KUDYl'Trr.A. 



.•$03 



It is a yreat diver and povverful swimmer, lyiiif; low in the water, but getting through it 

 with amazing celerity ; its food consists of marine alg;L\ crustaceans and small fish. 



Mr. G. A. Keartland sent me tlie following notes from Melbourne, X'ictoria; — "Although 

 the Little Penguin (Endvptida minor} appears to be very awkward in its movements when 

 waddlin"' on the sandy lieach, it is wonderful how these birds frequently climb apparently 

 inaccessible rocks, in order to find a suitable place in which to breed. Whilst visiting some 

 islands of the Kent Group in November, 1890, I found young Penguins and eggs in crevices 

 over one hundred feet above high-water mark. The birds use their bills and wings to assist 

 them in climbing. Whilst they appear slow on land they are extremely active in the water. 

 Thev use their wings as well as feet when swimming, and they can chase and capture Pilchards, 

 Mullet and many other kinds of fish in open water. The young ones are covered with smoky 

 black down, until they appear to be larger than their parents, feathers then begin to show, and 

 in a little while they attain their full plumage. At all the watering places in Ilobson Bay the 

 peculiar barking note of the Little Penguin is frequently heard. Many Penguins are drowned 

 through being caught in the fishermen's nets, when pursuing their tinny prey. When we threw 

 Penguins into the water they darted away under the surface as fast as a Quail could tiy, and 

 generally went about one hundred yards before coming to the surface to breathe." 



At the Nobbys, on the ocean side of Phillip Island, Western Port Bay, about ten miles 

 from Cowes, Victoria, these birds were breeding in great numbers. Among the low bushes on 

 the top of the island were numerous burrows, from two to three feet in length, in the soft sandy 

 soil. Between the burrows were narrow but clear and well beaten tracks, all running into two 

 branching tracks leading to the water. At that time some of the burrows contained fresh eggs, 

 others young birds resembling balls of slaty-brown down, while a few were nearly ready to take 

 to the water. It was worthy of note that the burrows close to the edge of the cliffs contained 

 either nearly hatched eggs or young birds, while those that were about one hundred and fifty 

 yards from the water all contained fresh eggs, and undoubtedly belonged to a later established 

 lireeding colony. In most cases the entrance to the tunnel was hidden by a bush, and the sitting 

 bird in every instance valiantly defended the eggs or young, inllicting a smart blow with its beak 

 on the hand of an intruder. When these birds were taken out of the burrows they seldom tried 

 to make their escape, they either returned to them again, or several would closely huddle up 

 together, as if for mutual protection. They uttered a short barking note, especially when 

 a hand was inserted in their nesting-burrows, and when several were placed together and left 

 alone they emitted only a low whining note. 



The eggs are usually two, sometimes three in number for a sitting, oval or swollen-oval in 

 form, some^specimens being rather pointed at the smaller end, the shell being close-grained in 

 most specimens, rough-grained in others, and lustreless. They are of a faint bluish-white colour, 

 but when much soiled by the bird's feet are of a lead-white hue. Two sets of three taken at the 

 Nobbys measure :^-Length (A) 2-3 x 1-7 inches; (B) 2-32 x 171 inches; (C) 2-27 x 172 

 inches. The other measures :— Length (A) 2-12 x i-66 inches; (B) 2-15 x 1-67 inches; (C) 

 2-17 X 1-68 incfies. A set of three taken by Dr. Lonsdale Holden, on the i6th October, 1887, 

 on Sister Island, off the north-west coast of Tasmania, measures :— Length (A) 2-25 x 1-69 

 inches ; (B) 2-17 x 1-59 inches; (C) 2-2 x 173 inches. A set of two taken on Penguin Island, 

 twenty miles south of Freemantle, by Mr. Chas. G. Gibson, on the 12th November, 1995, 

 measures:— Length (A) 2-23 x 1-67 inches; (B) 2-27 x 1-58 inches. 



When recently hatched the young in down have the upper parts smoky-brown, the head 

 being slightly darker and the throat paler, breast dull brownish-white. Total length 4-5 inches. 



Young birds still in down have the upper parts and flanks dark smoky-grey, the feathers 

 slightly darker ; top and sides of the head like the back ; all the under parts dull white, the 

 throat and upper portions of fore-neck smoky-grey. Total length in the flesh 14-5 inches. 



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