In latitude 36° 25′ south, longitude 5° 18′ west, in July, 1832, the D. fuliginosa, or Sooty Albatross, was first seen flying about the ship; these breed in great numbers on the island of Tristan d’Acunha. The greatest number I ever saw of this species about the ship, was during strong breezes on the 30th of July, which were attributed to the vicinity of St. Paul’s and Amsterdam Islands, about which islands I have always remarked this species of Albatross to predominate: there were a few resembling Chlororynchus amongst them. We had seen the fuliginosa very rarely since we had arrived at the eastward of the Cape, four or five at the utmost only being visible; the last two or three days they have been more numerous, the large white species having disappeared for some time; but on approaching the islands before mentioned, their numbers increased, although we did not see the islands. As we approached towards King’s Island, at the entrance of Bass’s Straits, this species had forsaken us. These birds, as well as all the Albatross genus, Cape Petrels, and other birds, follow the ship during the whole of the night, reposing for a short period on the water, in which position they have been passed close by ships, riding like a duck on the water, but they seldom remain long on the waves, usually alighting for food, and soon resume their flight.
I directed my attention to observe whether these birds followed the ship during the night, and the result of those observations was a decision in the affirmative, as marked birds have been seen about the ship for days together, when the strong gales have carried the vessel at a daily rapid rate through the water. I have seen, occasionally, the Cape Petrels and Albatrosses flying near the stern of the vessel as late as midnight; and it is not unusual to hear the twittering note of the Stormy Petrel (Procellaria pelagica,) under the stern during the night.
Captain Beechey gives the following instance of the Sooty Albatrosses confining their flight within certain limits, and considers it may add weight to the opinion, provided it were not accidental, which future navigators might probably ascertain.
“Off the River Plate, we fell in with the Dusky Albatross, (Diomedia fuliginosa,) and as we proceeded southward they became very numerous; but on reaching the latitude of 51° south, they all quitted us. We rounded the Cape, and on regaining the same parallel of 51° south on the opposite side, they again came round us, and accompanied the ship up the Chili coast.”—Voyage to the Pacific and Beering’s Strait, vol. i. p. 17.
The Albatross delights in food of an oily nature when it can be procured; and on the islands where they breed are often seen in flocks about the carcase of a whale, sea-lion, seals, &c., which have been thrown dead on the rocks, and there they seem to fatten and luxuriate on their luscious repast; but when at sea, their food consists of the Sepiæ, or cuttle-fish tribe, Aplysiæ, or sea-hares, the spawn of fish, and numerous other species of the Mollusca animals, as Vellela, Salpa, Medusa, &c., and they follow ships for the purpose of procuring the remains of food which may be thrown from them.
The gall-bladder in the Albatross is usually found full of bile, of a fine grass-green colour, which dries of a greenish-yellow colour, and is perfectly applicable for water-colour drawing, where such a tint may be required.
The usual size of the large white or Wandering Albatross, (Diomedea exulans,) is as follows:—
| Feet. | In. | |
|---|---|---|
| The expanded wings | 14 | 0 |
| Length of the body | 3 | 0 |
| Length of the bill | 0 | 7 |
| Foot, when expanded | 0 | 6 |
On the 18th of July 1832, in latitude 40° 12′ south, and longitude 27° 52′ east, the species of Albatross called spadicea, was taken. The description and measurement of this specimen, was as follows:—It was called Nelly by our sailors. The head, neck, and urupigum, white; back, wing-coverts, pen-feathers and tail, brownish black; under parts of the wings and tail, lighter colour; the brownish black of the back is shaded off towards the hinder part of the neck, and becomes a plumbo-atro or lead-coloured black; the first pen-feather is the longest, which differs from the usual character in this genus; the pen-feathers decrease gradatim from the first; irides brownish; a black mark from half an inch before the inner and upper part of the eyes, behind and above the outer angle of the eyes; eyelids black; the base of the upper mandible black, as well as the termination of both mandibles; the remainder of the mandibles of an olive green, with delicate black tints; wings same length, when closed, as the extremes of the tail; quills of the pen-feathers white; skin dark-coloured; a quantity of fine down between the skin and the feathers; base of the feathers white; feet flesh-coloured, with bluish tints; the circulation of the venous and arterial system is beautifully seen ramifying over the web; nails of the toes short, and slightly covered outwards in one, and inwards in the opposite foot; the cuticle of the feet is readily abraded when it is placed on a hard surface, even for a short period of time; the web of the foot thick, and it is usual for sailors to make purses, as they term them, by extracting the phalanges, without injuring the web, leaving the claws at the extremities.
The measurement of the specimen (which was a male) was as follows:—