414 Mr. D. le Souef on Birds found 



difference in their size. The breadth across the wing;s^ when 

 stretched out^ was 8 feet from tip to tip. Frequently, when 

 one bird is on the nest_, its naate will be seen sitting close 

 alongside^ and they cackle one to the other and rub their 

 beaks together. Again, when two strange birds meet, they 

 stretch out their necks, make a loud cackling noise, and, 

 spreading out their tails, lean forward and put their heads 

 several times first on one side and then on the other side of 

 each other; and when a bird makes its way through the 

 colony, every sitting bird that it passes makes a lunge at it 

 with open beak, and it has to run the gauntlet while passing 

 through. 



The nests are situated at varying distances one from the 

 other, from a foot upwards, some on the ground and others 

 again on the uneven side or top of a point of rock. Some 

 of the birds had evidently come on shore to rest only, Avhile a 

 few of them had their heads turned back and partially under 

 their wings, and were asleep. 



When one wished to fly, it had to walk to the edge of the 

 cliff and go off with a downward sweep ; but when the wind 

 was blowing very strong the bird could then rise, facing it, 

 from a point of rock. One bird was found in a depression 

 about 60 feet across and 30 feet deep, with steep sides, and 

 it could neither climb nor fly out, so, having caught it, I 

 climbed up the bank \V\i\\ the bird under my arm and took it 

 back to the ''rookery.^' Their nests had the appearance of 

 being used year after year, probably being only renovated 

 each season. One unused nest was seen ; it was in good 

 preservation, although it had a little vegetation growing on it. 

 This species was named the '^ Shy Albatross" by Gould; 

 but nothing of the nature of shyness was noticed either at sea 

 or on land, for when crossing Bass Strait the birds frequently 

 came within a few feet of the vessel and settled on the water 

 again and again 20 feet away, in their endeavours to secure 

 the barracouta hook which was dragging through the water. 

 The hook was baited with a piece of wood and red flannel, 

 and they were easily caught with a hook and line. Sir Walter 

 Buller was informed bv a collector that these birds nested 



