AnI^àfrsUt^j^a-ünfir. eured-a;change, of diet-for a week, This circumstance was-,
the more extraordinary as sharks and dog^fishj of uncommon
size, abounded in the same place, which are known
to he so voracious, and such enemies to all other fish. One
shark was caught measuring eleven feet in length, and
near five in circumference. In his maw was found a
penguin entire, an animal-classed by all naturalists
among birds, but certainly partaking much of the fishy
tribe, not only by its frequent residence in the i\ m 1
which renders it a prey to sharks, but ;fiy its iia^lB*iikei
feathers, and its fin-like wings.. The species^beredaund
in vast abundance, often basking and standing.-.
the rocks, in company with the seals,^is distinguished
by Linnaeus by the name of chrysoeoma,^ having
yellow feathers, forming two semicii ties over the eyes?
like eyebrows.
Of all the birds which frequent this-spot, sossiriiiis
dinary in its origin, formation, and appearance, hot one
is common to the; same degieeof latitude, in the northern
hemisphere. Of the larger kind were several species
of the albatross-; on examining one of which, distinguished
by the name of exulans, it was found that
instead of having only the rudiments of a tongue, as
supposed by naturalists, it had one equalling half the
length of the bill. The yellow-billed albatross is not quite
so large as the former; but the brown albatross is of a
greater bulk. The specimen of the latter, carried on board
the Lion, weighed sixteen pounds,: the expansion ^ ^ AmstÊntei-
wings was ninefeet, thèplumàgé particularly thick upon -
the breast. Th^iafbatross finds a difficulty in râisifigdiself
on a sudden into air ;but is obliged to. start from*
ptecipieCii-of to run a-Considerable way upon the ground,
in orders to :<abquire an impetus or quantity of motion
sufficient to - lift friffion the Wheïini the: water
he< makes i several efforts lt;
Anotheufarge bird is likewise common here, called the
g r e a t black petrel,-and is the ffocdlariaequhioctialis.of
Linnseiisj it is the-delermined enemy;of the albatross*
whomdt attacks always, whenever -it finds him on the
wing, but-quits as soon as the albatross takes to the
water»;which is hisc&nstant refuge in such rencounters.
This petrel-is a fierce and voracious animal; tho one of
them. soon’ grew tame on board tin: Lion, eating quietly
the .garbage and offals set- before it ; and seemed to take
in a tub of sea water; and it
wasÿ thdrefofê, often indulged -in that luxury fThis bird
m m still mûre, fatal enemy to the blue petrel of Amsterdam,
or pr&cellaria forsteri, than to|the albatross. It
devours only the heart and liver ofrthe former, leaving
the rest untouched. Hundreds of them, thus eviscerated,
were found lying upon the earth throughout the island.
They hide themselves under ground in the day-time,
in order to escape, if possible, from then destroyer.
Sometimes,' indeed, in that situation, they make a-noise,