Order TUBINAEES.] 
DIOMEDEA CAUTA. 
(SHY ALBATEOS.) 
[Fam. PEOCELLAEIID^. 
Diomedea cauta, Gould, in Proc. Zool. Soc. part viii. p. 177 (1840).^ 
Biomedea {Thalassarche) cauta, Bonap. Compt. Eend. de I’Acad. Sci. 1856 
? ad. fronte et yertice cinerascenti-albis : pileo colloque toto pulclir6 cinereo lavatis : regione ante- et supi - 
oculari cinerascenti-nigris : dorso et iaterscapulio cum al^ tota cinerascenti-nigris: uropygio et supraca,udahbu 
albis : remigibus brunnescenti-nigris, seapis ad basin flavicanti-albidis, secundarhs versus apieem brunnes- 
cente tinctis : caudd saturate argentescenti-cinerea, seapis albidis : subtiis purb albus : subalanbus a b s 
plumis exterioribus nigricantibus : iride la.tb vinascenti-brunnea : pedibus sord.db 
tarsis saturatioribus : rostro cyanescenti-eorneo, ad apieem sordidfe nigro, eulmme medmbt^ et gonyde 
obscure flavicantibus, ad basin conspicue nigro marginatis : margine mandibulari ad basm laito flavo. 
Adult female. The whole of the head and neck delicate pearl-grey, shading off almost to white on the crown and 
forehead ; lores and a line over each eye greyish black, shading off below into the pearl-grey ; back a d 
upper surface of wings greyish brown ; rnmp, tail-coverts, and the whole of the underparts pure white, soft y 
blending with the grey on the lower fore neck ; quills brownish black, the shafts whitish horn-colour toward 
the base, the longer secondaries tinged with sepia-brown; tail-feathers dark silvery pey, 
and paler on the under surface; lining of wings white, some of the feathers towards he edge 
greyish black; irides rich vinous brown; feet dull fleshy white, the tarsi darker; bill bluish ’ 
lighter and tinged with yellow along the ciilmen, and also on the under surface of the lower mandible th 
sides of the unguis or hooked extremity, as well as the terminal expansion of the lower mandible, dull black 
the upper mandible margined at the base with a narrow black band, which broadens on the ridge and extends 
alon- the groove on each side to the nostrils. Base of lower mandible fringed on each side with a membrane 
of alright yellow colour, bordered behind with black, and forming a very distinguishing feature in this 
species. Another bright yellow membrane extends, in an oblique line, down the cheeks for about three 
inches from the angles of the mouth, but this is only observable on the feathers being moved aside. To a 
length 35 inches; extent of wings 91, from carpal flexure to the tip 22-5 ; tail 9; bi 1, following the curva- 
ture of upper mandible 5-3, length of lower mandible 5 ; tarsus 3-2o ; middle toe and claw 5 7. 
This fine species was first described by Mr. Gould (as quoted above) and named by hm the Shy 
Albatros, in allusion to its cautious habits when on the wing. In his ‘ Birds of Australia he gives 
the following account of it : — _ , , , 
“ I first saw this species of Albatros off the south coast of Tasmania, and had frequent oppoi- 
tnnities of observing it during my stay in Eecherche Bay, at the southern entrance o D Entrecasteaiix s 
Channel, where I was wind-bound for nearly a fortnight. Unlike other Albatroses it was mos 
difficult to procure, for it seldom approached our ship sufficiently^ near for a successful shot, 
succeeded, however, in shooting several examples while they were flying round the bay in which vve 
had taken shelter. It is not usual for Albatroses to approach the land or enter a secluded bay i e 
that of Eecherche, and I attribute this deviation from the ordinary habits to the temptation presentee 
by the vast cj^iiantities of fat and other remains of whales floating about, the locality being one ° ® 
principal whaling-stations on the coast of Tasmania. I have no doubt likewise that it was ree 
on the Mewstone and other isolated rocks in the neighbourhood, as the plumage o ^ some o 
specimens I procured indicated that they had lately been engaged in the task of incubaHom 
