82 
BLACK-FOOTED ALBATROSS. 
long, slender, for half their length covered above with transverse series of 
flat scales, in the rest of their extent scutellate ; the second ten-twelfths of an 
inch shorter than the middle, which is scarcely longer than the outer. Claws 
rather small, slender, slightly arched, rather compressed, somewhat obtuse. 
Plumage full, soft and blended. Wings very long and very narrow, the 
humerus and cubitus being extremely elongated ; the first primary longest, 
the rest rapidly diminishing ; secondaries extremely short. Tail of twelve 
rounded feathers, extremely short, rounded, the lateral feathers one inch 
shorter than the middle. 
Bill dusky, the greater part of the lower mandible, and the middle of the 
upper, tinged with yellowish-brown. Feet and claws black. The fore part 
of the head, cheeks and throat light dusky-grey, the capistral feathers nearly 
white, as is a small patch at the posterior angle of the eye ; the upper part 
of the head, the hind neck, and all the upper parts, including the wings and 
tail, are of a sooty-brown tinged with grey, as are the lower surface of the 
wings and the axillaries. The lower parts are of a dull grey tint, deeper 
on the fore parts and sides of the neck. 
Length to end of tail 36 inches ; bill along the ridge 5, along the edge 
of lower mandible 5 ; wing from flexure 21 ; tail 3 ; bare part of tibia 
1} “- ; tarsus 3]-^ ; inner toe Iff, its claw fa ; middle toe 4 T 5 2, its claw T 8 2 ; 
outer toe 4 r 7 2, its claw T 6 2 . 
The three Albatrosses described, in this volume may very easily be distin- 
guished by the form of the bill, independently of all other characters. Thus : 
Diomedea ni gripes has the bill much thicker, or less compressed than the 
other two species ; its ridge very broad and convex at the base, its basal 
outline being semicircular and two inches in extent, so that its sides behind 
overlap and obliterate the sutural space behind the nostrils. 
Diomedea chlororliyncos has the bill much compressed, its ridge convex 
in its whole length, but with its basal outline, although semicircular, only 
half an inch in extent, so that between its margins and those of the sides of 
the bill there is behind the eye a space nearly a quarter of an inch in 
breadth. 
Diomedea fusca has the bill as much compressed as that of D. chloro- 
rhyncos ; but its ridge, in place of being convex, is carinate, and instead of 
having its base semicircular, as in the other two species, has it running up 
on' the forehead into a very acute angle. 
Many other differences might be pointed out, but these will suffice to dis- 
tinguish the species. It may be remarked, that such descriptions are 
absolutely necessary to render the species of this genus intelligible ; for at 
present it seems impossible to form an} r correct idea from the notices given 
in books ; and if descriptions are not sufficient to enable one to refer an 
object to its species, of what use can they be? 
