162 YEARBOOK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



more until nature again sounds the nuptial call. Their prodigious 

 power of flight enables them to keep on wing for hours at a time and 

 to circle around the swiftest steamer on outstretched wings without 

 apparent effort. The ocean is lonely at best, but it would be still 

 lonelier except for the presence of these splendid voyagers that follow 

 the track of every outward-bound ship and serve to shorten both to 

 landsman and sailor the tedium of the long voyage. 



The two species that nest on Laysan formerly densely colonized 

 all available space. They are the chief source of the valuable de- 

 posit of guano on this island. The island guano deposits were 

 leased by the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1890 and were profitably 

 worked for several years, when the deposits became exhausted. So 

 valuable is guano as the basis of a commercial fertilizer that the 

 Peruvian Government is making careful investigations on several 

 of its own islands as to the rate of deposit and the best means of 

 mining and conserving the supply. Several other of the Hawaiian 

 bird islands have been exploited for guano, and there is no doubt 

 that if the safety and perpetuity of the bird colonies on these island 

 reservations can be assured, the guano deposits can be worked at 

 stated periods indefinitely and made the source of considerable profit. 



Albatrosses on their nesting grounds are exceedingly tame and 

 have so little fear of man as to permit close approach when on their 

 eggs or when caring for their young. Their unsuspicious nature 

 thus peculiarly exposes them to danger from feather hunters, as 

 they can readily be killed with clubs. These big sea birds indulge in 

 a curious pastime, which is in the nature of ,a grotesque dance or 

 " cakewalk." (PI. II.) Both the island species indulge in this prac- 

 tice, which has been witnessed and described by a number of observers. 

 Prof. Homer R. Dill in his report thus records it as performed by 

 the Laysan albatross: 



The performance is varied, but usually begins as follows: One bird will ap- 

 proach another with an indescribable squeaking sound, bowing all the time. 

 If the other bird feels like performing, which is usually the case, he bows in 

 return. They cross bills very rapidly several times. Then one bird turns its 

 head and lifts one wing in such a manner that the primaries point directly out 

 at the side. In the meantime the other bird keeps up a loud noise that sounds 

 somewhat like the neighing of a horse. The bird taking the lead then walks 

 around his partner, stepping high, like a negro cakewalker. This part of the 

 procedure is usually closed by one or both birds pointing their beaks straight up 

 in the air, rising on their toes, puffing out their breasts, and uttering a long- 

 drawn groan. The same thing is repeated many times with slight variations. 



Just why the birds indulge in these curious antics it is difficult to 

 conjecture, unless it is by way of amusement to pass away the time 

 while on shore leave. Albatrosses are not at all exclusive, but are 

 ever ready to acknowledge polite attentions from any and all sources, 

 and when favored by a human being with a bow respond in kind 

 with the utmost gravity and good will. 



