Evening star., 1898-09-03
Have Been Too Little Observed by
Trained NaturaliSts.
HABITS OF THE L0RDLY ALBATROSS
Mother Carey's Chickens Are Be-
loved by All Sailors.
BOOBIES BELLE THEIR NAME
From the London Spectator.


1t is surely matter for congratulation
that the sentiment of mankind toward
what we pie ased to call the lower ani-
mails is certainly il slowly, tending in
the direction of kinder and more mercifui
appreciation of them in nearly all their
varieties as knowledge OF them grows from
more to more AS perhaps Is but natural,
this benevolent feeling is most strongly
marked for birds, those fedthered ZingaH
of the air whose biithe evolutions above
are more eavied by man than any other
power possessed by the vastly varied men,
bers of the animal kingdom In obedience
TO the growing demand for more intimate
Knowledge Of birds and their habits whole
libraries have been written, and still this
literature increases; but while in this there
Is nothing to cavil at one cannot help feel
ing that the marvellous life of the sea birds
has received far from adequate attention
Like 50 many other denizens of that vast
and denscly populated world of waters,
their inaccessibiity has liindered that close
observation by trained naturaliSts neces-
sary in order to describe them as they de-
serve, while as yet no marine Richard JEFF
ferries or White of Selborne has arisen.
And this want is really to be wondered at
seeing how fascinating is the study of
oeeanic fauna, and remembering what a
wealth of leisure Is enjoyed " masters
of sailing ships. which hHthe afford oppor-
tuniiies ter OBSERVING the life of the sea-
The LordIy AIbatross.
Easily first in point of intel est, as we'll
as size, comes the IordIy aIbatross, whose
home is far south of the line and whose
empire IS that illimitable area of turbulent
waves which sweep resistIess round the
world. Compared with his power of vision
(sailors give all things except a ship the
epicene gender "he'D. the piercing gaze of
the eagle or condor becomes myopic unless
as indeed may be the case. he possesses
other senses unknown to US by means of
which he is made aware of passing events
IL teresting to him at incredible distances
from them. Out of the blue void he comes
uhhasting on motionless pinionS yet at
such speed that, one moment a speck hard
ly discernible, turn but your eyes away,
and ere you can again look round he is
gliding majestically overhead. Nothing in
nature conveys to the mind so wonderful
ar idea OF efortless velocity as does his
calm appearsnc from vacancy. Like most
OF the true peiagic birds. ne is devourer
of offal, the successful pursuit of fish being
impossible to his majestic evolutions. His
appetite Is enormous. but his nQWsrs of
abstinence are equally grea(Snd often for
days he goes withous other nourishment
tran drink- Of ,He bitter sea. At the Gar
ganIna1 --anquet provided by the carcass
= . lead whale. he will gorge himself until
incapable of rising from the sea, yet still
his angry scream may be heard as If pro-
testing against his inability to find room
for more provision against hungry days
soon to follow. Despite his Incompatible
grace OF fight when gliding through mid
air with his mighty wings outspread, when
ashore or OF deck he is clumsy and ill-at-
ease Even seated upon the sea his pro-
portions appear somewhat ungainly, while
his huge hooked beak seems too heavy to
b" upheld. On land he can hardly balance
himself. and the bread silky webs of his
feet soon become lacerated. Thus mis- visits
hs1 -
which are his breeding places are as brief
as may be. since even conjugal delights are
dearly purchased with hunger and painful
restraint a true child of the air. land is
hateful to him, and only on the wing does
he appear 70 be really at home and ease
full.
Others of the Family.
The other members of the albatross fam
lily. who. with their chief Oiomeda I3xul-
ars). are all ciassed by whalers under he
ugly name of ''gocLeys," bear few of the
majestic characteristics of their great
head. The ''mallymoke." which comes
nearest TO the albatroSs in size and beauty,
is actually found north of the line, fact
which sewers this bird very widely from
the aibatross in geographical range Also
he Is much Byelier and more given TO
hustle fussily about. 1t costs him far less
exertiOn to rise from the sea for flight
than the unwieidy padding run along the
surface necessary to give sufficient impetus
quentiy his alightings are much more fire.
quent. But he is undoubtedly a beautiful
bird. suffering only by comparison with the
most splenC ID of all sea fowl. A brown
kind of aIbatross. with dirty white beak
is very much in evidence south Of 20 de-
srees south, dropping continually into the
turbulence of a ships wake, and diving to
considerable Depths after scraps. Sailors
call them Cape hers, for some misty rea-
son which is never given. Among southern
birds they occupy much the same place in
the esteem of those who are acquainted
with them as does the sparrow at home.
4 general fayorite among seamen Is the
Cape pigeon. pretty. busy little sea bird
about the size of a dove, but plumper, with
a black head and elaborate pattern in
black. gray and white upon it's open wings
Around the stern of any passing ship large
numbers Of these fiuttering visitors hover
continually. their shriil cries and unweary-
ing manei-verS contrasting pleasantly with
the deep monotone made by the driving
keel through the foaming sea. In common
with most southern sea birds having
hooked beaks. they are easily caught with
hook and line, but will not live In caDtiv-
lily. Thoughtless passengers, Wearied with
what they call the tedium of the voyage.
often anuse themselves by shooting these
graceful wanderers, although what satis-
faction may be found in reducing a beau,f-
ful living thing to a useless morsel of drag
gled carrton is not easy tc see Occasion
ally passing ship finds herself accom-
panied for very short time by large focks
Of small dove-colOred birds, which, how
ever. do not seem TO care much for the as
sOciation with vessels so characteristics of
sea birds generally. These are known as
Whaie-birds. probably because in the me-
lee that gees on round the carcass of a
oead whale they are never seen Indeed
they would stand but little chance of a
meal among the hordes of larger and more
voracious feasters. Mention must also be
MADE OF a peculiar and unprepossessIne
member of the petrol family which looks
more like disreputable albatross. but Is
somewhat scarce. Known indieerentlv
among whalemen as the Nelly or the
stinker, II seems probable that this bird
is the southern representative of the arcti,
fulmar. which Is abundan. in the NORTH
his chief popularity is his forwarJ!ness
NO sooner does a whale give UP the ghost
than the Nelly boldly aights upon the
black isl5nd-like mass and calmly com
mences to peck away at the firm bIubher
while thousands upon thousands of other
birds wal impauently around, not dsrine, I
TO do likewise. Hence the terrible threat
current In whaleships, TIL light on We
like stinker on a carcass.
Mother Carey's Chickens.
At the bottom of the size scale b,,t IN
point of affectionate interest second 10
none, comes the stormy petrol. or Mother
Carey's chicken. darling wee wandarar