434 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



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WHITE-CAPPED ALBATROSS 



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ON EGG 



Rothschild. They are from his book on the avifauna 

 of Laysan Island, in the North Pacific. Unfortu- 

 nately for the albatrosses and other birds, traders 

 have been attracted to Laysan for the sake of the 

 guano deposits. The birds were strictly protected 

 during the occupation of Mr. Preece, but when he 

 left they had no friend to shield them, and their 

 eggs were taken in cart-loads, as the accompanying 

 photograph shows. 



When an albatross makes love, Professor Moseley 

 tells us, he stands " by the female on the nest, 

 raises his wings, spreads his tail and elevates it, 

 throws up his head with the bill in the air, or 

 stretches it straight out forwards as far as he can, 

 and then utters a curious cry. . . . Whilst uttering 

 the cry the bird sways his neck up and down. The 

 female responds with a similar note, and they bring 

 the tips of their bills lovingly together. This sort 

 of thing goes on for half an hour or so at a time." 



There are several different kinds of albatross. 

 The largest measures over 1 1 feet across the out- 

 stretched wings. They are inhabitants of the southern 

 seas. 



After the Albatrosses, the largest bird of the 

 group is the GIANT PETREL. The sailors call 

 it " Break-bones," "Nelly," or " Stinker." In habits 

 it differs much from its aristocratic relative the 



albatross, haunting the coasts in search of dead seals and whales, and the bodies of other 



birds. Professor Moseley aptly 



likens it to the vulture : " It 



soars all day along the coast 



on the look-out for food. No 



sooner is an animal killed 



than numbers appear as if 



by magic, and the birds are 



evidently well acquainted with 



the usual proceedings of 



sealers, who kill the sea- 

 elephant, take off the skin 



and blubber, and leave the 



carcase. The birds gorge 



themselves with food, just like 



the vultures, and are then 



unable to fly. I came across 



half a dozen at Christmas 



Harbour in this condition. 



We landed just opposite 



them ; they began to run to 



get out of the way. The 



By ftrminiin if ihi Hon. ffllttr i 



men chased them; they ran 



off, spreading their wings, but CARTING ALBATROSS EGGS ON THE ISLAND OF LAYSAN 



Unable tO rise. Some Struggled At one time these birds ivere protected; as this photograph testifies, this is no longer the case 



Professor Moseley describes the egg of the albatross as being 

 held in a sort of pouch 



