434 



The Living Animals of the World 



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 11 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 



Ey permission of the Hon. Walter Rothschild] [Trina. i j j_i 



men chased them ; they ran 



CARTING ALBATROSS EGGS ON THE ISLAND OP LAYSAN. off> spre ading their WHlgS, but 



At one time these birds were protected ; as this photograpn testifies, this is no longer the case. unable to rise Some StrUi 



Photo by D. Le Souef] [Melbourne. 



WHITE-CAPPED ALBATROSS ON EGG. 



Professor Moseley describes the egg of the albatross as being 

 held in a soit of pouch. 



