DIOMEDEID^ — THE ALBATROSSES — DIOMEDEA. 



349 



Captain Ilutton (" Ibis," 1867, p. 185) mentions that on his voj'age in iboG from 

 London to New Zeahuul, he first met this Albatross April 5, in lat. 34° 15' S., and 

 saw birds of this species afterwards all the way to New Zealand. One that was 

 caught — a male — measured ten feet across the wings, and weighed sixteen pounds. 

 The fat on its breast was half an inch thick. It was taken in the morning, and its 

 stomach was empty. 



Cajjtain E. L. Layard, who received several fine eggs of this species from Captain 

 Ai-mson, collected by the latter on the Crozette Islands, states (" Ibis," 1807) tiiat 

 the egg bears a marked similarity in form and color to that of PkmOetria furujinom, 

 measuring 5.00 by 3.30 inches. Captain Ai-mson also brought nestlings of several 

 ages, and a young bird only about six days old, which was covered with a pure wliite 

 silky down. The bill was the most remarkable feature, the tips of the mandible 

 being armed for about three quarters of an inch with obtuse tumid sheaths, hard, 

 white, and shining, like china. Mr. Layard was informed by the sealers that the 

 Albatross feeds its young, all the time it is in the nest, with scjuids. The young 

 birds remain until driven away by the old ones when these need tlm nest again. Tlie 

 young are in the nest growing very slowly, but are very fat, and not at all lishy. 

 The sealers ridicule the suggestions of Captain Hutton that the young Albatross can 

 subsist without food any length of time. 



Cai)tain Sperling (" Ibis," 18G8) is of oj)inion that this Albatross is seldom seen 

 near land. He has never met with it north of the twenty-seventh parallel of south 

 latitude, and does not believe that it ever visits the northern hemisphere. He dis- 

 credits the statements in regard to the examples said to have been taken in Europe, 

 and thinks this species has no more right in a northern avifauna than an escaped 

 Cockatoo would have. The statement of Nuttall, that the Albati-oss flies near the 

 water, watching for flying-fish, is purely- imaginative. It never takes food while on 

 the wing, nor could this bird possibly do this. In regard to its l)o.>^.iS of flight, 

 the Cai)tain remarks : " Having attentively watched the flight of the Albatross, I 

 have failed to detect the mysterious and wonderful power of wing ascribed to it by 

 observers who have perhaps been more highly favored. None can regard without 

 admiration the beautiful picture presented by this bird, cleaving its way in graceful 

 curves and sweeps over the wild troubled waves of the Atlantic; but its immense 

 pectoral muscles and light hollow bones, added to its surface of wings, amply account 

 for all." 



Captain Sperling visited, in September, 1868, the Island of Tristan d'Acunha, and 

 communicated in a letter to the " Ibis" (1872, p. 75) some additional information in 

 regard to this bird. He found it nesting on the highest ledges of the cliffs, at so great 

 an altitude as to present the appearance of a mere speck. The inhabitants stated 

 most positively that the Albatrosses remained about the island throughout the year, 

 layii ,' their eggs in January, and the young flying in November; and that conse- 

 (lUfiitly there is almost always on the island a supply of young birds. Tliese are 

 consumed for food in great quantities, and appear to be considered a delicacy. The 

 northern range of this species is given as from 27° to 25° south on the Atlantic coast 

 of Africa, and at 27° on the eastern. On the Atlantic coast of South America it is 

 L'4° south. 



Frederick Stoltenhof, who resided two years in the same group, in his account of 

 the birds visiting Inaccessible Island, mentions this Albatross. In the latter part 

 of November it appears singly, and alights on the highest portion of the island — 

 uvoiding the high tussock-grass, from which it with ditticulty rises. It builds a 

 circular nest, slightly concave at the top, about eight feet high, and broader at the 



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