NATURAL HISTORY. 375 



before the wind frequently sails more than 200 miles in the 

 twenty-four hours, and that for days together, still the Albatros 

 has not the slightest difficulty in keeping up with the ship, but 

 also performs circles of many miles in extent, returning again 

 to hunt up the wake of the vessel for any substances thrown 

 overboard." 



The voracity of the Albatros renders it an easy prey. A 

 hook is baited with a piece of blubber, fastened firmly to a 

 string, and suffered to tow astern. The bird immediately 

 sweeps down to seize its prey, and is arrested by the hook, by 

 means of which it is drawn into the ship. The best descrip- 

 tion of the nidification of the wandering Albatros is that given 

 by Mr. Earl, quoted by Gould. 



Mr. Earl after climbing a fearfully dangerous precipice in the 

 Island of Tristan d'Acunha arrived at a large plain of dark 

 grey lava, on the summit of which the nests of the Albatros 

 were made. " A death-like stillness prevailed in these high 

 regions, and to my ear our voices had a strange unnatural echo, 

 arid I fancied our forms appeared gigantic, whilst the air was 

 piercing cold. The prospect was altogether sublime, and filled 

 the mind with awe. The huge Albatros here appeared to 

 dread no interloper or enemy ; for their young were on the 

 ground completely uncovered, arid the old ones were stalking 

 around them. They lay but one egg, on the ground, where they 

 make a kind of nest by scraping the earth around it ; the young 

 is entirely white, and covered with a woolly down, which is 

 very beautiful. As we approached, they snapped their beaks 

 with a very quick motion, making a great noise ; this and the 

 throwing up the contents of the stomach are the only means of 

 offence and defence they seem to possess. I again visited the 

 mountain about five months afterwards, when I found the young 

 albatroses still sitting on their nests, and they had never moved 

 away from them." The expanse of wing in the Wandering 

 Albatros is from eleven to fourteen feet. 



