THE ALBATROSS. 393 



I 



lion of the waves no doubt bringing to the surface those marine 

 animals which serve them for food : they will glide down on 

 them with unerring aim and fearful force, transfixing whatever 

 they have aimed at with their large, strong, and trenchant bill. 



A poor fellow who fell overboard from a man-of-war, off the 

 Island of St. Paul's in the Southern Indian Ocean, was imme- 

 diately perceived by two or three Albatrosses ; the boat was 

 lowered with all speed, but nothing was found excepting his 

 hat pierced through and through with the violent stroke of 

 their beaks, the first of which had, most probably, penetrated 

 the skull and caused instant death. 



These birds are found round the whole circle of the globe 

 in the Southern Seas, retiring to breed in the most desolate 

 and dreary situations. Captain Weddell, who has penetrated 

 farther into these inhospitable southern regions than any 

 other navigator, met with them in great numbers amidst the 

 icy rocks of the New South Shetlands, associating, as we 

 shall hereafter see, with the Penguins ; though in the dreary 

 island of Tristan d'Acunha, another traveller, Mr. Earle, de- 

 scribes them as the sole occupants, without any interloper, 

 whether friend or enemy. In the higher regions, amidst the 

 barren and cindery peaks of black rocks composing that dismal 

 island, he found the young ones on the ground completely 

 uncovered, and the old ones stalking around them. Each bird 

 lays but one egg, and after the young one is hatched, it has to 

 remain a year before it can fly. 



Their style of courtship, and of selecting their mates, is 

 described as very ludicrous. The couple approach one another 

 with great apparent ceremony, bringing their beaks repeatedly 

 together, swinging their heads, and contemplating each other 

 with very deliberate attention. Sometimes this will continue 

 for two hours together, like a courtship in a pantomime. They 

 have great power in their beaks, and when on the nest they 

 will defend themselves for half an hour against an active dog. 



Mr. M'Cormick, surgeon in Sir James Boss's expedition 

 of discovery in the Antarctic regions, corroborates this account, 

 and gives the following more minute description of one of their 

 places of resort for breeding, in Campbell's Island. He says : — 



