albarello (albarelo)

[It., from the shape, which is held to resemble a tree-trunk; dim. of albero, a tree.] tents, clad in white garments. They were suppre ed by the pope. Also called White Brethren. albatro (al'ba-trôs), n. [Formerly alb i albitro , albetro , also algatro (cf. D. albatros =G. al batro (but D. usually stormvogel, G. sturmvogel, 'storm-bird') = F. albatros, formerly algatros, = It. albatro = Sp. albatroste = Pg. albatroz, all prob. from or affected by the E. form), a modification ( alc-, alg -changed to alb-, prob. in allusion to L. alb us, white) of Pg. alcatraz, a seafowl, cormorant, albatro , orig. a pelican: see alcatras.] 1. A web-footed sea-bird of the petrel family, Procellariida, and subfamily Diomede inæ. About 12 species of albatro are known, all except the sooty albatro , Phœbetria fuliginosa, belonging to the genus Diomedea. They are distinguished as a group from other birds of the petrel family by having the hind toe rudimentary, and the tubular nostrils separated, one on each side of the base of the upper mandible. The bill is stout and hooked at the end, the wings are very long, the tail and feet short, and the stature is very great. Albatro es inhabit the southern seas at large, and the whole Pacific ocean, but not the northern Atlantic. Some of them are the largest known sea-birds, and all are noted for their powers of flight, sailing for hours, and in any di IMG:content-0465.png:[graphic] IMG:content-0466.png:[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][merged small] rection with reference to the wind, without visible movement of the wings. They nest on the ground, and lay a single white egg. They are very voracious, may be caught with a hook and line baited with pork, and when taken on board a ve el are observed to walk with difficulty. One of the commonest and best-known species is the wandering albatro , D. exulans; it is also the largest species, having a stretch of wings of about 12 feet-an a igned dimension of 17 feet being either a great exaggeration or highly exceptional. This bird is mostly white, with dark markings on the upper parts, flesh-colored feet, and a yellow bill. The short-tailed albatro , D. brachyura, is a related but smaller species. It goes far north in the Pacific ocean, where is also found the black-footed albatro , D. nigripes of Audubon. The yellow-nosed albatro is D. chlororhynchus, to which another species, D. culm in at a, is closely related; these, and D. melanophrys, are among the smaller species, and of about the size of the sooty albatro . The latter is wholly dark-colored. From their habit of following ships for days together without resting, albatro es are regarded with feelings of attachment and superstitious awe by sailors, it being considered unlucky to kill one. Cole ridge has availed himself of this feeling in his "Ancient Mariner." Also spelled albatros, and in New Latin form albatrus, as either a generic or a specific designation. 2. A thin untwilled woolen material used for women's dre es. See alb1. albel, n. albedo