It is almost incredible the distance these birds will fly: this has been repeatedly ascertained by marking birds that had been captured, and then suffering them again to be at liberty, watching how long they remain constant about the ship: they follow the vessels for the sake of the offal, which is daily thrown overboard. Eight or ten days before the pairing season, the male Albatrosses come to the land, fix on a spot, which they scrape clear, where the intention is to form the nest; this being completed, they fly away again to sea, and return a few days afterwards, in company with the females.
When the wind falls light, the Albatross fishers are on the alert; it is then that all the hooks and lines that can be procured on board are put into requisition, and the steward receives frequent solicitations for pieces of fat pork for bait; some of these birds when hooked, before they can be brought on board either manage to detach themselves from the hook, or escape by its breaking. It is laughable to see, when one is hooked, with what eagerness he is followed by the others, (while dragged through the water by his capturers,) all eager to seize the bait, they consider he is monopolizing; they pounce down upon it, and look surprised to find themselves quietly perched on the waves while the other poor hooked bird, bait and all, is before them in rapid progress towards being taken on board.[141] Numerous eager gazers are all ready assembled on the poop of the vessel to receive the stranger; where, on its arrival, it remains the patient, stupid-looking subject of a hundred passing remarks: the ladies give their due share of praise to its large bright eyes, fine sleek and clean plumage; the expansion of wings is duly measured, the bird, during the time remaining sitting in a quiet manner, appearing very sulky, and apparently unmindful of all around, until a few practical jokes keep its bright eyes on the alert against all personal attacks. After having been admired and pitied (as much as its situation may be considered to require) by the fair sex, and having satisfied the curiosity of both sexes, it is consigned either to the anatomist to be dissected and stuffed for the benefit of science, or to form a skeleton to grace some of the museums in England; or sometimes regains its liberty, with a piece of ribbon tied around the neck, by which it may be readily recognised should it continue to follow the ship, which it usually does for a long time after. Sometimes the passengers on board will amuse themselves by firing with ball at the poor bird as it follows the bait; one I saw struck by the deadly shot, turned on its back, dead, and, as the ship passed it, we could see its companions fall upon it eager to make it their prey. We were inclined to consider this wanton act a useless destruction of bird-life; but his companions seemed to regard it only in the light of a fine, fat, oily prize.
These birds are sometimes very ravenous, and even when foiled in several attempts to seize the bait, by the passage of the ship through the water being too rapid for them, they will persevere as long as they seem to think there is any chance of success.
In 1828, when dissecting the head of the Albatross, I observed, imbedded in a bony cavity, situated immediately over the orbit, a gland, which was covered above by a dense fascia. The cavity to which the gland corresponded was of a semilunar form, and situated over each orbit: at the anterior part of this cavity or depression a small portion was left membranous, excepting a minute orifice, permitting the passage of what seemed to me to be an excretory duct, but the course of which I lost soon after it had penetrated this membrane. The floor of the cavity was perforated by numerous minute foramina, probably for the passage of nutritient vessels to the substance of the gland. This gland is found in most, if not in all, the aquatic birds, but varies in them, both with respect to exact situation or extent. On the dissection of the common duck, I found it, not imbedded in a bony cavity, but situated on a dense fascia, slightly projecting over the superior and posterior margins of the orbit. It is similarly situated in the boobies and others. In the Cape petrel (Procellaria Capensis) this gland is situated partly in a narrow semilunar depression over the orbit, and partly on a dense membrane, continuous from the margin of this bony cavity, extending from two orbital processes, serving to complete the superior part of the orbit on which the gland rested. A dense fascia covers the glands, which fascia is not continuous over the other part of the head, but binds the glands firmly down in their situation.
In the gull tribe (Larus) it is situated in a bony depression over the orbit, but more superficial than in the Albatross, and extends over the cranium, so as nearly, if not actually, to touch the gland on the opposite side, and both extending so as to cover the anterior part of the cranium.
It is difficult to conjecture the use of this gland, as those possessing it have also a lacrymal gland in the usual situation. I could not observe at this time, either in the Albatross, or any other oceanic or aquatic bird, any excretory duct. Cuvier, in his Comparative Anatomy, (vol. ii. p. 440,) thus alludes to it: “Les oiseaux du genre des canards, et d’autres oiseaux d’eaux et de rivage, ont un corps glanduleux, dur, grenu, qui occupe toute la partie supérieure de l’orbite et se contourne en arrière pour suivre la courbure de l’œil. Dans le morillon (Anas fuligula) il est si large qu’il touche son correspondant par dessus le crâne. Ce corps paroît tenir lieu de la glande lacrymale: je n’en ai cependant pas encore vu le canal excréteur.”
In July, 1832, during a passage to New South Wales, a capture of an Albatross afforded me an opportunity of again dissecting this gland, with the view of ascertaining, if possible, whether an excretory duct actually existed. I found the gland of a hard granulated substance and pale colour, consisting of numerous, distinct, minute oval bodies, and on being cut it is found to be abundantly nourished by blood-vessels; the nerves supplying it came from the minute foramina seen on the floor of the cavity, and are distributed in and about the substance of the gland. These glandular bodies are placed in two rather semicircular depressions, (one over each orbit,) to which the form of the gland corresponds, accurately filling up those cavities, and bound down firmly by a strong and dense fascia: the distance between these cavities, or depressions, (in the specimen now under examination) was three-eighths of an inch; the external margin of this cavity is very narrow, partly cartilaginous, partly bony; the gland does not project over the outer margin, a distance of one-eighth of an inch being left beyond it. Not finding any duct when I came to the anterior portion of the gland, which was visible, I commenced a further research, by laying open the bony plate which covered the olfactory part of the upper mandible, continuing the destruction of this portion of the bill, on one side, to the nostril. I then found that the gland was continued for a short distance further, under the bone, towards the nostril, situated rather above and anterior to the nasal portion of the orbit. On pursuing my dissection further, I found a nerve (a branch of the fifth pair?) passing down the thin bony plate, at the interior part of the upper mandible; this I traced until it entered the skull, and thus found it had no connexion with the gland, as its first appearance led me to suspect; but close to and under it was another appearance, which could be distinctly traced, emerging from the gland; it was about a line, or rather more, in thickness, and, tracing its course, I found it proceeded in a straight direction, and then had an almost imperceptible inclination upwards, until I lost it among the cellular substance of the upper mandible, (to which it was attached partially, if not entirely,) rather more than an inch from the base of the bill; the length of the duct, as far as traced, was one inch and seven-eighths. I made a drawing of the preparation.
An interesting subject next for inquiry is, what this gland secretes, and what is its use in that situation? which at present cannot be answered.
Some of these birds, when brought on board, will throw up a quantity of fœtid oily fluid and undigested food, becoming “sea-sick,” as it is usually termed; such, however, is not invariably the case, as numbers are brought on board who are not guilty of such indecorous conduct, but it always happens when any of the petrel tribe are captured.
Although accustomed to dissect several of the oceanic birds which were captured on board, still I cannot refrain from making some remarks on the cruelty of those who pass away a leisure hour on board, by firing at them as they fly about the ship. These little “indefatigables,” as some are pleased to term them, are too often doomed to become the subjects of this murderous sport. Often and often, with broken wings, they are left to linger on the wide expanse of waters, unable to procure any food but that which may accidentally pass them; buffetted about by the waves, and helpless in themselves, they linger out a miserable existence, until death puts a period to their misery. It is revolting to the feelings to see these beautiful and perfectly innocent birds destroyed, solely to gratify the inclination to destroy.