momentum of a body moving in a horizontal plane in the 

 air (in which there is so httle friction) cannot be great, and 

 this force is all that is wanted. The movement of the neck 

 and body of the condor, we must suppose, is sufficient for 

 this. However this may be, it is truly wonderful and 

 beautiful to see so great a bird, hour after hour, without 

 apparent exertion, wheeUng and gliding over mountain 

 and river. 



Those who " go down to the sea in ships " have to face 

 many perils, but the " wonders of the great deep " are for 

 them a lure. One of these is to watch the marvellous " sail- 

 ing " flights of the wandering albatross. His wings have, 

 when expanded, a pecuUarly " ribbon-like " form, and 

 measure from tip to tip, over eleven feet — thus exceeding 

 that of the condor, which, however, is the heavier bird of 

 the two. The " ribbon-hke form of the wings is due to the 

 extreme shortness of the flight-quills — ^the primaries and 

 secondaries, and the great length of the arm and forearm. 

 And it may be to these structural pecuUarities that the 

 " sailing " flight just alluded to is due. ResembUng soaring 

 in many of its aspects, yet it differs materially in that it is 

 performed low down, not at immense heights. The most 

 graphic description of these movements is surely that of Mr. 

 Froude : " The albatross," he tells us, " wheels in circles 

 round and round, and for ever round the ship — ^now far 



28 



