322 Capt. G. E. H. Barrett- Hamilton on the 



ship with very little apparent exertion, occasionally alighting 

 in order to examine something thrown overboard which 

 strikes their fancy. Biscuit, however, they seem not to 

 care for in the slightest, treating it with utter contempt. 

 We often used to wonder how so many large birds managed 

 to get their living at sea, for although they were constantly 

 on the look out, it was very seldom that we saw them feed. 

 To the flying fishes, which sometimes passed quite close to 

 them, they paid no attention, and their whole sustenance 

 seemed to be derived from the refuse thrown from the ship. 

 When this contained anything suitable to their tastes they 

 rapidly gathered together from all sides and alighted on the 

 water, a squabbling gang of feathered scavengers. When 

 swimming they sit very high in the water, and rise without 

 difficulty, unless gorged. If intending to move only for a 

 few yards they have a curious habit of literally walking on 

 the surface, opening their wings, yet not flying, and pre- 

 ferring to make use of their large webbed feet to help 

 themselves along. So, too, when about to alight on the 

 ocean, their feet, suddenly thrown forward like those of 

 a duck, are the first part of them to touch the water. 

 Then, if not satisfied with the place which they have at first 

 chosen, they will " walk " on further to a better place 

 without taking the trouble to rise fully into the air. 



In flight the legs are carried, like those of so many other 

 sea-birds, stretched straight backwards under the tail. 

 Behind this the feet project and give the bird the 

 appearance of possessing two central tail-feathers longer 

 than the remainder. The legs are frequently moved as if to 

 act as a rudder or to lessen the bird's pace — for example, 

 when descending. 



When the wiud is strong the flight of the Gooney must 

 be very powerful, as, even in the light breezes which we 

 experienced, the wings were but seldom flapped. With a 

 north-easterly wind, the ship's course being north-west, the 

 individuals seen kept constantly circling round and round 

 behind her stern, first sailing up, then down the wind, but 

 making a rather sharp turn at the north-east and south-west 



