174 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS: ZOOLOGY. 



have had many opportunities of watching the yellow-billed species [D. 

 melanophrys), and I have noticed that it sometimes uses its wings to 

 raise or propel itself in such a manner that to a superficial observer it 

 would then appear to be only soaring with wings stationary. It does not 

 ' flap ' them, but depresses them rapidly towards the breast, so that it 

 seems as if the body were being raised at the expense of the wings, 

 whereas, in reality, the entire bird is elevated. The movement does not 

 resemble a flap, simply because the return of the wings to the horizontal 

 position is accomplished by a comparatively slow movement. By resorting 

 to this manoeuvre occasionally, it is able to maintain a soaring flight for 

 periods which, without its aid, might be considered extraordinarily long. 

 Of course, when it wants to gain a fresh stock of buoyancy and momentum, 

 it gives three or four flaps like any other bird." 



Genus PHCEBETRIA Reichenbach. 



Type. 



Phccbetria, Reichenb. Natiirl. Syst. Vog. p. v. (1852); 

 Coues, Proc. Acad. Sci. Philad. 1866, p. 186; Forbes, 

 Voy. Chall. Zool. IV. pt. xi. p. 42 (1882); Ridgw. 

 Man. No. Am. Eds. p. 53 (1887); Salvin, Cat. Bds. 

 Brit. Mus. XXV. p. 453 (1896); Sharpe, Hand-List 

 Bds. I. p. 129 (1899) P. fiiliginosa. 



Diomedea (partim), Bp. Consp. Av. II. p. 184 (1855). 



Geographical Range. — Southern Oceans. 



Phcebetria fuliginosa (Gmelin). 



Sooty Albatross, Lath. Gen. Syn. III. pt. i. p. 309 (1785). 



Diomedea fuliginosa, Gm. Syst. Nat. I. p. 568 (1788); Oust. Miss. Sci. 



Cap Horn, Oiseaux, pp. 303, 332 (1891 : Falkland Islands: Tierra 



del Fuego). 

 Phcebetria fttliginosa, Salvin, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XXV. p. 453 (1896); 



Sharpe, Hand-List B. I. p. 129 (1899); Carbajal, La Patagonia, Part 



II. p. 277 (1900): Oates, Cat. Bds. Eggs, Brit. Mus. I. p. 164 (1901); 



Sharpe, Rep. Coll. Nat. Hist. "Southern Cross," Aves, p. 164 (1902). 



General description. 



Size. Adult Male. — Total length, about 36 inches. 



