THE ALBATROSS. 
865 
fished for them the hook became fixed in the callous 
portion of the end of the beak. Thus, by degrees, he 
captured a large number of these birds, which he marked 
by cutting off one of the quill-feathers of the wing, and 
then let them go again. In almost every case the result 
confirmed his preconceived opinion, that the same birds 
which he had captured followed the ship, or reappeared 
again more than a hundred miles from where they were 
first taken. When an Albatross has been caught it may 
be safely left to itself, as it is impossible for it to rise from 
the deck: it remains quiet and unconcerned, even allow¬ 
ing itself to be handled, but stedfastly refuses food, 
nor will it permit you to cram it down its throat. This 
is the reason that they have, as yet, never been brought 
to Europe alive. 
Albatrosses are often shot, for they always approach a 
boat to satisfy their curiosity. The thickness of their 
plumage, however, renders shooting at them with shot 
generally ineffectual. A winged Albatross is easily taken, 
as it cannot dive, and swims helplessly about on the 
surface of the water. There is only one species which, 
Gannet-like, can dive, so as to submerge the body. 
