COURTING DANCE of the great waved 

 albatross of the Galapagos is one of the 

 most fascinating and yet ludicrous phe- 

 nomena known to ornithologists. These 

 photographs show two phases of the 

 dance as taken in motion pictures on 

 Hood Island, four miles from Gardner 

 Bay, location of the only known breed- 

 ing place of these rare birds, Diomedea 

 irrorata. Males of the species strut and 

 waddle in eccentric fashion, returning 

 to address the female like a soldier at 

 salute. Then they thrust their long beaks 

 skyward like rapiers; bring them down 

 to one side, touching the wing coverts; 

 parry and plunge into a lightning-like 

 fencing foray, rattling their beaks like 

 experts with the foils. The routine is re- 

 peated time after time with little varia- 

 tion, always to the count of three. 



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