442 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



6th of May in lat. 40° S., long. 154° W. ; in the Pacific near 

 Cape Horn on the 20th of May in lat. 50° S., long. 90° W., 

 and still more abundantly in the Atlantic on the 12th of June 

 in lat. 41° S., long. 34J° W. 



The cuneated form of the tail, which is peculiar to this 

 species, together with its slight and small legs and more de- 

 licate structure, clearly indicate that it is the most aerial 

 species of the genus; and accordingly we find that in its 

 actions and mode of flight it differs very considerably from 

 all the other species of Albatros, its aerial evolutions being 

 far more easy, its flight much higher, and its stoops more 

 rapid ; it is moreover the only species that passes directly over 

 the ship, which it frequently does in blowing weather, often 

 poising itself over the masthead, as if inquisitively viewing 

 the scene below ; at this moment it off'ers so inviting a mark 

 for the gunner, that it often forfeits its life. 



Latham states that it breeds on " the island of Tristan 

 d'Acunha, is gregarious, many of them building their nests 

 close to each other ; in the area of half an acre were reckoned 

 upwards of a hundred. The nest is of mud, raised five or six 

 inches, and slightly depressed at the top ; when the young 

 birds are more than half- grown they are covered with a whitish 

 down ; they stand on their respective hillocks like statues, 

 till approached close, when they make a strange clattering 

 with their beaks, and if touched, squirt a deluge of foetid oily 

 fluid from the nostrils." 



The whole of the plumage deep sooty grey, darkest on the 

 face, wings, and tail ; shafts of the primaries and tail-feathers 

 white; eyes very dark greyish brown, surrounded, except 

 anteriorly, by a beautiful mark of white ; bill jet-black, with 

 a longitudinal line of white along the under mandible, this 

 white portion not being horny like the rest of the bill, but 

 composed of fleshy cartilage, which becomes nearly black 

 soon after death ; feet white, tinged with fleshy purple. 



