PALMIPEDES. 369 



water into the air perpendicularly, just as they went 

 down. This was the most amusing part of the exhi- 

 bition. One of them having got hold of a piece too 

 large to be swallowed, instantly flew away sideways 

 to a long distance out of the ship's wake, to eat it 

 free from interruption ; for they sometimes chase 

 each other, as chickens do when one has a morsel of 

 unusual size. I do not conceive that the feet are put 

 down for the purpose of walking on the water, as ge- 

 nerally stated, for they are quite submerged, but, 

 perhaps, merely to feel the water, as a guide to indi- 

 cate their nearness to the surface, while seizing their 

 food ; the wings being quite sufficient for their sup- 

 port. They are quite silent by day, except that they 

 sometimes utter a faint chirp ; but at night they often 

 make an unpleasant screaming. They are the smallest 

 of web-footed birds, being scarcely so large as a Swal- 

 low, to which, in their manner of flight, they bear a 

 considerable resemblance." 



Diomedea* the Albatross. 



Its great size, strong, trenchant, hooked beak, long, 

 powerful wings, and rapacious disposition, seem to 

 mark out the Man of War Bird, as it is also called 

 (D. Exulans), as the representative of the Eagles and 

 Falcons. It pursues the hapless Flying-fishes with 

 inexorable voracity, in their brief aerial attempts to 

 escape from their open-mouthed enemies below. Its 

 voice has been much exaggerated ; but Dr. M'Mur- 



* The Greek name of an island bird. 



R 2 



