115 



PALMIPEDES. 



Family PRO CELL ARIID^. (Bonaparte.) 



Genus DiOMEDEA. (Linnceus.J 



Generic Characters. — Beak strong and cutting, longer than 

 the head, compressed, straight, and curved abruptly at the 

 point; upper mandible deeply seamed on each, side, and 

 strongly hooked at the tip; lower mandible smooth, its end 

 distinct, compressed, and truncated at tip. Nostrils in the 

 furrow, distant from the base, separate, covered on the sides, 

 open in front, tubes very short, partly conical, wider before 

 than behind, lying on the sides of the bill. Feet short and 

 robust; tarsus one fourth, shorter than the middle toe; webs 

 full and entire; no hind toe. Wings very long; tail round 

 or wedge-shaped, and composed of fourteen feathers. Sexes 

 alike in plumage, but the young diifer much from the adult. 

 They moult twice a year, without changing their colours. — 



JS'UTTAH. 



WANDERING ALBATKOSS. 



Diomedea exulans. 



Diomedea exulans, Linn^us. 



Albatrus, Beisson. 

 Mouton du, Cap, or 



Vaisseati de guerre, Of the French. 



Specific Characters. — Whitish; back and wings lineated with 

 black; quills black, their shafts yellow; tail lead-colour, (young 

 dusky;) head, wings, and tail blackish; a white space round the 

 eye. Length three to four feet; expanse of wings ten to seventeen 



feet. — NUTTALL. 



