the Short-tailed Albatross is one
of the largest of the group, measuring thirty-six inches in length, and
has an extent of seven feet or more. With the exception of the black
primaries, shoulders and tail, the entire plumage is white, tinged with
straw color on the back of the head. They breed on the guano islands in
the North Pacific off the coasts of Alaska and Japan. They lay a single
white egg on the bare ground or rocks. As with the other members of the
family, the eggs are extremely variable in size, but average about 4.25
x 2.50.

[Illustration 061: Black-footed Albatross.
Short-tailed Albatross.]

Page 60

82.1. LAYSAN ALBATROSS. _Diomedea immutabilis._

Range.--Laysan Island of the Hawaiian Group, appearing casually off the
coast of California. This species breeds in large numbers on the island
from which it takes its name. The birds are white with the exception of
the back, wings and tail, which are black. The birds, having been little
molested in their remote island, are exceedingly tame, and it is
possible to go among the sitting birds without disturbing them. Mr.
Walter K. Fisher has contributed an admirable report on this species in
the 1913 Bulletin of the Fish Commission, the report being illustrated
with numerous illustrations of the birds from photos by the author.
Their single white eggs are laid on the bare ground.

83. YELLOW-NOSED ALBATROSS. _Thalassogeron culminatus._

This is a species which inhabits the South Pacific and Indian Oceans,
and is said to rarely occur on the California coast. They breed during
our winter on some of the small islands and during our summer are ocean
wanderers. An egg in the collection of Col. John E. Thayer was taken on
Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean; Sept. 1st, 1888. The nest was a
mound of mud and grass about two feet in height. The single white egg
measured 3.75 x 2.25. It was collected by George Comer.

84. SOOTY ALBATROSS. _Phoebetria-palpebrata._

Range.--Southern seas, north in our summer along the Pacific coast of
the United States.

This species is entirely sooty brown except the white eyelids. It is
similar to the Black-footed Albatross from which species it can be
distinguished in all plumages by the narrow base of the bill, while the
bill of the former species is broad and rounded. They breed commonly on
isolated islands in many quarters of the southern hemisphere. Sometimes
this species constructs a mound of mud on which to deposit its si