414 
THE ALBATROSS. 
the Island of St. Paul’s in the Southern Indian Ocean, was 
immediately perceived by two or three Albatrosses ; the boat 
was lowered with all speed, but nothing was found excepting 
his hat, pierced through and through with the violent stroke 
of their beaks, the first of which had, most probably, pene- 
trated the skull and caused instant death. 
These birds are found round the whole circle of the globe 
in the Southern Seas, retiring to breed in the most desolate 
and dreary situations. Captain Weddell, who has penetrated 
further into these inhospitable southern regions than any 
other navigator, met with them in great numbers amidst the 
icy rocks of the New South Shetlands, associating, as we 
shall hereafter see, with the Penguins ; though in the dreary 
island of Tristan d’Acunha, another traveller, Mr. Earle, 
describes them as the sole occupants, without any interloper, 
whether friend or enemy. In the higher regions, amidst 
the barren and cindery peaks of black rocks composing that 
dismal island, he found the young ones on the ground com- 
pletely uncovered, and the old ones stalking around them. 
Each bird lays but one egg, and after the young one is 
hatched, it has to remain a year before it can fly. 
Their style of courtship, and of selecting their mates, is 
described as very ludicrous. The couple approach one 
another with great apparent ceremony, bringing their beaks 
repeatedly together, swinging their heads, and contemplating 
each other with very deliberate attention. Sometimes this 
will continue for two hours together, like a courtship in a 
pantomime. They have great power in their beaks, and 
when on the nest they will defend themselves for half an 
hour against an active dog. 
Mr. M‘Cormick, surgeon in Sir James Eoss’s expedition 
of discovery in the Antarctic regions, corroborates this 
account, and gives the following more minute description of 
one of their places of resort for breeding, in Campbell’s 
Island. He says, “ during our stay in the months of Novem- 
ber and December, the Albatrosses were so busily employed 
in the work of incubation, as to allow themselves to be 
caught without making an effort to escape. It was an 
