THE ALBATROSS. 363 



length of three feet, and the wings, from point 

 to point, have a spread of from eight to fourteen 

 feet. I have heard it asserted that specimens 

 have been shot, and the wings, from point to 

 point, found measuring twenty feet, the plumage 

 of those birds being entirely white ; but I have 

 never myself seen the spread of the wings greater 

 than fourteen feet. The bill is in the larger 

 species (the type of the genus) of a pale, dirty 

 yellow, the legs and feet flesh colour. The 

 ladies on board generally request the down of 

 these birds for tippets, &c. ; and among the 

 New Zealand ladies it is used in small tufts for 

 adorning the ears, being placed in the lobes, 

 which are perforated for the purpose of receiving 

 these or other adornments to satisfy their vanity, 

 or command, if it be possible, public admiration. 

 In New Zealand the bones of the same birds are 

 frequently seen pending from the lobes of the 

 ears and round their necks in the form of whistles 

 and other ornaments. The Kamtschatdales are 

 said to capture these birds chiefly for the sake of 

 their bones, particularly those of the wing, which 

 they convert to various uses. 



During a former voyage, on the 1st of Janu- 

 ary, 1829, I had an opportunity of examining a 

 specimen of the Diomedea fuliginosa, Sooty Alba- 

 tross, or quaker-bird, which was captured (by a 



