To follow in the wake of some passing ship, probably because the agitation of her track brings to the surface the small fry of marine animals which are their principal food, appears to delight them. They pounce upon anything that falls overboard, even Man. On one occasion a sailor fell into the sea from a French vessel, and could not be immediately rescued because there was no boat in a fit state to be lowered. A flock of Albatrosses, which followed in the ship’s wake, pounced upon the unfortunate seaman, and commenced to peck his head. Being unable to buffet both with the sea and the enemies which surrounded him, the poor sailor perished before the very eyes of his comrades.
The Gulls, the Albatrosses and Petrels may be said to be the Vultures of the ocean—its scavengers; for they cleanse it of all the putrefied animal substances which float on its surface.
In the autumn the Albatrosses congregate at their favorite nesting-places. They assemble in immense numbers on the islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. Their nests, which are about three feet in height, are formed of mud.
Their flesh is very hard, and can only be rendered eatable by laying it for a long time in salt, and afterwards boiling it, and flavoring it with some piquant sauce.
The most remarkable species are the Common Albatross, which frequents the seas washing the south of Africa; the Sooty Albatross which also inhabits the seas round the Cape of Good Hope; the Yellow-beaked Albatross which, like the preceding species, inhabits the seas of the South Pole.
THE GRALLATORES, OR WADING BIRDS.
Nearly all the Wading Birds have very long legs; in some species these are of such surprising dimensions that the Birds appear to be mounted on stilts. This peculiarity is well adapted to their modes of life. They inhabit river banks, lakes and marshes, in which they find their food; consequently they are fearless of water and ooze. Not all the birds classed with the Waders live near the water, however; the Runners, or such Birds as the Ostrich, Agami, Bustard Emu, etc., are usually classed with the same group because of the similarity of their long, strong legs and short wings.
The bills of the different Birds found in this group assume various forms. They are generally long, but according to the species, they may be thick or slender, tapering or flat, blunt or pointed, strong or weak, and in some kinds, such as the Flamingo, the Spoonbill, the Boatbill, etc., they really defy all description. The neck is always slender and in perfect harmony with the length of the legs.
Almost all the Waders are powerful Birds on the wing, and twice a year most of them emigrate like the Wild Ducks, Geese and Swans. There are exceptions to this rule, however. Some of them, like the Bustard, move through the air with difficulty; while the short winged species are unable to fly at all, their wings being only useful for helping them along in running, and thus assisted, they are remarkably swift.
The nature of their food varies with the form and strength of the bill, and the locality they inhabit. It consists generally of Fish, worms and insects, and sometimes of small animals and reptiles, as well as grasses and seeds.