THE SOOTY ALBATROSS. 115 
istic arrangement of black and yellow on the bill, which is distinct even at a considerable 
distance. It was with us from September 22nd to September 30th, 1901, and again 
quite close in shore off the coast of South Africa (False Bay) as well as over the 
Agulhas sandbank, but eastward of this, in the Southern Indian Ocean, its place was 
taken entirely by Thalassogeron culminatus, which we had not once observed in the 
South Atlantic. Zh. chlororhynchus is known, however, to range over the South 
Atlantic and Southern Indian Oceans, and the Australian seas. That its range varies, 
however, with the season, as is apparently the case with so many Southern Ocean 
birds, seems evident from its complete absence during our voyage from the Cape to 
New Zealand in October and November. 
No example was taken on the ‘ Discovery’s’ voyage. 
PHCBETRIA FULIGINOSA. 
The Sooty Albatross. 
Diomedea fuliginosa, Gmel., Syst. Nat., i. (1788), p. 568. 
Phebetria fuliginosa, Reich. Av. Syst. Nat. Longip. (1852), p. V.; Sharpe, Rep. ‘Southern Cross’ Coll. 
(1902), p. 163, dbigue citata. 
PH@IBETRIA CORNICOIDES. 
Phebetria cornicoides, Hutton, Ibis (1867), p. 192; Eagle Clarke, Birds of Gough I., Ibis (1905), 
p. 267. 
MaTERIAL IN THE ‘ DiscovERY’s’ COLLECTION. 
No. 125, ad. sk., ¢. Oct. 20,1901. Atsea, 42° 40'S. 33° 38’ E. 
The colouring of the soft parts is as follows :— 
Bill, entirely black, except for a narrow edging of livid blue along the cutting edges. 
Tris, dark brown. 
Bare skin of the chin beneath the mandible, dusky blue. 
Legs and toes, flesh grey. 
Webs, also flesh grey, but dull red by transmitted light. 
Claws, quite pale grey. 
Tue Sooty Albatross is perhaps the most striking bird of all in the Southern 
Oceans, as it is the most sinister in expression and the best adapted by its dusky 
plumage, and its interested manner, to form the basis of sailors’ legends and 
superstitions. On September 23, 1901 (36° 8. 11° W.), we first saw it in our wake 
and thence onward until two days before we reached Cape Town, on October 3rd. On 
leaving, it was again two days before we picked it up. Then we had six or eight sailing 
round our ship, very inquisitive, but not at all inclined to feed in the ship’s wake. 
They flew so close over our heads that we could see the expression of their eyes. We 
were flying meteorological kites at the time, and so interested were they in the 
messengers sent up, that they constantly fouled the lines. Throughout October they 
were abundantly with us, and we procured one male Ph. cornicoides, spanning 7ft. 4in. 
