up. When sailing against the wind they often gradually rise, but they 

 are likewise perfectly capable of descending, and when going swiftly with 

 the wind they not infrequently, in fact usually, make a long swoop down- 

 ward and skim over the water, rising a little as they turn to come to wind- 

 ward. The position of the wings in the two cases seems to be constant. In 

 the first case they catch more wind, and the fact that the birds generally rise 

 a little shows that the wings act on the same principle as a kite. On the 

 other hand, when sailing with the breeze, the position is such as gives less 

 resistance to the wind. 



It was a constant source of delight to watch the graceful evolu- 

 tions of this albatross, as it followed our ship day after day, rising 

 and falling at will and sailing straight with the wind on rigid wings. 

 The large webbed feet were stretched out beyond the tail, and, 

 with webs extended, served as a rudder in turning. When alight- 

 ing on the water the feet were spread wide apart, the tail was spread 

 and depressed and the wings were held upwards as it dropped 

 gently down onto the crest of a wave ; it deliberately folded its long 

 wings without wetting them. After alighting, it often drifted far 



