THE FLIGHT OF THE ALBATROSS.
[To ma Emma or ram .,13rocraroo.1
Sin,—As my letter (the postscript to which you published), in which I endeavoured to answer fully the letter of the Duke of Argyll, was too long for insertion in a journal not professedly scientific, will you allow me to state very briefly the heads of my arguments in reply P The statement of the general prin- ciples of flight I will not discuss, as they do not seem relevant.
1. A "unique" place was not positively " assigned " to. albatrosses, but rather, as Mr. Abbay said, "suggested." Dalton's law of the diffusion of gases is submitted as a " unique exception to a general law "—that of gravitation—and bats and flying-fish as cases of "solitary departures from common plans."'
2. The Duke of Argyll is alone responsible, as far as I know, for the statement that the albatross flies "in the teeth of the- wind." "Against the wind" does not of necessity mean in its teeth. "No ship can sail in the wind's eye," but a smart yacht can, I think, lie up to about three or three and a half points of the wind ; and if its sails were rigid, it could sail nearer. A boat sufficiently light, with rigid sails shaped like an albatross's wings, could perhaps sail within two points, and if it were not for the friction of the water, nearer still, as near as the albatross. perhaps flies. Gulls and hawks seem sometimes to remain poised (it is difficult to be quite certain) in one spot without any motion at all for a considerable time against a head-wind. This could only be done by " If the birds do it, they are then "hove-to," and to make headway would only be an improvement upon that.
3. No one can doubt by what means the swift "wheels and sails." I can see nothing in its flight which renders the com- parison apposite or useful. It makes three or four vigorous beats of its wings every few seconds. It seems able to glide but little against even a moderate breeze. The spiral ascent of the buzzard is sufficiently accounted for by the flapping at "long intervals of time." Being " at a great elevation," it would be- hard to see slight movements of its wings. Possibly it also "sails." Pigeons and rooks, in spite of constant flapping, are often blown back by the wind. Why is not also the albatross, comparatively a far weaker and, I think, far slower flier than either?
Lastly, why is the flight of the albatross different in a calm ? Why does he not "toboggan," As., then, when it would be easiest P I suppose because he cannot, and if he cannot in a calm, a fortiori he cannotagainst a breeze. Therefore, against the breeze his gliding must be sailing.—I am, Sir, dm,
TILE WRITER OP THE ARTICLE.
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