tniAP. IX J HABITS OF SOME I3IRDS. 199 



thought inexplicable transportal of the erratic boulders, which 

 are strewed over the plains of Europe. 



I have little to remark on the zoology of these islands. I have 



before described the carrion-vulture or Polyborus. There are 



some other hawks, owls, and a few small land-birds. The water- 



fi)wl are particularly numerous, and they must formerly, from 



the accounts of the old navigators, have been much more so. 



One day I observed a cormorant playing with a fish which it had 



caught. Eight times successively the bird let its prey go, then 



dived after it, and although in deep water, brought it each time 



to the surface. In the Zoological Gardens I have seen the otter 



treat a fish in the same manner, much as a cat does a mouse : I 



do not know of any other instance where dame Nature appears 



so wilfully cruel. Another day, having placed myself between 



a penguin (Aptenodytes demersa) and the water, I was much 



amused by watching its habits. It was a brave bird ; and till 



reaching the sea, it regularly fought and drove me backwards. 



Nothing less than heavy blows would have stopped him ; every 



inch he gained he firmly kept, standing close before me erect 



and determined. When thus opposed he continually rolled his 



head from side to side, in a very odd manner, as if the power of 



distinct vision lay only in the anterior and basal part of each 



eye. This bird is commonly called the jackass penguin, from its 



habit, while on shore, of throwing its head backwards, and 



making a loud strange noise, very like the braying of an ass ; 



but while at sea, and undisturbed, its note is very deep and 



solemn, and is often heard in the night-time. In diving, its 



little wing-s are used as fins; but on the land, as front lesrs. 



Whtn crawling, it may be said on four legs, through the tus- 



sucks or on the side of a grassy cliff, it moves so very quickly 



that it might easily be mistaken for a quadruped. When at sea 



and fishing, it comes to the surface for the purpose of breathing 



with such a spring, and dives again so instantaneously, that I 



defy any one at first sight to be sure that i* was not a fish leaping 



for sport. 



Two kinds of geese frequent the Falklands. The upland 

 species (Anas Magellanica) is conmion, in pairs and in small 

 ilock«, throughout the island. They do not migrate, but build 



