Vol. XXI 

 1Q04 



"I W. K. Fisher, Habits of the Laysan Albatross. \ C 



vicinity of Laysan, that very few Laysan Gonies were seen at sea 

 after about 9 a. m. Tliat same day we sighted the island about 5 

 A. M., and when I arrived on deck about 5.30 I distinctly remem- 

 ber seeing many of the white species {imtniitabilis) circling about 

 the vessel. Later in the morning bnmutabilis almost entirely dis- 

 appeared, but some nigripes remained with us all day. On the 

 following morning we landed and I had no further opportunity to 

 observe. 



As Prof. C. C. Nutting, one of the naturalists of the expedition, 

 has said,^ " the most conservative estimate of the necessary food 

 supply yields almost incredible results. Cutting Mr. Schlemmer's 

 estimate [of the total number of albatrosses on the island] in two, 

 there would be 1,000,000 birds, and allowing only half a pound 

 a day for each, surely a minimum for these large, rapidly growing, 

 birds they would consume no less than 250 tons daily." From 

 rather extended observations on the feeding habits I would place 

 the quantity fed each young bird every morning at nearer one or 

 one and a half pounds of squid {Onimastrephes oiialaniensis Less., 

 O. sloanei Gray, and Onychoteuthis banksi Fer.^). I believe Prof. 

 Nutting's estimate of a million birds is not too great. Thus in 

 one day the Albatrosses alone would consume nearer 600 tons of 

 squid. Think of the amount all the shearwaters must consume, 

 and the tons of fish, large and small, eaten by boobies, frigate 

 birds, noddies, terns, and tropic birds ! 



As indicated above, breakfast may be ready almost anytime 

 during the early forenoon, for the mother does not invariably feed 

 the baby immediately on returning. However, when all is ready 

 she alights near the impatient and greedy child, who immediately 

 takes the initiative by waddling up and pecking or biting gently 

 at her beak. (Plate VII, Fig. i.) This petitioning always takes 

 place, and acts perhaps as some sort of stimulus, for in a few 

 moments she stands up, and with head lowered and wings held 

 loosely at the sides (Plate VII, Fig. 2) regurgitates a bolus of 

 squids and oil. Just as she opens her beak, the young one who 

 has been standing ready, inserts its own crosswise, and skilfully 

 catches every morsel, which it bolts with evident relish. (Plate 



' Popular Science Monthly, Aug., 1903, p. 324. 



^ Schauinsland : Drei Monate auf einer Koralleninsel, p. 92. 



