TEE ALBATEOSSES. 2ll 



Having settled which of the birds should be searched after, a cautious advance had to be made in 

 her direction, two or three steps at a time, when she was in full cry. As soon as she ceased an 

 abrupt halt was imperative, and a pause of some minutes might ensue before she recommenced her 

 cry and permitted another slight advance to be effected. In the course of this gradual approach the 

 position of the bird might be ascertained approximately ; but it had to be determined precisely, and, 

 to learn exactly where she was, she had to be stalked in the dark noiselessly. No gleam could be 

 permitted to escape from the lantern. Loose stones and falls over rocks; to avoid them it was 

 sometimes necessary to dispense with slippers and feel one's way in stockings only, for should the 

 Petrel be alarmed once with the noise or the light she would probably remain silent a considerable 

 time. Now and then it would happen that upon the boulder beneath which she was sitting being 

 almost attained the bird would cease calling. When this occurred, and many minutes elapsed 

 without her cry being resumed, it was advisable to make a detour, and approach the rock from the 

 opposite side, as her silence might be attributed to her seeing a person advancing towards her, and 

 she would probably recommence her call as soon as he was out of sight. If she did not, a small 

 pebble thrown amongst some rocks would usually elicit some sounds from her, as she would most 

 likely conclude that the noise was being made by her mate returning to the nest. When the stone 

 beneath which the bird was domiciled was gained at last, redoubled care had to be exercised. By 

 stooping down and listening very attentively her position could be accurately ascertained. Then the 

 lantern was suddenly turned upon her before she had time to creep out of sight, and her egg could 

 be secured with the hand, or with a spoon tied on to a stick. Sometimes I worked without a lantern, 

 and marked the positions of the nests with piles of stones, so that they might be revisited by day. 

 Several eggs were obtained in February from nests which had been thus marked early in the previous 

 month. The first egg taken by us was found by a Retriever on the 22nd of January on an island 

 in Swain's Bay. Captain Fairfax sent me a nestling a day or two before we sailed for the Cape. 

 Two of the eggs were laid in unusual situations. One of them was found by a man under a pringlea 

 plant; but this may have been an egg of Procellaria nereis. The other was deposited just above 

 the tide-mark in a cavity of a rock rather open to the air and light. I had found the bird there one 

 night, had taken her up into my hand, and had gently replaced her in the hollow, nearly a month 

 before the egg was laid." 



As already mentioned, the Albatrosses are the largest of the Petrels. The wings are extremely 

 large, the Wandering Albatross having forty secondary quills alone, and this, with the hollow bones, 

 renders these birds capable of sustained and buoyant flight equalled by no other living bird. Their 

 beak is veiy large, and about equal to the head in length. Captain F. W. Hutton, who has paid 

 great attention to the family of Petrels during his voyages in the Antarctic Ocean, has written a very 

 full account of the habits of these fine birds, from which the following notes are extracted : 



" The unrivalled flight of the Albatross has been the admiration of voyagers from the earliest 

 time. Day after day with unabated interest I have watched them, and I quite agree with Mr. Gould 

 that the Sooty Albatross (Diomedea fuliginosa) carries off the palm from all competitors. Never 

 have I seen anything to equal his ease and grace as he sweeps past, often within a few yards, every 

 part of his body perfectly motionless except the head and eye, which turn slowly and seem to take 

 notice of everything. I have sometimes watched narrowly one of these birds sailing and wheeling 

 about in all directions for more than an hour, without seeing the slightest movement of the wings ; 

 this, however, is longer than usual. Wonderful as is this power of flight, it can all be explained by 

 the simple mechanical laws which govern the direction and magnitude of pressure. Dr. Bennett 

 states that he believes that the whole surface (of the body of the Albatross) is covered by numerous 

 air-cells, capable of voluntary inflation or diminution by means of a beautiful muscular apparatus. 

 . . . By this power the birds can raise or depress themselves at will. Now, I do not for a moment 

 doubt the existence of this apparatus, for it is well known that all birds have it to a greater or less 

 extent ; but I do doubt its capability of doing the duty assigned to it, viz., raising the bird in the air. 

 The temperature of the Albatross, as taken by Sir G. Grey, by placing a thermometer under the tongue, 

 is 98 Fahr., and if we add 10 1 Fahr. to this in order to allow for the difference between the head and the 

 body, we shall have the temperature of the air-cells at 108' Fahr. The temperature of the surrounding- 

 air cannot bo taken lower than 48 Fahr., as the mean, winter temperature of Lat. 50 S. is about 50 Fahr. 



