LARIM:. 365 



dark, like the back, below white ; under parts, from the base 

 of the neck, pure white. Length, 30"; wing, 19"; tail, 11". 

 I obtained a single specimen of this Albatross off the South Coast, 

 while cruising in li.M.S. Castor, and for some time confounded it with 

 the preceding, with which it was consorting, and agrees perfectly in 

 habits. I have never before heard of this species so far north. On 

 the coasts of Australia it is a common species. 



679. Diomedea Fuliginosa, Gmei, PL Col., 



469 ; D. Antarctica, Banks, Icon. Jned., t. 26 ; Z>. 

 Palpebrata, Forsi, Icon. Ined., t. 102 ; D. Fusca, 

 Audub. B. of Am., PL 407 ; Blue-Bird of Sailors. 



THROUGHOUT of a dull sooty-black, darkest on the wings ; 

 eye surrounded by a white eyelid ; bill jet-black, with a 

 narrow, yellowish stripe along the lower mandible ; legs flesh- 

 coloured ; irides brown ; tail wedge-shaped. Length, 33"; 

 wing, 20"; tail, 13". 



The Black Albatross is common along our Southern Coast, at a little 

 distance from land. It may at once be distinguished from Procellaria 

 Crigantea by its wedge-shaped tail, and when close, by its white eyelids. 

 It is fond of hovering over a ship's deck, and I have obtained speci- 

 mens by watching my chance and sending a small rifle-bullet through 

 them, thus killing them instantly ; if struck with shot, their feathers 

 are so dense that they seldom receive a death-wound, but drift to 

 seaward and perish miserably. I have never observed any of the 

 other albatrosses hover over the deck in the manner that this bird 

 constantly does : sometimes I have seen it almost touch a man on the 

 royal-yard or on the lift of the spanker. It seems actuated by 

 curiosity, turning its head from side to side, and scanning everything 

 with its brilliant dark eye. Eggs of this species resemble those of D. 

 JExulans, but are smaller : axis, 4" 2'"; diam., 2" 6"', 



The Fifth Family, LABIDJE, or Gulls, 



have the bill of various forms, more or less straight and 

 compressed on the sides ; the nostrils lateral, generally longi- 

 tudinal and submedinl ; the wings lengthened and pointed ; 

 the' tail .more or less long, and of various forms ; the tarsi 

 generally moderate, strong, and covered in front with trans- 

 verse scales ; the toes moderate, with the anterior ones united 

 by a full web; the hind toe usually short and elevated. 



The Sub-Family, LARIN^I, or Gulls, 



have the bill more or less lengthened, straight, compressed 

 on the sides, with the culmen straight at the base and curved 

 to the tip, which is acute ; the nostrils lateral, submedial, 

 and oblong ; the wings lengthened and pointed j the tail 



