324 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

the vane of St. Martin’s steeple, Ludgate Hill, London; and
was shot in the presence of a large number of people. It
is a voracious bird and shows great dexterity in the catching
and swallowing of fish, turning them round so as to swallow them
head foremost, in order to avoid the resistance of the fins and
spines. Colonel Montague had one, caught in a tributary of
the Bristol Channel, by a Newfoundland dog, which at first
refused food but offered no resistance to being crammed.
“The Colonel having retired to the library after seeing the
bird fed,” says Captain Brown, “was surprised in a few
minutes to see it walk boldly into the room, unceremoniously
place itself by him at the side of the fire, and begin to dress
its feathers. This practice it continued till removed to an
aquatic menagerie. Whenever it saw the water it became
restless, and on being set at liberty, plunged into it, and
incessantly dived for a considerable time in search of fish.
After this, it seemed to be convinced that there were none
to be found there, as it was not noticed to dive again fo
three days.”

The Albatross, The great Albatross is a large and powerful
bird, measuring three feet in length and having a stretch of
wing of from nine to twelve or fourteen feet. It is a heavy
bird, and needs great strength to sustain its weight during
its long and rapid flights. Mrs. Bowdich says, “One was
known to follow a ship, which made two hundred miles a
day, for forty-eight hours; and besides these miles, from its
irregular flight, it must have passed over a much longer
distance. The Albatross darts with unerring aim and great
force on its prey, as it swims on the top of the waves. Aman
who fell overboard near the island of St. Paul’s was killed
'by these birds; for, although the boat was lowered immediately,
nothing was found of him except his hat, pierced through
and through by the beaks of three albatrosses, who had
marked him, pecked him on the head, and caused him to
sink.” Their flight is easy and apparently performed without