With wings extended the albatross runs along the ground until it has headway enough 

 to rise against the wind like an aeroplane 



THE ALBATROSSES OF LAYSAN x 



By Homer R. Dill 



Of the University of the State of Iowa 



HUNDREDS of miles from the regular course of mail steamers, on a 

 tiny sand-grit island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, millions 

 of birds have made their homes; here for countless generations 

 they have lived, finding abundant food and suitable places in which to rear 

 their young. 



This primitive world, inhabited only by birds, is known as Laysan 

 Island and is one of the Hawaiian group. The island has an area of two 

 square miles, is low and flat, and although of volcanic origin has its upper 

 surface to-day completely covered with coral sand and phosphate rock. 

 The shores are of cream-white sand; the higher ground bordering the 

 beach is covered with a rich growth of low bushes and sand grasses, among 

 which are trailing vines. In the center lies a shallow lagoon unconnected 

 with the sea and not far from the south end of the lagoon is a small fresh- 

 water pond. From the central plane the sloping sides of the old coral 

 atoll basin are plainly visible, rising gently to the higher ground that 

 borders the beach. 



In the spring of 1911 I spent six weeks on this island with three assis- 

 tants, to study local conditions. We found twenty-three species of birds 

 living there, among them the Laysan albatross (Diomedca immutabilis) per- 

 haps the most notable. 



The birds did not seem to mind the presence of man; as our party toiled 

 up the beach through the loose coral sand these beautiful creatures were 



1 Illustrations from photographs by the Author 



185. 



