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[Page 236]

232. 
Towards New South Wales

that I had shot  dischard a large quantity  incredible as it may appear that any animal should feed upon this blubber  whose stings innumerable give a much more Acute pain to a hand which touches them than Nettles

12. Calm again  I again went out in my small boat & shot much the same birds as yesterday  took up also cheifly the same animals to which was added indeed Actinia natans  I again saw undoubted proofs that the Albatrosses eat Holothurias or Portugese men of War as the sea men call them  I had also an opportunity of observing the manner in which this animal stings it the body of it Consists of a bladder on the upper side of which is fixd a kind of Sail which he erects or depresses at pleasure  the Edges of this he also at pleasure gathers in so as to make it  at pleasure Concave on one side & convex on the other  varying the Concavity or convexity to which ever side he pleases for the Conveniency of catching the wind  which moves him slowly upon the surface of the sea in any direction he pleases  under the bladder hang down two kinds of strings  one smooth & transparent which are harmless  the other full of small round knobbs having much the appearance of small beads strung  these he contracts or
 

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