THE ROYAL ALBATROSS 273 



almost helpless on his breast. After albatrosses have been on 

 board for a few minutes they generally, but not always, throw up 

 a large quantity of oil. 



The Royal Albatross. 



Diomedea regia. 



Like the last species, but with the upper back destitute of fine 

 transverse lines; the lesser wing coverts mottled with grey. Eyelids, 

 black. Length of the wing, 25.5 inches; of the tarsus, 4.8 inches. Young, 

 similar to the adult; but the back usually with some irregular brown 

 blotches. Egg — 5 inches in length; rarely spotted. Breeds on Campbell 

 Island in the middle of November, the young being hatched in January. 

 It also breeds on the eastern end of Adams Island. 



These birds sometimes follow a vessel for days together, and 

 are .seldom seen to settle on the water except to feed. Several 

 well authenticated cases are known of albatrosses and Cape 

 pigeons following a vessel for several days in succession when the 

 vessel has been going from 150 to 200 miles in twenty-four hours ; 

 but these are exceptional cases. It seems incredible that any 

 animal should be able to undergo so much exertion for so long 

 a time without taking rest ; and in these cases it is not perhaps 

 necessary to suppose that they do so. Usually, marked birds are 

 not seen again ; but occasionally a marked bird puts in an 

 appearance after having been absent about two or three days. 

 Careful watching has shown that where there were fifty or a 

 hundred birds following a ship in the day, there are only one or 

 two at night, and in the morning-watch they may be seen coming 

 from all sides. The probable explanation, therefore, is that most 

 of the birds sleep on the sea ; and in the morning, knowing very 

 well that a vessel is the most likely place in which to obtain food, 

 they fly high, with the intention of looking for one. A few find 

 the vessel they were with the day before, but most find another 

 one. In the latter case, if the second vessel is going in opposite 

 direction to that of the first, they are never seen by the first 

 again. If, however, the course of the two vessels is the same, 

 the bird might lose the second and rejoin the first, after a lapse 

 of two or three days. A height of 1000 feet would enable a bird 



