DIOMEDEA GHLOEOEHYNOHOS.
THE YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS.
DIOMEDEA GHLORORHYNCHOS. Gran. Syst. Nat. (1788), Vol: I. p. .568.
Gould. B. of Aust., Vol. VII. pi. 42.
Baird. B. of North Amer., p . 822.
The Yellow-Nosed Albatross is an inhabitant o f the Pacific Ocean, and specimens have been obtained on our west coast, off the mouth o f the
Columbia River. Possessed of great power of flight, it traverses rapidly the seas over which it is accustomed to roam, feeding upon such refuse
as it may find tossed upon the surface of the waves. It will follow in the wake of vessels for days, picking up any eatables that may be cast
overboard, its strength of wing enabling it easily to keep up With the swiftest ship. Gould, in the Birds o f Australia, .gives the following account
of this bird: “ This species came under my observation for the first time on the 24th July, 1838, in Lat. 30° 38" S., and Long. 20° 43' W .; from
which period until we reached New South Wales scarcely a day passed without the ship being visited by it ; upon some occasions it appeared in
considerable numbers, of which many were apparently birds of one year old, or at most, two years o f age; these may be'easily distinguished
from the adults, especially while flying, by the darker coloring of their wings, back, and tail, and by the culmen of the bill being less distinctly
marked with yellow. The Yellow-nosed Albatross is plentiful off the Cape of Good Hope, and in all the intermediate seas between that point and
Tasmania; I also observed it off Capes Howe and Northumberland, on the southern coast of Australia, and Gilbert states that he saw it flying
about Rottnest Island on the western coast;”
The YeUow-nosed Albatross has the head grayish-white, with a dark gray line around the eye, and the hind part of the lower eyelid white.
Back and wings dark brown. Primaries brownish black, growing lighter on their edges. Rump and upper tail coverts white. Tail brown,
becoming grayish on the outer edges of the webs. Breast and entire under parts pure white. Sill black; the ridge o f the upper mandible
bright yellow, but becoming red towards the end. Legs and feet yellow. Length about 36 inches; wing 22; bill 41; tarsus 31.