THE ALBATROSS. 381 



twittering note of the Stormy Petrel (Procel- 

 laria pelagica,) under the stern during the 

 night. 



Captain Beechey gives the following instance 

 of the Sooty Albatrosses confining their flight 

 within certain limits, and considers it may add 

 weight to the opinion, provided it were not ac- 

 cidental, which future navigators might pro- 

 bably ascertain. 



' ' Ofl" the River Plate, we fell in with the 

 Dusky Albatross, (Z>iomedia fuliginosa,) and as 

 we proceeded southward they became very nu- 

 merous ; but on reaching the latitude of 51° 

 south, they all quitted us. We rounded the 

 Cape, and on regaining the same parallel of 

 5P south on the opposite side, they again came 

 round us, and accompanied the ship up the 

 Chili coast." — Voyage to the Pacific and Beer- 

 ing's Strait, vol. i. p. 17. 



The Albatross delights in food of an oily na- 

 ture when it can be procured ; and on the islands 

 where they breed are often seen in flocks about 

 the carcase of a whale, sea-lion, seals, &c., 

 which have been thrown dead on the rocks, and 

 there they seem to fatten and luxuriate on 

 their luscious repast ; but when at sea, their 

 food consists of the Sepise, or cuttle-fish tribe, 

 Aplysise, or sea-hares, the spawn of fish, and 



