238 



THE OPAL SEA 



as with our ignorance. The tropic bird is one 

 of the suspects. He has a long narrow wing 

 like that of the albatross and as a sailer can 

 point dead in the eye of the wind with as little 

 effort as any inhabitant of the air. As for his 

 steering gear it is composed of only two long 

 tail-feathers; but these seem sufficient to con- 

 trol the wide wings and work wonders in tack- 

 ing, pitching, and angle darting. He travels 

 alone, follows the ship, and at such distances 

 from the shore as to preclude all possibility of 



His steer- 

 ing gear. 



Cnpe 

 piiipons 

 nn.i whale 

 birds. 



his returning to land to rest. No doubt when 

 weary he rests upon the waters like the alba- 

 tross. 



Smaller than the tropic birds and with Just 

 as little knowm about them, are the cape pigeons 

 of the Southern Ocean; and, if possible, still 

 rarer as a sight are the whale birds that occa- 

 sionally gather about sea carrion or ocean dere- 

 licts. The shearwaters that skim the surface 

 like a skipping stone, belong to the same family 

 of ocean travelers; and are seen swiftly wheel- 

 ing, bounding, veering along almost every sea. 

 They are powerful of wing and like the whale 

 birds seem always in the air. Indeed, it is said 

 of the latter that though always over the sea 

 they never touch it. But they have tlio web- 

 foot and no doubt that foot knows its element. 



