The Albatross is the largest and most bulky of all the birds which fly over the surface of the sea.

Albatross

The Albatross is the largest and most bulky of all the birds which fly over the surface of the sea.

Petrels resemble gulls, except in having the nostrils open as two parallel tubes on the top of the beak.

Petrel

Petrels resemble gulls, except in having the nostrils open as two parallel tubes on the top of the beak.

A large marine swimming bird. The bill is straight and strong, the upper mandible hooked at the point and the lower one truncated; there are three webbed toes on each foot.

Albatross

A large marine swimming bird. The bill is straight and strong, the upper mandible hooked at the point…

"A detachment of United States sailors from the gunboats <em>Albatross</em> and <em>Gemsbok</em> burning the contraband vessel <em>York</em>. Mouth of Rogue's inlet, near Beaufort, N. C., January 23rd, 1862." —Leslie, 1896

Burning of York

"A detachment of United States sailors from the gunboats Albatross and Gemsbok burning…

A group of albatrosses, a family of natatores.

Albatrosses

A group of albatrosses, a family of natatores.

"Wandering Albatross. A web-footed sea-bird of the petrel family."-Whitney, 1902

Albatross

"Wandering Albatross. A web-footed sea-bird of the petrel family."-Whitney, 1902

Albatrosses are amongst the largest of flying birds, they are highly eficient in the air, using dynamic soaring and slope soaring to cover great distances with little exertion.

Albatross

Albatrosses are amongst the largest of flying birds, they are highly eficient in the air, using dynamic…

The wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is a seabird with the largest wingspan of any living bird.

Wandering Albatross

The wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is a seabird with the largest wingspan of any living bird.

"Diomedea brachyura. Short-tailed Albatross. Bill 5.00 or 6.00 inches long, with long, with moderately concave culmen and prominent hook. Frontal feathers forming almost no reentrance on culmen, running nearly straight around whole base of upper mandible, and extending scarcely farther on sides of under mandible, with hardly any convexity. Tail very short, contained rather more than 3 times in length of wing. Adult plumage white, the head and neck usually washed with shining rusty-yellow; wings and tail dark or blackish, with a wholly indeterminate amount of white on the coverts and inner quills - sometimes nearly all the wing-coverts white excepting a line along the border of the fore-arm - sometimes the white restricted to a small space at the elbow. Bill pale reddish-yellow, drying pale dingy-yellowish; feet flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bill and Foot of a Short-tailed Albatross

"Diomedea brachyura. Short-tailed Albatross. Bill 5.00 or 6.00 inches long, with long, with moderately…

"Phoibetria fuliginosa. Sooty Albatross. Plumage ordinarily uniform sooty-brown; quills and tail blackish with white shafts; eyelids white; bill black, with long yellow (perhaps in life pink or red) groove; feet pale or flesh-color, drying yellow. In some cases the plumage lightens to a clearer more ashy-gray coloration on various prats. The head and neck frequently washed with rusty-yellow. Pacific ocean at large; off coast of N. Am." Elliot Coues, 1884

Sooty Albatross

"Phoibetria fuliginosa. Sooty Albatross. Plumage ordinarily uniform sooty-brown; quills and tail blackish…

Left wing of the albatross.

Left Wing of Albatross

Left wing of the albatross.