A HISTORY OF WATER-FOWL. 



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CHAPTER CXXV. 



OF THE ALBATROSS, THE FIRST OF THE GULL KIND. 



THOUGH this is one of the largest and 

 most formidable birds of Africa and America, 

 yet we have but few accounts to enlighten us 

 in its history. The figure of the bird is thus 

 described by Edwards : " The body is rather 

 larger than that of a pelican ; and its wings, 

 when extended, ten feet from tip to tip. The 

 bill, which is six inches long, is yellowish, and 

 terminates in a crooked point. The top of 

 the head is of a bright brown ; the back is of 

 a dirty deep spotted brown ; and the belly 

 and under the wings is white ; the toes, which 

 are webbed, are of a flesh colour." 



Such are the principal traits in this bird's 

 figure : but these lead us a very short way in 

 its history ; and our naturalists have thought 

 fit to say nothing more. However, I am apt 

 to believe this bird to be the same with that 

 described by Wicquefort, under the title of 

 the Alcatraz ; its size, its colours, and its prey, 

 incline me to think so. He describes it as a 

 kind of great gull, as large in the body as a 

 goose, of a brown colour, with a long bill, 

 and living upon fish, of which they kill great 

 numbers. 



This bird is an inhabitant of the tropical 

 climates, and also beyond them as far as the 

 Straits of Magellan in the South Seas. It is 

 one of the most fierce and formidable of the 

 aquatic tribe, not only living upon fish, but 

 also such small water-fowl as it can take by 

 surprise. It preys, as all the gull kind do, 

 upon the wing ; and chiefly pursues the flying- 

 fish, that are forced from the sea by the dol- 

 phins. The ocean in that part of the world 

 presents a very different appearance from the 

 seas with which we are surrounded. In our 

 seas we see nothing but a dreary expanse, 

 ruffled by winds, and seemingly forsaken by 

 every class of animated nature. But the tro- 

 pical seas, and the distant southern latitudes 

 beyond them, are all alive with birds and 

 fishes, pursuing and pursued. Every various 

 species of the gull kind are there seen hover- 

 ing on the wing, at a thousand miles distance 



NO. 49 & 50. 



from the shore. The flying-fish are every 

 moment rising to escape from their pursuers 

 of the deep, only to encounter equal dangers 

 in the air. Just as they rise the dolphin is 

 seen to dart after them, but generally in vain ; 

 the gull has more frequent success, and often 

 takes them at their rise ; while the albatross 

 pursues the gull, and obliges it to relinquish 

 its prey ; so that the whole horizon presents 

 but one living picture of rapacity and evasion. 



So much is certain ; but how far we are to 

 credit Wicquefort, in what he adds concern 

 ing this bird, the reader is loft to determine. 

 " As these birds, except when they breed, live 

 entirely remote from land, so they are often 

 seen, as it should seem, sleeping in the air. 

 At night, when they are pressed by slumber, 

 they rise into the clouds as high as they can ; 

 there, putting their head under one wing, they 

 beat the air with the other, and seem to take 

 their ease. After a time, however, the weight 

 of their bodies, only thus half supported, brings 

 them down ; and they are seen descending, 

 with a pretty rapid motion, to the surface of 

 the sea. Upon this they again put forth their 

 efforts to rise ; and thus alternately ascend and 

 descend at their case. But it sometimes hap- 

 pens," says my author, " that in these slum- 

 bering flights, they are off their guard, and 

 fall upon deck, where they are taken." 



What truth there may be in this account I 

 will not take it upon me to determine : but 

 certain it is, that few birds float upon the air 

 with more ease than the albatross, or support 

 themselves a longer time in that element. 

 They seem never to feel the accesses of fatigue; 

 but, night and day upon the wing, are al- 

 ways prowling, yet always emaciated and 

 hungry. 



But though this bird be one of the most for- 

 midable tyrants of the deep, there are some 

 associations which even tyrants themselves 

 form, to which they are induced either by 

 caprice or necessity. The albatross seems to 

 have a peculiar affection for the penguin, and 



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