862 
BIRD-LIFE. 
again recommences its wandering flight. It is interesting 
to watch Albatrosses during heavy weather : they fly 
alike against and with the wind, revelling in the howling 
storm amongst the foaming billows. One will see them 
all but alight on the water, and then rise again without 
any apparent exertion on their part, and when facing the 
gale there is no perceptible alteration in the movement 
of the wings, though the progress is somewhat slower. 
Some people assert that the Albatross never loses way 
when on the wing, and that by “ lying close-hauled,” and 
tacking, it always manages to advance. This bird never 
soars to any great height. At times one would imagine 
that the bird was changing the direction of its flight, 
because it turns its wings and body sideways, and some¬ 
times lowers the last joint of the wing when rising. 
Like other Petrels, the Albatross is active both night 
and day, and seems to require scarcely any rest. During 
its even, never-ending flight it is ever watching the 
surface of the water for food: it feeds on everything of 
an animal nature that it can glean from the waves, and 
thus may be said to play the part of a Vulture on the 
ocean; it swallows with a never-ceasing voracity every¬ 
thing eatable which is thrown from the ship,—even the 
cunningly-baited hook by which it is captured. Hundreds 
of Albatrosses may be seen congregating round the carcase 
of a dead whale, or of a large fish, just as we see Vultures 
assembled round that of a horse or camel. When a whale 
is being “ flensed” they become so importunate that they 
keep flying close round the sailors, and snatch pieces of 
blubber from their very hands. Their powerful beak is 
specially adapted for cutting to pieces any food they may 
come across : they will cut a thick .piece of meat in two 
at a single bite, and with one blow of their beak tear a 
