cellular substance of the upper mandible, (to which it was attached partially, if not entirely,) rather more than an inch from the base of the bill; the length of the duct, as far as traced, was one inch and seven-eighths. I made a drawing of the preparation. An interesting subject next for inquiry is, what this gland secretes, and what is its use in that situation? which at present cannot be answered. Some of these birds, when brought on board, will throw up a quantity of fœtid oily fluid and undigested food, becoming “sea-sick,” as it is usually termed; such, however, is not invariably the case, as numbers are brought on board who are not guilty of such indecorous conduct, but it always happens when any of the petrel tribe are captured. Although accustomed to dissect several of the oceanic birds which were captured on board, still I cannot refrain from making some remarks on the cruelty of those who pass away a leisure hour on board, by firing at them as they fly about the ship. These little “indefatigables,” as some are pleased to term them, are too often doomed to become the subjects of this murderous sport. Often and often, with broken wings, they are left to linger on the wide expanse of waters, unable to procure any food but that which may accidentally pass them; buffetted about by the waves, and helpless in themselves, they linger out a miserable existence, until death puts a period to their misery. It is revolting to the feelings to see these beautiful and perfectly innocent birds destroyed, solely to gratify the inclination to destroy. In latitude 36° 25′ south, longitude 5° 18′ west, in July, 1832, the _D. fuliginosa_, or Sooty Albatross, was first seen flying about the ship; these breed in great numbers on the island of Tristan d’Acunha. The greatest number I ever saw of this species about the ship, was during strong breezes on the 30th of July, which were attributed to the vicinity of St. Paul’s and Amsterdam Islands, about which islands I have always remarked this species of Albatross to predominate: there were a few resembling Chlororynchus amongst them. We had seen the _fuliginosa_ very rarely since we had arrived at the eastward of the Cape, four or five at the utmost only being visible; the last two or three days they have been more numerous, the large white species having disappeared for some time; but on approaching the islands before mentioned, their numbers increased, although we did not see the islands. As we approached towards King’s Island, at the entrance of Bass’s Straits, this species had forsaken us. These birds, as well as all the Albatross genus, Cape Petrels, and other birds, follow the ship during the whole of the night, reposing for a short period on the water, in which position they have been passed close by ships, riding like a duck on the water, but they seldom remain long on the waves, usually alighting for food, and soon resume their flight.