WANDERING ALBATROSS. 95 



thought it was at first. Another specimen had the back, scapulars, 

 and wing coverts of a brownish black colour; under surface of wings 

 white, with a few brown feathers; upper part, sides of head, and 

 back of neck brownish black; breast, abdomen, and front of neck 

 delicate snow white. 



"The last bird examined was entirely brown, except the upper part 

 of the head, which was white; the breast and abdomen covered 

 with brown and white feathers prettily intermingled." 



*^The mandibles of all these specimens, when first captured, were 

 of a beautiful pink colour, except at the tips, which were of a 

 yellowish white. The intenseness of the pink hue subsided when 

 the bird was reposing on the deck of the ship ; but there still 

 remained a delicate and handsome tint of pink over the mandible. 

 In the dead bird the beak became pallid, and at last changed to 

 the yellowish colour observable in museums." The feet are light bluish; 

 iris brown. 



The weight of a Wandering Albatross captured by Dr. Bennett 

 was twenty pounds, while the skeleton only weighed two pounds ten 

 ounces. 



My figure of this bird is from Gould's Birds of Australia. 



It has also been figured by BufFon, pi. enl. 237; Vieillot, Gallerie 

 des Oiseaux du Museum, pi. 205. 



The egg is after a specimen kindly sent by Mr. Tristram. 



