The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-06-17

The Absence of Fear of Man I'm the
Makeup of This Great Sea Bird.

From the Cornhtl Magazine.
BY the time that we had approached
Tristan da Cunha three or four species
of albatross had congregated round the
ship, as many as thirty birds settling on
the water astern in manner highly salts
factory for close and continuous obserya-
tion After half gale Of wind a lull not
infrequently occurs. when the speed is re-
duced to two or three knots; then the hun-
cry creatures literally clamor for food.
Directly bird intends to alight the legs
appear straddling downward In 'ungainiy
tashion-a moment when even an albatross
looks ike an III balanced goose of UNI
weildy size. For half a minute 1t runs
along the surface of the waves, treadng
water so 10 speak, until the enormous
wings become manageable. Then the bird
sWlms Wtth both wings thrown back, like
pair OF lateen sails, very Argonaut on
the translucent sea. At length the dim
Guilty Is overcome, the wings are packed
away and-like large guilt rides thu
waves with consummate ease. Sometimes
Il paddles to and fro or. again. 1t dives
gracefully beneath the surface after suuidz
or similar ocean dainties. Half q dozen
plrds' perhaps, gravey assemble to in
spect an empty beer bottle thrown over
poard' to bob up and down idly upon the
waves, and inquisitive bills peck vigorous
%
pattle royal disperses the family party.
Inc wiser ones meanwhile hover In midair.
crdhlhs their necks to throw penetrating
slances from superior hight
=, WIN the birds settling by the dozen,
u Is easy enough to capture specimens for
examination, without causing injury or
pam ANY sharply barbed hook is alto
Sethef superfluous. The albatro abso-
Iutely enjoy the excitement aud the spors
oo'alned Is not without a novel interest
n atAN fVAw.
the shape OF a hollow triangle. attached
10 hundred yards OF stout line, and kept
anoat by good-slzed piece Of cork The
sldes OF the metal frame are then covered
with DTS OF fat pork, the hard skin Of
which Is securely bound thereto the bait
IS thrown astern, and the line is slowly
paid out, Presently a great albatros.
sWoops through The air. impelled by curios
NY 10 investigate the nature of the float
my pork. 1t settles before the dainty NOR
sci OF food, numbers of birds follow suit
each one made bold by competition ana
then the sport begins. Al This mo,nart
addltonal line must be given in order Ia
compensate for the progression of the shin
mus enabling the bird TO seize the desired
ZOO with a sudden rush the supreme
elort Is made. Once or twice the attempt
proves ineffectual, but rendered hold bv
greediness, final grab finds the curved
DHI securely wedged inside the apex OF
me triangle, as the fierce tugs on the line
quickly indicate. Steadily the haul ia
lnaoe, nand over hand, until a helpless
aIbatross is bodily lifted on to the poop
IN an absolutely uninjured condition. A
slackened line enables the bird 20 escape.
aud II scattered wits permitted such an
EFFORT sudden flight would also obtain re-
lease The other birds invariably com
rnence 10 attack captured comrsde. a
steady pun being required. even II the
me does cut your hands, to save il from
iis friends
once safely on deck. the mandibIes are
tied together. for otherwise the bird
throws up an oily fluid. diSagreeabia
naoit possessed by all the tribe. Subject
TO this precaution, IL may wander graveIy
around to survey the new horizon Of life
me large eyes gaze with a truly pathetic
confidence, expressive Of anything but
rear II is a strange spectacle 10 witness
the lnquisitive bird solemnly waddIe 10
and fro among the equally iruuisitive hui
man beings around. True, IL objeets.s light
v to the process Of measurement, peck
ing sharply by way of protest, but a gem
lie box on the ear soon induces submits
sion as the dimensions are rapidly no e9.
the albatross meanwhile reposirg affec-
tionately in the arms of the second ON
Ger. The specimen happens to be a small
one, but the wing expansion from tin 10
tip Is no less than ten feet; the extr me-
length Of body is three feet six inches
and the formidable bill measures upward
OF TOUR lncheS. Everything about the
great wandering albatross ID. evuIansy
is vast-the wings are enormous; the hight
Is reckoned by the thousand miles, and
its very nest may be found within tho
extinct crater on the adjacent Island OF
Tristan da Cunha-7,000 feet above the seq
level. The plumage varies greatly on diff
terent specimens end al different seasons:
young ones. like our friend under obser-
walton, having a notified brown appear
ance. The bill has rosy tinge at the
base of the manidbles, passing into horn
color at the tip of the curve of the cuI-
men. The head, neck and body. together
with the breasts. are principally white;
the mantle has beautiful pencllings Of
black. The wings are brown above ard
white underr =, tipped above and below
with black--an lnvariable character OF he
great albatross. The tail Is chiefly white.
relieved by blotcies of black, which give
the appearance Of a black bar edging the
white coverts. The legs, feet end toes have
a peculiar blush gray, with a suspicion
OF a livid rinkish hue somewhat difficult
TO define. The black pupils are bordered
with green found eleven feet six inches
to be the average wing measurement. al
though a gigantic specimen In the sgd
ney Museum, extends seventeen feet six
inches, with a bill six inches long. All
sailors are familiar with the great wan
derng albatross in its varying plumage.
While the young and even secord year
birds possess every variety of brown colo
ration, the really mature specimens-es-
pecially round the Horn--are nearly pure
white, with the black tips above and be-
low Most of the other species are hope
lessly confused by sailors under the gem
eraI term "molymaulk' "a word spelled
In divers ways), and II took me many
,,,esLa m distinguish the different kinds