THE ALBATROSS.
(Seepage 45, vol. i.)
The Albatrosses are the largest of the oceanic birds, and their generic character (Diomedea) is thus defined:—Bill, very long, stout, edged, compressed; upper mandible channelled on the sides, and much hooked at the point; lower mandible smooth and truncated at the extremity; nostrils lateral, like short rolls and open in front; feet short, with only three very long toes, entirely webbed, but without any spur or toe behind, not even the little nail that is seen in the Petrel tribe; wings very long and narrow, with the primary quills short, and the secondaries long.
The known species are D. exulans, D. spadicea, D. chlororynchus, D. fuliginosa; and Cuvier also enumerates D. brachyura, Temm., D. melanophris, Temm.: for the two last species I have not had an opportunity of referringeither to drawings or descriptions. There is a species found in Bass’s Straits, of which the description is as follows, copied from my journal at the time: it was captured, during a voyage from England to New South Wales:—
August 21st, 1832. Fine weather, wind from north to north-east, fresh breezes. About one o’clock,P.M., land (King’s Island, at the entrance of Bass’s Strait) was announced from the mast-head, and at the same time an Albatross was captured with a hook and line from the stern; immediately on seizing and swallowing the bait, it again rose into the air, and by hauling on the line, it was safely brought down (as a boy would a kite) on the deck. Several seized the bait, and flew up with it in a similar manner, but this one alone was caught; the hook slipping from the others, and the ship’s way being too great from the stormy state of the weather, to allow them much line to enable them to hook themselves better or swallow the bait. This one was the only specimen of the species we captured.
I placed this specimen in one of the hen coops; it fed heartily on large pieces of fat salt-pork, beef, &c., but seemed to prefer the fattest and most oily food. A great number of the same species of Albatross were about the shipat the same time, and when on the wing were mistaken for the speciesspadiceaor thechlororynchus. On being placed in the hen-coop the bird did not scream, make any noise, or flutter about to regain its liberty, but quietly settled itself, occasionally pecking with the sharp crooked point of the upper mandible against the rails of the coop, but did not continue this for any length of time. It remained during the whole time of its confinement always sitting down, excepting once or twice (the first time it was placed in the coop) walking the length of its prison, and had a perfectly contented appearance. The first two or three days, the bird refused any meat that was given it, but that being lean fresh meat, I do not think it was relished, for soon after giving it a fine fat lump of salt-pork it was eagerly devoured. In three days it was very quiet and tame, pecked its feathers, and seemed to be in good health, having a lively, bright, and beautiful eye; it uttered no cry when caught, nor has it done so during its confinement. After entering the Straits, these, and almost the whole of the oceanic birds which had before been following the ship, had forsaken us. I arrived with it safe at Sydney, on the 25th; it survived until the 29th, when it was found dead in the coop in theafternoon, although it fed well in the morning. The dimensions of the specimen (which was a male) were as follows:—
The following is the general description of this species:—The head, neck, breast, and urupigium of a snowy white colour; back, dark lead colour, shaded off to a lighter tint towards the neck; wing coverts, and upper part of the wings and pen-feathers, brownish black; undersurface of the wings of a white colour, intermingled with light brown, (forming a white streak, extending the whole length on the under surface,) except the pen-feathers which are the same colour above as beneath; tail, dark lead colour, of a lighter tint on the under surface; irides, light brown; a black mark on the upper and inner part around the eye, lightly shaded off towards the base of the bill; eyelids black; bill yellow, with the tips of the mandibles, especially the upper one, of a reddish colour, shaded with black; a black narrow membrane extends around the base of the bill, forming a distinguishing character in this species; feet bluish, with the web of a bluish brown colour.
The dissection of this specimen was as follows:—The pleura and peritoneum (similar to all the other specimens examined) were found inflated; muscles attached to the air-cells; liver large; right lobe in length three inches and two eighths, left two inches and three-eighths, soft, and easily torn; gall bladder in length three inches, and attached the whole of its length to the stomach, and part of the duodenum, and was filled with bile of a bright grass-green colour; length of the first stomach three inches and a half, longitudinal folds of the inner coatthroughout its whole length; a line of demarcation marking the termination of the œsophagus and commencement of the first stomach; length of the second stomach or gizzard one inch, in which were found some small beaks of a sepia; length of the intestines, commencing from the second stomach and terminating at the rectum, six feet; the lower part of the rectum was distended with fœces, white, and of a calcareous deposition in appearance, some of which was concreted, but readily broke like a soft calculus; renal veins much distended; pancreas in length three inches and two-eighths, very narrow at the upper part, and attached by a cellular membrane at that part to the gall bladder, and a portion of the duodenum; it became larger in the middle, and narrower (but not so narrow as at the first part) at the termination; about four inches and a half before the termination of the rectum are two projections, one on each side; in the upper part of the rectum the fœces were dark-coloured, but at intervals were formed into hard lumps. The bird, in its general internal appearance, had not the healthy appearance of those recently killed, which must be attributed to its having been kept in a state of confinement.
The larger species of albatross arrives at thelength of three feet, and the wings, from point to point, have a spread of from eight to fourteen feet. I have heard it asserted that specimens have been shot, and the wings, from point to point, found measuring twenty feet, the plumage of those birds being entirely white; but I have never myself seen the spread of the wings greater than fourteen feet. The bill is in the larger species (the type of the genus) of a pale, dirty yellow, the legs and feet flesh colour. The ladies on board generally request the down of these birds for tippets, &c.; and among the New Zealandladiesit is used in small tufts for adorning the ears, being placed in the lobes, which are perforated for the purpose of receiving these or other adornments to satisfy their vanity, or command, if it be possible, public admiration. In New Zealand the bones of the same birds are frequently seen pending from the lobes of the ears and round their necks in the form of whistles and other ornaments. The Kamtschatdales are said to capture these birds chiefly for the sake of their bones, particularly those of the wing, which they convert to various uses.
During a former voyage, on the 1st of January, 1829, I had an opportunity of examining a specimen of theDiomedea fuliginosa, Sooty Albatross, or quaker-bird, which was captured (by ahook and line, and a piece of salt pork by way of bait,) in latitude 39° 40′ south, and longitude 101° 5′ east. The wings, when expanded, measured six feet eleven inches from point to point. This was calledPioby some of the sailors on board. The bill was of a beautiful shining black, with a distinct white membrane passing about two-thirds down the lower mandible; the legs were naked, and, as well as the feet, of a flesh colour; irides brown, and a circle of white feathers surrounded the orbit; the head, neck, throat, and back, were of a sooty colour; breast and abdomen greyish; wing coverts of a light grey; the pen-feathers of a light black; the tail feathers above of a sooty, inferiorly of a light grey colour; the feet had each three toes, united by a web, slightly serrated at the edges; the first toe had five, the second four, and the third three phalanges.
On the 3rd of January another specimen was caught in latitude 40° 34′ south, and longitude 107° 18′ east, which differed in plumage from the preceding by having the sooty feathers on the head and back intermixed with white, which difference in plumage may have depended on age, as the sex of both birds was the same, being both males.
I have subsequently had opportunities of examiningnumerous specimens, in many of which there were slight differences of plumage, but none particularly marking the sex, that I could discover.
On the 5th of January, 1829, a specimen of the species namedMollymawkby our sailors, the mountain Albatross of the Americans, was captured in latitude 40° 6′ south, and longitude 111° 49′ east. This I suspect only to be a young specimen of the large wandering Albatross. The bill was of a pale, dirty yellow; the head, neck, breast, and abdomen, were of a delicate and beautiful snowy whiteness; the back black, intermixed with brown, changing to snowy whiteness near the tail; tail feathers above black, underneath white; vent white; irides brown; orbits surrounded by a naked skin of a light bluish colour; black feathers at the inner angle of the eye; legs and feet of a flesh colour. The wings, when expanded, measured five feet from point to point.
“And is that the Albatross? the bird mentioned of such an extraordinary size? Well, I thought it a much larger bird; but having so often heard that travellers’ accounts are exaggerated, I ought not to wonder at my disappointment.”—These remarks are often made by persons who make a voyage to sea forthe first time in their lives, and who have in their ideas conjectured that flying fishes, dolphins, albatrosses, &c. so far surpassed all other objects of the creation, that I have scarcely known an instance when such voyagers have not been disappointed at the reality, and considered all that has been related of them as marvellously incorrect. It was during my first voyage I watched eagerly from the stern of the vessel, for the first time, the majestic sailing of the huge Albatross in the air, seemingly enjoying the stormy winds which were at that time pouring their wrath upon our swift craft. It occasionally would sweep the rising billows, washing itself with the spray which broke from the conflicting waves, seemed to delight in the tempest, and looked to the superstitious seamen as if it was hovering over the devoted ship, regarding it, as the foaming billows dashed over its decks, as nigh destruction, and the inmates soon doomed to become its prey. It is a most interesting sight to see these birds during stormy weather flying with and against the wind, and approaching so close to the ship, as if they were about to alight, and seem “gayest of the gay” in the midst of foaming waves and howling winds.
One of my amusements on board wasfishingfor albatrosses, Cape petrels, or pigeons as they are commonly termed, (from the supposed resemblance of their flight and bill to that of a pigeon,) with a hook and line, and a piece of fat pork as a bait, and a quantity of spare line to let out when the bird attacked my bait, so as to allow for the sailing of the ship, and give him time to hook himself as comfortably as possible, or as securely as desired. Many a laugh, and sapient gaze, and passing remark, have I had from my fellow-passengers, at the nonsense and folly of “fishing” for birds: I recollect having a crowd of eager, idle gazers looking on to see what success would attend this novel method of sporting among the feathered creation: the wind was light; and after some time spent in expectation, as is customary with that humane body, the fishers, fortune favoured me, for a huge Albatross greedily seized my bait, and hauling the ponderous bird for some distance through the water, at last Ilandedhim safely on deck: the strain of the line was very great, (with the ship not going above two or three knots an hour through the water,) and I was momentarily expecting it to give way. On this gigantic bird arriving on deck, its enormous size, and elegant, sleek plumage, was exposed to the close gaze of all the beforedisbelieving passengers, who flocked from cabin and steerage to view the splendid prize, which excited both their surprise and admiration, as it lay on the deck, with expanded wings, and half drowned from having been dragged some distance through the water. Nothing more was afterwards heard of the size of the bird being exaggerated; and it proved for a long time after a subject of conversation, all uniting in pronouncing it an enormous and splendid production of the feathered creation. A second specimen was caught soon after: the first measured fourteen feet from the extremity of one wing to that of the other; and the second, ten feet four inches. There was a slight difference of plumage in the two birds; one having the upper part of the head and back of a beautiful pencilled white; while the upper part of the head and back of the other was black. The skin, on dissecting the birds, was found to contain a very large quantity of oil, as is usual with the oceanic birds. A cluster of cartilaginous tumors was found attached to the web of the foot of one of the birds. The pharynx and œsophagus are capable of being distended to a very large size, which enables the bird to swallow large pieces of food entire.
At certain seasons of the year they retire tobreed on rocky islands, as the Crozettes, Marion Islands, Tristan d’Acunha, &c. Captain Carmichael[140]describes their manner of breeding, as seen by himself on the Island of Tristan d’Acunha:—“As we walked down the mountain on our return,” he observes, “we passed among flocks of Albatrosses, engaged in the process of incubation, or tending their young. There are four species of them that breed on the island, none of which hatches more than one egg at a time;—theDiomedea spadicea,exulans,chlororynchus, andfuliginosa. The two former give themselves no trouble in constructing their nest, merely choosing a dry spot of ground, and giving it a slight concavity, to prevent the egg from rolling out of its place. The egg is white, very large, and of a peculiar shape, being uncommonly long in proportion to its diameter, and equally thick, or nearly so, at both ends.
“The black Albatrosses (D. fuliginosa) are at this season (January) gregarious, building their nests close to each other. In the area of half an acre I reckoned upwards of a hundred. They are constructed of mud, raised five or six inches, and slightly depressed at the top. At the timewe passed, the young birds were more than half grown, and covered with a whitish down. There was something extremely grotesque in the appearance of these birds, standing, on their respective hillocks, motionless like so many statues, until we approached close to them, when they set up the strangest clattering with their beaks, and if we touched them, squirted on us a deluge of fetid oily fluid from the stomach.
“TheD. chlororynchusbuilds its solitary nest in some sheltered corner, selecting, in particular, the small drains that draw the water off the land into the ravines. There it runs up its nest to the height of ten or twelve inches, of a cylindrical form, with a small ditch around the base. A curious circumstance with regard to this bird is, that when irritated, the feathers of its cheeks are separated, so as to display a beautiful stripe of naked orange skin, running from the corners of the mouth towards the back of the head. All these birds nourish their young by disgorging the contents of their stomach. They are never observed to carry any article of food in their bill: those matters indeed, from which they derive the chief part of their sustenance, the blubber of dead whales, seals, and sea lions, would melt away if carried in the bill to any distance. We could not help admiring the utter unconsciousnessof danger displayed by them on our approach: they never showed the least disposition to move out of our way: even when kicked, or pulled off their nests, they made not the smallest show of resistance; but quietly returned to their post, or stood still until we passed on.
“Their plumage is of the finest order, copious, and without the slightest stain. They find great difficulty in getting on wing, and must run twenty or thirty yards along the ground with expanded wings, before they can get fairly under way. We had the curiosity to take one of them by the point of the wings and fling it over the rock; yet, though it had several hundred feet of a clear fall, it never recovered itself, but dropped down like a stone. On this account, when not engaged with their young, they usually rest upon the edge of the precipice, from which they can launch at once into the air; and on entering again upon that difficult part of our route, we had to kick upwards of a dozen of them to the right and left of us before we could get on.”
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 allready 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 onboard 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 minuteforamina, 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 thisgland, 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 hisComparative 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 intwo 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 leisurehour 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.
In latitude 36° 25′ south, longitude 5° 18′ west, in July, 1832, theD. 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 thefuliginosavery rarely since we had arrived at theeastward 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 thetwittering 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, andnumerous 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:—
On the 18th of July 1832, in latitude 40° 12′ south, and longitude 27° 52′ east, the species of Albatross calledspadicea, was taken. The description and measurement of this specimen, was as follows:—It was calledNellyby 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 becomesa 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 decreasegradatimfrom 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 makepurses, 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:—
The structure of the mandible is much thinner in this than in the large white species, and the nostrils are not so elevated and twisted.
The dissection exhibited the following appearances. The pleura and peritoneum were found inflated; the abdominal viscera, except the liver, were seen behind the latter; liver large; right lobe longer and larger than the left; gall-bladder two and one-eighth inches in length, narrow,attached to the liver only by the biliary ducts; stomach covered externally with much fat; the interior consisted of numerous rather tortuous longitudinal folds, and numerous papillæ covered the internal surface, from which, on pressure, a small quantity of a thick substance exuded, leaving a gaping opening: the first stomach was empty; the second stomach was lined with a greenish substance, and contained only an undigested beak of a cuttle fish; heart covered with much fat; gall-bladder full of bile of a grass-green colour; kidneys four-lobed, on one of the lobes was a small diseased spot, of the size of a pin’s head, from which some inky fluid could be expressed. This lobe was easily broken, and evidently diseased: it was the first lobe of the right kidney; ureters long, terminating in the cloaca.
The bill in this species differs from others of the genus, in being more slender and delicate in formation, more particularly when compared with that enormous type of the genus theD. exulans.
The interior of the mouth is of a white colour, excepting near the edges of the mandibles, which have a delicate pink tinge.
From the length of the bill in these birds their bite is not severe, except when they seizeor strike with the hooked mandible, when the impression is strong, but not so great as would be expected from so large a bird.
On the 24th of July, 1832, in latitude 40° 32′ south, longitude 50° 45′ east, we captured the species calledchlororynchus.[143]It was taken by getting its wing entangled in the line, (which was out with a bait attached to it,) as it flew under the stern; it was too old a bird to take bait, but not so wise as to escape the line, and avoid being entangled in it. On being hauled on board, it became unusually vociferous, and screamed for liberty in loud, hoarse, discordant cries. When, in the gentlest manner imaginable, we commenced measuring him, he vehemently exclaimed against it, and was declared by all on board a very noisy bird; he was, probably, an old stager, perfectly well aware of the fate that awaited him. He received the usual share of commiseration from the ladies when they understood he was to be dissected, accompanied by a request for the down.
I now proceed to describe this specimen, commencing with the dimensions, which may be regarded as the usual size of this species. This bird is doubtless theD. chlororynchusof Gmelin, allowing the slight difference in the plumage to be the result of age. Gmelin thus describes it:—
“D. alba, rostro nigro, carina mandibulæ superioris basique inferioris flava, capite grisco,cenia, macula supra oculos caudaque obscuris, dorso, alis maculaque inter rostrum et oculos nigris. Irides fuscæ; nucha et uropygium alba; pedes pallide ochroleuci, anterius cum membranâ digitos connectente obscuri.”
The plumage was clean, delicate, and very handsome, particularly about the head. From this bird I procured a small parasitical animal, probably aRicinus, which was found rather numerous about its feathers, it is prettily marked on each side, with a silvery appearance on the back, when viewed through a microscope.
The upper surface of the wings, scapulars, and back in this bird, was a brownish black; the urupigium, white; the head, chin, and neck, of a delicate grey, or blue grey. The back is shaded off towards the neck, which becomes of a soft and beautiful leaden colour, of more light and delicate tints as it proceeds around the front part of the neck, extending towards the breast; eyelids black: the upper surface of the tail was of a light black; shaded with white in a very delicate and beautiful manner. At first, this appearance was supposed only to be the result of the different lights in which the bird was occasionally placed; but subsequent observations confirmed its being the marked colour.On examining one of the tail-feathers plucked from the bird, it was found delicately tinted; the shaft diminishing gradually as it proceeded from the quill to the extremity, until it terminated in a very fine filament, projecting one-eighth of an inch from the plume; this was observed in the whole of the upper and large tail-feathers. The plume as it came off on each side from the base, terminated in a beautiful downy appearance; tail-feathers underneath of a lighter colour—vent (crissum) white, which gives a light delicate appearance to the edge of the feather.
The breast and abdomen are of a snow-white; under surface of the wings, upper line along the wing-bones, and a little below, brownish-black; middle white, (excepting a few brown feathers near the axilla,) forming a continuous broad white line the whole length of the under surface of the wings; lower feathers base white, tips black, under surface of the pen-feathers black; shafts white.
At the inferior part of the external angle of the eye, around the margin of the lid, a narrow white mark extends for the length of seven-eighths of an inch. A diffused black-mark was situated over, and extended to the inner angle of the eye, terminating near the base of the billin lighter shades of the same colour, forming an agreeable contrast with the delicate leaden hue extending over the head and neck.
Bill blackish; upper surface horny, (shaded with light black at some parts,) extending, of a similar appearance, to the hooked process of the upper mandible. At the lower part of the inferior mandible, this horny appearance also extends to within an inch of the tip. Irides brown; the first pen-feather the longest; feet and legs marbled, the web marbled blue, more at the anterior edges, and between the second and third toes; claws of the toes turned outwards, (to the right.)
There is a very minute tubercle at the posterior, and lower part of the tarsus, which is considered by some as a rudiment of thumb, and I suppose to be that alluded to by Lesson, when he says of this genus, “pouce sans ongles.”
The fœces of this specimen were of a reddish purple colour, as if occasioned by his swallowing some Aplysiæ; but the skeleton of a Loligo was solely found in his stomach, the interior of which, as well as the whole length of the intestinal canal, was seen on dissection to be tinged of a similar colour; but no remains of Aplysiæ were to be found: could the colour, then, havebeen produced by the Loligo? The second stomach contained one perfect and one imperfect beak of a sepia, both of small size. The gizzard or second stomach is small in proportion to the size of the bird.
The specimen was a female; the cluster of ovaries of a yellowish colour, and situated just above the superior lobes of the kidneys, were distinctly seen.
This animal attacked furiously every thing that was placed before it, screaming with its trumpet-like voice at the same time. It always made some impression with its beak when the hooked end of the mandible came in contact with the object attacked, but not without.
This bird, on being placed on the skylight of the poop, tied by the leg, made one attempt to regain its liberty; finding that attempt fruitless, it never renewed it, but remained with folded wings, apparently content, but appearing to watch the approach of intruders with its large brilliant eyes. When left alone, the bird remained seated, perfectly quiet, pecking its feathers, and looking as content and unconscious of danger as when I have seen them resting tranquilly on the water, undisturbed by the ship, as it has passed quite close to them. I cannot, however, consider its sight very acute, as,although watching me, I found no difficulty at any time in seizing him by the neck. Indeed these, unlike the man-of-war bird, gannet, &c., do not require great acuteness of vision, as their food is principally the sluggish mollusca, not fish, as has been often asserted as serving them for prey, this bird being regarded also, but I consider erroneously, as one of the enemies of the flying fish.
The Albatross does not require that acuteness of vision requisite in theTachypetes aquila, or man-of-war hawk, which hovers to a great height in the air, and then darts with rapidity on its finny prey. The flight of the Albatross, on the contrary, is low, and it frequently skims the surface of the water, watching for the objects which serve it for food, or the sepiæ, as they leap from, or swim tardily near, the surface of the ocean.
Sometimes the Albatrosses form a sea-dish, and are eaten by the crew; but it is seldom they are used for this purpose in the present day, although formerly they were caught and esteemed for that purpose, as a change to the miserable salt junk. Captain Cook mentions, in his first voyage, the method used to prepare the birds before cooking them, and passes much commendation on the dish. “The Albatrosses,” he observes, “weskinned, and, having soaked them in salt water until the morning, we parboiled them, then, throwing away the liquor, stewed them in a very little fresh water till they were tender, and had them served up with savoury sauce: thus dressed, the dish was universally commended, and we ate of it very heartily, even when there was fresh pork upon the table.”
I was not aware, until I perused the entertaining “Fragments of Voyages and Travels,” by Captain Hall, that the Albatross was ever found so near the equator. “On the 24th of May,” he writes, “the day before crossing the equator, a number of those huge birds, the Albatrosses, were seen soaring over the face of the waters, and the flying fish, when rising into the air to avoid their natural enemies, the dolphin and bonito, were frequently caught by these poaching birds, to the very reasonable disappointment of the sporting fish below, on whose manor they were trespassing. These intruders proceeded not altogether with impunity, however, for we hooked several of them, who, confident in their own sagacity and strength of wing, swooped eagerly at the baited hooks, towed far astern of the ship, and were thus drawn on board, screaming and flapping their wings in a very ridiculous plight.”
On the 23d of July, 1832, in latitude 40° 16′ south, longitude 46° 45′ east, an Albatross was hooked; and when about to haul it in, the line (which was out its whole length) accidentally slipped; the bird consequently swallowed hook, bait, and a portion of the line; the remainder hung out from his bill. He was seen about the ship in the afternoon with a long portion of the line pending from the beak. This morning he was seen following the ship, but the length of line which hung from his beak was now reduced to very short dimensions: he had, probably by gradually swallowing, thus reduced it. From this bird being thus marked, we have ascertained that he has followed the ship for two days; and as we have been sailing at the rate of two hundred miles per day, (from the irregular flight of this bird, their actual flight may be correctly quadrupled,) it has followed us in a direct line four hundred miles. How long previously it had been about the ship, or subsequently followed it, we had no means of ascertaining, as the following day none of the Albatrosses had a string pending from the beak: our friend, no doubt, having swallowed the whole of it.
Sometimes the bait would attract an Albatross, cause him to alight, and shake it with his beak; but, “putting on a knowing look,” heeyed it again, perhaps suspicious of its appearance, would refuse it, and fly off. Perhaps he had had a good feast of cuttle-fish, and therefore, being in a dainty mood, did not like the bit of skinny pork that was offered for his acceptance.
These birds are the greatest part of their existence on the wing; but there are other of the oceanic birds which merely seek their food during the day, returning to the land to roost at night; but, from sometimes being blown away by heavy gales, they are obliged to bear away for the nearest port, and take refuge, much exhausted, on the rigging of ships. The booby is one of these; and from the circumstance of being easily captured at night on the rigging, has received its common name, whereas it is as much gifted with sense as any of the oceanic tribe of birds, which, at the best, is not an overplus; but Nature, no doubt, has given them as much as they require for their existence in this world.
So marked is the form of the superorbital depression in aquatic birds, that I have no doubt, judging from my limited series of observations, the genus may be determined by it alone. So marked is it in the Albatross genus, that from it the skull of that bird may be easily recognized. The Petrel tribe have it only half bony, the membranous portion projecting from the outeredge of the bone, which membranous portion is usually found wanting in the prepared skulls of those birds. In the Larus or gull tribe, the flatness of the cavities, and their extending over the anterior part of the skull, so as nearly, if not actually, to touch, seems a distinguishing mark in that genus. In the booby, duck, and some others, there is no depression, although the gland exists, being situated over the orbit, merely on a membranous projection.
My brother, Mr. F. D. Bennett, exhibited, at the meeting of the Zoological Society, on the 25th of June, 1833, a dried preparation of the upper larynx and adjoining parts of the Albatross, (Diomedea exulans, Linn.) for the purpose of demonstrating the existence in that bird of an epiglottis; and observed, “that therima glottidisis bounded by two elevated fleshy lips, which consist of mucous membrane and some few muscular fibres, and are armed with retroflexed spiculæ. These lips are in perfect contact at the hinder part of the glottis when it is closed, but diverge near their anterior part, so as to leave a triangular open space of about the size of a pea, the edges of which are incapable of being approximated to each other. In front of this triangular aperture, and at some distance behind the tongue, (to which it is connected by mucous membraneand muscular fibres,) is an elevated substance of a soft leathery texture, resembling that of the epiglottis ofMammalia: its form is triangular, the apex being inferior, and connected with the tongue, and the base being elevated, and terminating in three convex portions or lobes. The middle one of these lobes is the largest; it is free, and rests immediately over the triangular orifice of the larynx just described, which, when depressed, it is in size adapted to cover. In a line continuous with the floor of the upper larynx and penetrating beneath the epiglottis, is a cavity or sac lined with mucous membrane.”
Having demonstrated these parts on the preparation exhibited by him, he added that as it had been the opinion of naturalists in all ages that no bird possesses an epiglottis, the structure which he had brought under the notice of the Society appeared to him highly interesting. So fixed was the opinion to which he had adverted, that when Warren showed the existence in the ostrich (Struthio Camelus, Linn.) of a structure which he regarded as an epiglottis, the denomination was generally rejected, even in this anomalous bird, and the part was considered as a mere elevation at the base of the tongue, a rudiment, but without the function, of the organ. In the Albatross, however, the function is thatof an epiglottis; and the size, though small, is sufficient for the protection of that portion of the rima glottidis which cannot be closed in the manner usual in birds by the apposition of its margins. With a peculiar structure of the glottis there exists an apparatus equally peculiar in the class, as a provision against the inconvenience which might otherwise result from the deviation from the normal structure.[144]