THE ALBATROSS. 



45 



It is pleasing to observe this superb bird sailing 

 in the air in graceful and elegant movements, 

 seemingly excited by some invisible power, for 

 there is rarely any movement of the wings seen, 

 after the first and frequent impulses given, when 

 the creature elevates itself in the air ; rising and 

 falling as if some concealed power guided its vari- 

 ous motions, without any muscular exertion of 

 its own ; and then descending sweeps the air close 

 to the stern of the ship, with an independence of 

 manner, as if it were " monarch of all it sur- 

 ve3^ed." It is from the very little muscular ex- 

 ertion used by these birds, that they are ca- 

 pable of sustaining such long flights without 

 repose. 



When these elegant birds are captured, and 

 brought on board, their sleek, delicate and clean 

 plumage is a subject of much admiration ; and 

 the fine snow-white down which remains after 

 the removal of the outer feathers, is in requisition 

 among ladies for mufls, tippets, &c. The large 

 species of albatross measures from eight to four- 

 teen feet. I have even heard it asserted, that speci- 

 mens have been shot of this species, the expanded 

 wings of which measured twenty feet across ; but 

 the greatest spread I have seen, has been four- 

 teen feet.* The immense distance these birds 



* The other species I have seldom known to measure more 

 than eight feet across the expanded wings. 



