414 THE ALBATROSS. 



the Island of St. Paul's in the Southern Indian Ocean, was 

 immediately perceived by two or three Albatrosses ; the boat 

 was lowered with all speed, but nothing was found excepting 

 his hat, pierced through and through with the violent stroke 

 of their beaks, the first of which had, most probably, pene- 

 trated the skull and caused instant death. 



These birds are found round the whole circle of the globe 

 in the Southern Seas, retiring to breed in the most desolate 

 and dreary situations. Captain Weddell, who has penetrated 

 further into these inhospitable southern regions than any 

 other navigator, met with them in great numbers amidst the 

 icy rocks of the New South Shetlands, associating, as we 

 shall hereafter see, with the Penguins ; though in the dreary 

 island of Tristan d'Acunha, another traveller, Mr. Earle, 

 describes them as the sole occupants, without any interloper, 

 whether friend or enemy. In the higher regions, amidst 

 the barren and cindery peaks of black rocks composing that 

 dismal island, he found the young ones on the ground com- 

 pletely uncovered, and the old ones stalking around them. 

 Each bird lays but one egg, and after the young one is 

 hatched, it has to remain a year before it can fly. 



Their style of courtship, and of selecting their mates, is 

 described as very ludicrous. The couple approach one 

 another with great apparent ceremony, bringing their beaks 

 repeatedly together, swinging their heads, and contemplating 

 each other with very deliberate attention. Sometimes this 

 will continue for two hours together, like a courtship in a 

 pantomime. They have great power in their beaks, and 

 when on the nest they will defend themselves for half an 

 hour against an active dog. 



Mr. M'Cormick, surgeon in Sir James Ross's expedition 

 of discovery in the Antarctic regions, corroborates this 

 account, and gives the following more minute description of 

 one of their places of resort for breeding, in Campbell's 

 Island. He says, " during our stay in the months of Novem- 

 ber and December, the Albatrosses were so busily employed 

 in the work of incubation, as to allow themselves to be 

 caught without making an effort to escape. It was an 



