THE BIRD BOOK 
82 . 1 . Laysan Albatross. Diomedea im- 
mutabilis. 
Range. — Laysan Island of the Hawaiian Group, 
appearing casually off the coast of California. 
This species breeds in large numbers on the is- 
land from which it takes its name. The birds are 
white with the exception of the back, wings and 
tail, which are black. The birds, having been lit- 
tle molested in their remote island, are exceeding- 
ly tame, and it is possible to go among the sitting 
birds without disturbing them. Mr. Walter K. 
Fisher has contributed an admirable report on 
this species in the 1913 Bulletin of the Fish Com- 
mission, the report being illustrated with numer- 
ous illustrations of the birds from photos by the 
author. Their single white eggs are laid on the 
bare ground. 
[83.] Yellow-nosed Albatross. 
Fhalassogeron culminatus. 
This is a species which inhabits the South Pa- 
cific and Indian Oceans, and is said to rarely oc- 
cur on the California coast. They breed during 
our winter on some of the small islands and dur- 
ing our summer are ocean wanderers. An egg in 
the collection of Col. John E. Thayer was taken on 
Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean; Sept. 1st, 
1888. The nest was a mound of mud and grass 
about two feet in height. The single white egg 
measured 3.75 x 2.25. It was collected by George 
Comer. 
84. Sooty Albatross Phoebetria-palpebrata. 
Range.— Southern seas, north in our summer along the Pacific coast of the 
United States. 
This species is entirely sooty brown except the white eyelids. It is similar 
to the Black-footed Albatross from which species it can be distinguished in 
all plumages by the narrow base of the bill, while the bill of the former species 
is broad and rounded. They breed commonly on isolated islands in many 
quarters of the southern hemisphere. Sometimes this species constructs a 
mound of mud on which to deposit its single white egg, and also often lays 
it on the bare ground or rock. A specimen in Mr. Thayer’s collection, taken 
by Geo. Comer on So. Georgia Is. in the South Atlantic ocean, was laid in a 
hollow among loose stones on the ledge of an overhanging cliff. Size 4.10 x 
2.75. 
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