34 THE NATURAL HISTORY 


GENUS 31, DIOMEDEA. 
The bill is flraight, the upper mandible hooked at the 
point, the lower abrupt, (or ending fuddenly, as if it were 
cut off.) | 
The noftrils are oval, wide, opening forward, and on 
the fides of the beak. x 
HE Albatrofs has long wings; and three 
toes, all placed forwards. It is found at 
fea, in all the warm and temperate fouthern cli- 
mates. It flies exceedingly high, and. feeds on 
Flying-fith, which, when purfued by Dolphins, 
rife into the air to efcape their enemy. ‘The tail 
of the Albatrofs is round, and fhort, not forked; 
its thighs are naked, and its wings exceedingly 
long. 
_ The Albatrofs is larger than a Swan. Towards 
the end of June, Albatrofles are feen in great — 
flocks, in Kam{chatka, and the Kurile iflands, a a 
little fouth of Kamfchatka. ‘They come there for 
fifth ; and when they appear, the people know that 
there will be abundance; for large fhoals of fith 
are always obferved to come foon after the Alba- 
trofles. When they firft come, they are very 
Jean ; but they foon become fat, They are very 
devouring 

