File:Reptiles and birds - a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting (1883) (14752356305).jpg

Identifier: reptilesbirds00figu (find matches)
Title: Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting
Year: 1883 (1880s)
Authors: Figuier, Louis, 1819-1894 Gillmore, Parker
Subjects: Reptiles Birds
Publisher: London : Cassell & Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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rge to swallow whole, they maybe seen with part of it hanging outside their bill, until the first halfis digested. Thus embarrassed, the Albatross has only one mode ofescape if it happens to be pursued; namely, by disgorging the foodwith which its stomach is overloaded. Gifted with an extraordinary power of flight, these birds ventureout to enormous distances from land, more especially in stormyweather. They seem to delight in the warring of the elements. When * The weight of this bird much varies. A specimen in the Leverian Museummeasured thirteen feet from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. One shotoff the Cape of Good Hope was said to be seventeen and a half feet.—Ed. L 290 REPTILES AND BIRDS. overcome with fatigue, they repose on the surface of the sea, placingtheir head under their wings. When in this position they are veryeasily captured. In order to do this, the sailors have only to ap-proach silendy, and knock them down with a boat-hook or spearthem with a harpoon.
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Fig. 108. -Ihe Common Albatross. Navigators have opportunities of observing these birds in theAntarctic regions, where fhere is no night at certain seasons of theyear, and they assert that the same flocks may be seen hoveringaround their vessel during many successive days without exhibitingthe least signs of exhaustion or the slightest relaxation in theirstrength. A pecuharity in their mode of flight is that, whether theyare ascending or descending, they seldom flap their wings, but do sowithout an effort. THE COMMON ALBATROSS. 291 To follow in the wake of some passing ship, probably because theagitation of her track brings to the surface the small fry of marineanimals which are their principal food, appears to delight them.They pounce upon anything that falls overboard, even man. Onone occasion a sailor fell into the sea from a French vessel, andcould not be immediately rescued because there was no boat in a fitstate to be lowered. A flock of Albatrosses, which followed in theships w

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