Chapter XV: Appendix: The Cocoa-Nut Tree (2)

At the same islands, one of their traditions gives an account of the introduction of the cocoa-nut tree. It is, “that a god, on a visit to them from an island which they call _Oatamaaua_, finding them destitute of this important tree, fetched it to them in a stone canoe: the whole transaction being described in a minute and equally incredible manner.”[137]

Among the articles brought off to the ships for barter at the Island of Tongatabu, were small calabashes, (fruit of _Melodinus scandens_,) filled with cocoa-nut oil perfumed by the sandal-wood, or various sweet-scented flowers, indigenous to the island. With this oil both the males and females anoint the upper parts of the body very profusely, giving a softness and glossiness to their dark-brown skins, and preventing the fervid rays of the sun from having any effect upon them, exposed as their naked bodies are to its influence.

The Papuas of New Guinea “in general wear a thin stuff that comes from the cocoa-nut tree, and resembles a coarse kind of cloth, tied forward round the middle, and up behind between the thighs.”[138]

The outer coarse fibres of the husk of the cocoa-nut, is made into a kind of rope, called Talie, api, or fire-rope, by the Javanese: it retains the fire for a long time, and is used in Batavia for lighting cigars.

The sinnet, made from the inner fibre of the husk of the cocoa-nut, can be procured in abundance at the island of Tongatabu, and other islands in the Polynesian Archipelago, where it is used for canoes, binding the rafters of their houses, and a variety of other purposes, both ornamental and useful.

REMARKS ON THE MORBID APPETITE OF BREEDING EWES, IN SEVERAL PARTS OF THE COLONY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, MORE PARTICULARLY OBSERVED ABOUT THE MURRUMBIDGEE COUNTRY, OCCASIONED BY EATING EARTH IMPREGNATED WITH SOME ALKALINE SALTS.

(_See Page 220_, Vol. i.)

On account of the morbid appetite existing in the sheep, which I am about to relate, their natural innocent dispositions are changed; they become carnivorous and savage; and it is difficult to drive them away from the pits in which earth impregnated with alkaline salts may be situated; although, when taken to a _fresh run_, they proceed feeding as usual, until this salt earth is again discovered, when they became addicted to the unnatural custom of devouring their lambs. On discovering one of the pits, they rush to it with the activity of deer, licking and gnawing the earth with avidity.

Among breeding-ewes, eating the earth was followed by their devouring the progeny of the other ewes, when brought forth; and, on the shepherds endeavouring to save the lambs just born from their voracity, they would rush upon them, biting their trowsers, and making strenuous efforts to seize the lambs in the arms of the men.

The different places about the Murrumbidgee country, where this took place, was shown me during my visit to that part of the colony. One place was a black bog earth, on which marks of the tongues of the animals, at those places where they had been licking, could be distinctly seen; the second place was similar to the first, and two others consisted of a reddish clay.

The situations were about limestone ranges; and it has been remarked, that the water holes, as they are termed, (which when dry, are the places frequented by the sheep, for the purpose of licking and gnawing the earth,) after standing for three or four days, acquire a peculiar sickly, sweetish taste: and it is in these pools, after the evaporation of the water, that the earth is situated, so eagerly devoured by the breeding-ewes. When driven away, they are seen licking their mouths, as if enjoying the delicious treat of which they had just partaken, making every endeavour to return: and men were required to be kept constantly on the watch, to prevent them; but with every exertion it was almost impossible to keep them off, for one flock advanced as another was driven away, and the people are soon tired out.[139]

After eating the earth, they do not feed on the herbage in any regular manner; they are restless, picking a bit of grass here and there, according to the statement of the shepherds, until, on the approach of evening, they feed in a more regular manner.

Sometimes six or eight ewes may be seen running to a particular spot on the pasturage, about the roots of clumps of grass, and sometimes those of fallen trees, licking and gnawing about the spot, as if it had a similar earth to that found in the _water holes_. They will burrow underneath the bank, to get the saline earth, at those places where it may be most moist.

This quality of the ground is supposed by the shepherds to be more prevalent about _limestone ranges_ than any other geological formation; but I cannot consider this as satisfactorily proved. Although it has prevailed, for the most part, in places at which the limestone has formed the principal geological character, yet there are other parts of the country, where sheep have manifested a similar morbid appetite, when no limestone has existed. An ewe being missing about some limestone ranges, was seen coming out of a small cavern, in which she seemed to have found some of the saline earth, as she had a quantity of earth about the mouth; and the place was afterwards much frequented by other ewes, until they were removed from the spot.

The sufferers in the loss of lambs and ewes from this morbid appetite of the latter, are principally Messrs. Dutton, O’Brien, Warby, Hume, Manton, &c., all having sheep-runs about the Murrumbidgee country.

Mr. Dutton addressed a letter to the government on the subject, with the intention of getting his grant of land, if possible, changed to some other part of the country. The following is an extract from his letter, which clearly points out the destructive effects produced among the flocks, the most valuable stock of the settler in this colony, and on which his prosperity greatly depends.

“The disadvantages which I have thus to detail to you, arise from the novel disease with which the sheep are affected. It appeared after the first lambing, and within four months from the time of my occupation of the land in question. Its unaccountable and destructive nature renders my selection utterly useless. The nature of the disease, as far as I have yet remarked, is as follows:—The sheep, in the first place, devour the earth ravenously, the pasture being at the same time luxuriant, principally rib-grass, and other succulent herbs; they become speedily emaciated, from this unnatural diet, more particularly as the lambing season advances, and when lambing commences: the other ewes surround the one lambing, and devour the young as they emerge from the mother. The lambs saved through the care of the shepherds become poverty stricken, from the low condition of the mothers, and generally die before they become a month old. Thus, instead of having twelve hundred lambs this season, as my regular increase, I do not count four hundred; besides a very great decrease from mortality in the maiden sheep, originally purchased at high prices. The number of shepherds required being at the same time thrice beyond the proportion usual in the colony.”—November 1832.

The result was, that as the regulations of the government could not permit the grant to be changed, Mr. D. was obliged to sell it as a cattle-station, and purchase land in a more favourable part of the colony for his flocks.

In December he removed them, as a temporary measure, to Yas Plains; some of the ewes lambed after they had been removed, but the morbid appetite had ceased with the exciting cause, and the lambs were not attacked by the other ewes.

At the Murrumbidgee country I saw one of the little lambs, which had just been saved from the ravenous ewes, and had its tail bitten off before it was rescued. The circumstance was as follows, which shows the mode of attack:—The ewe was lambing, when six or eight others rushed towards her, but were prevented from coming near by the shepherds; they would not, however, go away, but kept following; and as soon as the ewe dropped her lamb (the shepherds having been engaged for the moment in driving away another party from another lambing ewe) it was attacked, the tail was bitten, but they were prevented from proceeding further by the immediate return of the shepherds.

They also evince as much eagerness to devour the “_cleanings_,” or after-birth, if not prevented; but if the little animal has been licked clean by the mother, and is dry, it may be placed in the hurdles amongst the other ewes, without their being attacked or injured. Thus showing that the salt nature of the _liquor amnii_, which at that time covers the young one, is the principal exciting cause for this extraordinary propensity to destroy, that appetite being excited by having previously eaten the saline earth from the “water holes.”

At the places where this destruction to the hopes of the wool-grower takes place, the pasturage is luxuriant; and the situations would be selected, by a person ignorant of the before-mentioned circumstances, as some of the finest sheep-runs in the colony.

The mother will not devour her own progeny, but will sometimes (which is not unfrequent in maiden ewes) not take to the lambs, but forsake them; until the shepherds hurdling the mother and young one together, the mother at last acknowledges her young.

It is not uncommon, however, for them to follow other ewes, attack and devour the lambs brought forth by them, in as ravenous a manner as the others would have devoured their young.

The ewes will not even wait until the young lamb is born, but when they see an ewe yearning, will rush upon her, devour the young one as it proceeds from the mother, and thus sometimes half the lamb is devoured before it is wholly born. Although the shepherds, by attention, endeavour to avert the evil as much as possible, yet when many ewes are lambing, the number of shepherds attached to the flocks are too small to enable them to attend to every individual case.

It may be asked, Does not the usual impulse of natural feeling induce the mother to prevent the destruction of her offspring? In reply, it may be said, That the poor, helpless, timid creature bleats, but makes no effort to defend her young one from the furious attacks of the “mob.”

The poorest and leanest ewes are those remarked as being most eager to devour the lambs of others; they have been brought into that miserable state, from having previously been fine fat ewes, merely from the custom of devouring the saline earth.

The head shepherd of Mr. Dutton’s flocks told me that there was not a finer flock of sheep in the country than those, previous to their devouring the salt clay and earth; after which they “fell off in condition,” until they became in the miserable state in which I now saw them.

The following is another, among too many instances of their voracity. An ewe had just commenced lambing, was in labour, but no portion of the young one had yet been born, when from fifteen to twenty ewes were seen running towards her; the shepherds perceiving this, rescued the ewe, and remained near her until she had done lambing; the other ewes kept at a short distance, occasionally advancing to make an attack upon the young one. The lamb was brought forth, and when perfectly cleaned and dry, was placed in the sheep-fold, in the evening with the mother, as usual, but the other ewes then took no notice either of the mother or young one.

Although the breeding ewes suffer both in health, and acquire this morbid appetite of devouring the progeny of others, and their own cleanings, yet rams, wethers, and ewes, _not breeding_, fatten to an astonishing degree upon the same pasturage, where breeding ewes had become miserably lean, and died in numbers from being in so low a condition. On one of these spots, I saw a wether killed from a flock, which was so fat as to render the meat almost uneatable; and Mr. Manton, who, from the cause before-mentioned, had been obliged to remove all his breeding ewes from his pastures about the Murrumbidgee, would, nevertheless, send his rams and wethers on the luxuriant pasturage, as the best place to fatten them; indeed, all concurred that rams, wethers, and even the ewes, if not breeding, thrive and fatten upon that pasturage land about the Murrumbidgee country, which proves so destructive to breeding-ewes and their lambs.

Mr. Manton had sheep on the limestone ranges, near the banks of the Murrumbidgee river; they became impoverished, and acquired the morbid appetite for devouring the young lambs; but when he removed them to a granite soil, in the vicinity of Yas Plains, they speedily recovered their former good condition, and the morbid appetite left them, more probably from there being no “water holes” containing saline earth about the place, than from the change of strata; however, they never returned to the unnatural practices, as was so frequent on the sheep-runs at the former place.

At Jugiong, Mr. O’Brien suffered in the loss of lambs from the same cause; but by occasionally changing the pasturage, it was checked in some degree; and although lambs were sometimes lost, yet the destruction was much lessened.

Even when the lambs are not devoured or destroyed by the other ewes, yet from the miserable condition of the mothers, the shepherds have been obliged to remove the young from their care, from inability to support them, when they endeavour to rear them by hand as “pet lambs.” If this were not done, the ewe would be more weakened by having to nourish her offspring, so that (as is known from experience) both ewe and lamb would be lost.

In rearing lambs away from the mothers many perish; and besides, the shepherds object to raising pet lambs, if it could be avoided, because they are seldom good sheep; when turned out in the pasturage they become _poverty stricken_, still looking for the fostering hand that reared them.

At _Narangullen_ a sheep-station, in the Murrumbidgee country, near _Guadarigby_, before the sheep discovered the spots in which the saline earth was situated, they brought forth the young in the usual manner, and the cleansings (if the delivery happened during the night) were found in the fold, and given as usual to the dogs; but when the earth was discovered, the lambs were attacked at birth, and the “cleansings” were devoured, if not timely removed by the shepherds.

At Darbylara (also situated on the banks of the Murrumbidgee river) Mr. Warby, who has a fine farm at that place, suffered such losses among his flocks from this cause, that he was obliged to sell those that remained; yet at _Brungul_, a station about eight miles distant, near the Tumat river, there was a small flock of sheep which had not shown any of this morbid appetite, and were in excellent condition.

On visiting Mr. Warby’s farm, the whole had the appearance of being excellent pasturage, and affording excellent sheep-runs; but about the pastures there were several pools of brackish water, to which the sheep resorted, and from which it was found at last impossible to keep them.

At this place again, although so destructive to breeding-ewes, rams, wethers, and ewes, not breeding, would fatten, and become in the finest condition, upon the same pasturage.

The sheep at these places eagerly devour the _Azolla pinnata_, which grows abundantly in the whole of the ponds and rivulets.

At _Guadarigby_ I remarked that the cattle, after they had been turned out of the stock-yard, invariably came licking the ground about the huts. After some doubt as to the cause, it was found that the water in which salt-meat had been boiled, was thrown away about that place; and this it was that attracted the cattle: they would even attack one another to get at some places, which had been more impregnated with salt than another. This inclination of animals for salt is by no means adduced as any thing novel; it is not confined to those domesticated among the herbaceous, but also among the wild in that class of animals; for at _Blowrin Flat_, in the Tumat country, a water hole, nearly dry in some parts, and at others perfectly so, and similar to those I had before seen frequented by sheep, abounded in the tracks of the kangaroo; and, on a closer examination, the earth (which glittered in the sun, as if impregnated with saline particles) was licked and gnawed, as was done by sheep in other parts of the country; but it would be difficult to know whether similar results occurred with the breeding females of the kangaroos.

At _Lomebraes_, (about thirty miles from Goulburn Plains, on the road to Yas Plains,) the farm of Mr. John Hume, I was also informed that lambs and ewes had been lost, from similar causes to those I have been relating. The water of the river which runs through his farm in the summer season, when the stream is low, is _hard_, even so much so as to curdle the soap, and prevent any washing with it; but in the winter season, when the stream is increased, it becomes softer.

It is curious that Mr. Warby mentioned that a number of his cows had “slipped their calves,” or miscarried, and thought it proceeded from some poisonous herb they had eaten; but Mr. Hume mentioned that his cows, which are accustomed when breeding to devour the earth impregnated with saline particles, “slip their calves,” and he could attribute it to no other cause. This occurred also at the farms of _Gonnong_, _Mut, mut, billy_; and at all places where the same propensity of licking and gnawing the saline earth, and devouring the lambs, occurred among the ewes, “slipping the calves” occurred among the cows; but I heard nothing of their devouring the young.

THE ALBATROSS.

(_See_ page 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 referring either 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 ship at the same time, and when on the wing were mistaken for the species _spadicea_ or the _chlororynchus_. 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 the afternoon, although it fed well in the morning. The dimensions of the specimen (which was a male) were as follows:—

Feet. In.
Length from base of bill to the extremity of the tail 2 6
Length of the bill 4½
Depth of the base of the bill 1⅞
Length of the tail 9
Length of ditto, exserted from feathers of the urupigium 5
Length of the thigh 6½
Length of the tarsus 3
Length of the middle phalanges 5⅛
Breadth of the wings expanded 7 0
Breadth between the wings from the first joint 4
Length of the first joint of the wing 10
Length of the second joint of the wing 10⅛
Length of the third joint of the wing 4
Length of the fourth, or pen-feathers 1 4
Length of inner angle of eye to base of beak 1⅔
Breadth of the foot when expanded 5
First pen-feather the longest.

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; under surface 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 coat throughout 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 the length 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 Zealand _ladies_ it 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 the _Diomedea fuliginosa_, Sooty Albatross, or quaker-bird, which was captured (by a hook 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 called _Pio_ by 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 examining numerous 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 named _Mollymawk_ by 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 for the 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 was _fishing_ for 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 I _landed_ him 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 before disbelieving 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 to breed 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;—the _Diomedea spadicea_, _exulans_, _chlororynchus_, and _fuliginosa_. 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 time we 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.

“The _D. chlororynchus_ builds 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 unconsciousness of 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 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.

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:—

Feet. In.
Length of the body, from base of bill to extremity of tail 2 4
Length of the bill 0 4
Depth of the base of the bill 0 1⅝
Length of the tail 0 8¼
Length of ditto, exserted from the feathers of the urupigum 0 3⅜
Length of the thigh 0 3¾
Length of the tarsus 0 3⅛
Length of the middle phalanges 0 5⅛
Breadth of wings expanded 7 4
Breadth between the wings from the 1st joint 0 4½
Length of the 1st joint of the wing 0 10¼
Length of the 2nd joint 0 10½
Length of the 3rd joint 0 4
Length of the 4th, or pen-feathers[142] 1 3
Length of the inner angle of the eye to the base of the beak 0 1⅛

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.