THE ALBATROSS. 



395 



eyed it again, perhaps suspicious of its appear- 

 ance, would refuse it, and fly off. Perhaps he 

 had had a good feast of cuttle-fish, and therefore, 

 being in a dainty mood, did not like the bit of 

 skinny pork that was offered for his acceptance. 



These birds are the greatest part of their 

 existence on the wing ; but there are other 

 of the oceanic birds which merely seek their food 

 during the day, returning to the land to roost at 

 night ; but, from sometimes being blown away 

 by heavy gales, they are obliged to bear away for 

 the nearest port, and take refuge, much exhausted, 

 on the rigging of ships. The booby is one of 

 these ; and from the circumstance of being 

 easily captured at night on the rigging, has 

 received its common name, whereas it is as much 

 gifted with sense as any of the oceanic tribe of 

 birds, which, at the best, is not an overplus ; but 

 Nature, no doubt, has given them as much as 

 they require for their existence in this world. 



So marked is the form of the superorbital de- 

 pression in aquatic birds, that I have no doubt, 

 judging from my limited series of observations, 

 the genus may be determined by it alone. So 

 marked is it in the Albatross genus, that from it 

 the skull of that bird may be easily recognized. 

 The Petrel tribe have it only half bony, the 

 membranous portion projecting from the outer 



