184 Transactions. — Zoology. 



x\lbatros in spirits of wine for critical examination by an 

 expert. I forwarded it to the well-known comparative 

 anatomist, Dr. Hans Gadow, F.R.S., at Cambridge, but he 

 reported that he could not discover any departure from the 

 normal character in the structure of the wing ; and so the 

 matter rests at present. The most remarkable point is that 

 the bird, without any apparent effort — without any visible 

 movement of the limbs themselves — by merely shifting its 

 position so as to alter the angle of incidence, performs an 

 elegant sweep, cutting a great figure 8 in the air, and, as 

 Froude puts it, with the adroitness of an accomplished skater 

 on an untouched field of ice. The one thing that surprises one 

 most, next to this marvellous power of sustained flight, is that 

 the Albatros will soar for hours together without once descend- 

 ing to the surface of the water to feed. And yet, if an 

 Albatros should happen to be caught, it immediately vomits 

 an abundance of pure oil, indicating anything but an empty 

 crop. The squid is said to be its principal food; but where 

 does it collect this diet ? and, if it is so plentiful on the surface 

 of the ocean, why do these birds so persistently follow ships 

 in search of food ? 



6th Mai'ch. — My "White Albatros appeared again about 

 11 a.m. to-day, so that it must have been on the wing during 

 part of the night. There was an easterly gale blowing, and 

 few birds to be seen. I observed some Dove Petrels (Prion 

 turtur), and some other White-bellied Petrels, but too far off 

 from the ship to permit of my identifying them with any cer- 

 tainty. They flew very low, turning often so as to expose the 

 underside, and were rapid on the wing. 



7th March. — We had a very tempestuous night, and this 

 morning not a single Albatros was to be seen. But we were 

 now followed by a flock of about forty large Grey Petrels 

 {Adamastor cinereus). The flight of this bird is very light 

 and buoyant, wdth scarcely any movement of the wings, the 

 back being slightly arched, the head drawn in close to the 

 body, and the tail partially spread. The motion is very 

 graceful, and, as the birds unceasingly cross and recross each 

 other's course in ever-varying circles, they furnish the listless 

 passenger on deck with very pleasant diversion. It would 

 seem that different areas or tracts of the ocean's surface are 

 inhabited by distinct species of Petrel, their presence or 

 absence being doubtless regulated by the abundance or other- 

 wise of their special food-supply ; and also that this species of 

 Petrel, like many others, hunts in communities. For, as we 

 proceeded on our course, there were fresh recruits, till, at the 

 close of the day, we had fully a hundred of these aerial fol- 

 lowers close in our wake. On garbage being thrown overboard 

 they would quickly congregate and settle down upon tlie 



