ships. For any offal or garbage thrown overboard is
welcome to its hungry maw, and sailors do not often destroy this bird.
When one is taken, however, they hesitate not to make such use of it as
they can; and the large web feet, when cleaned and opened, are favourite
tobacco pouches. I have one by me that was taken from a large albatross
caught on the voyage from Australia. In Kamtschatka the albatross is
caught by the natives and made useful. For in the summer, flocks of
these birds make their way up into the northern latitudes, as is
supposed in order to prey on the shoals of fish which migrate thither.

The albatross is caught by means of a hook baited with a fish. The
"intestines are blown and used as buoys for nets, and the long hollow
wing bones as tobacco pipes," but the flesh is not good to eat. The
albatross has been seen fully 1000 miles from any shore. Its power of
wing must therefore be very great, but when tired it can walk on the
water with its strong webbed feet, and the sound of its tread is said to
be heard at a great distance. In the breeding season the albatross
retires in company with other sea-birds, particularly the penguin, to
some rocky shore to build its nest. The penguins' and albatrosses' nests
are always found in company, but the penguin robs his neighbour in order
to get the scanty materials which are necessary for his own nest. The
male albatross takes turns with his mate in hatching the young.

A poor sailor once fell over board from a man-of-war in the Southern
Indian Ocean. In an instant he was attacked by two or three
albatrosses, and though the ship's boat was immediately lowered to his
assistance, nothing of him could be found but his hat, which was pierced
through and through by the strong beak of the albatross, the first blow
having no doubt penetrated to his brain and killed him.

THE OWL.

This solemn looking bird is seldom to be seen by day. It is strictly a
night bird. Its eyes are unable to endure the glare of sunshine, but are
formed for seeing in the dim twilight, or in the soft radiance of the
moon. There are at least eighty different species of owls. This picture
resembles most nearly the Virginian Eagle Owl, an American bird. Our
common barn-door owl has no tufts on its head. Some people are foolish
and cruel enough to persecute owls, under the plea that they do
mischief, destroy pigeon's eggs, etc. But this is a false charge. On the
contrary they are very acti