PENGUINS OF ANTAECTIC REGION — GAIN. 477 



black line across its throat. It is as noisy as the Macaroni is quiet, as 

 pugnacious as the other is peaceful. It lives in huge rookeries that 

 inclose sometimes as many as several hun<lre<l thousands of indi- 

 viduals. There are usually two eggs in each nest. When one pene- 

 trates into one of these cities, during the season of reproduction, he 

 is immediately greeted by a deafening hubbub of discordant croaking, 

 or of prolonged puffing accompanied by violence, blows from beak 

 and wing, which makes one hesitate to enter into the midst of this 

 hostile crowd. 



The Antarctic penguins place their rookeries sometimes at a height 

 of more than a hundred meters, and in order to reach the sea to seek 

 the crustaceans of the genus Euphausia on which they live, they 

 must often make a real journey; one sees them set off in little bands, 

 in Indian file, following the paths that they have worn in the snow 

 as a result of their incessant trips, and looking for the most favorable 

 and least dangerous places along the cliff in order to descend to the 

 shore. 



On beaches accessible to rookeries, there is usually a host of birds 

 gathered there by the thousand, reminding one of the throngs of 

 human beings that are attracted on fine summer days to our great 

 beaches in France. They chat little; simply a few reflections whis- 

 pered in a low tone, while in the distance one hears the stir of the 

 noisy city. In little troops the penguins take advantage of a momen- 

 tary calm of the waves to throw themselves into the water and go 

 hunting, while others are coming back from the open sea, uttering a 

 joyous caw, caw, and seeking the most favorable spot for landing- 

 heads rising from the water, a last dive, and the wave, rolling in and 

 invading the beach, casts up the troops of pcngums that are coming 

 back from the fishing; then comes the clmib up the cliff, the return 

 to the rookery w^here they are to take their post as guardians of the 

 nests and allow those who arc awaiting them to set off' in their turn 

 for the sea. 



Rookeries of this penguin are not found south of 65° latitude; 

 one encounters them not only in South American Antarctic regions, 

 but in South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and Bouvet. 



The third species inhabiting the Antarctic regions of South America 

 is the Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua), distinguished by the white 

 spot above each eye and by its red beak. Its rookeries, less impor- 

 tant than those of the Antarctic penguin, are situated to the north 

 of the polar circle; in the circum-Antarctic zone it is found as far 

 as the Falklands and toward the east up to Macquarie Island. Very 

 different from the preceding species, these birds are much quieter, 

 living in the greatest peace with one another; they receive visits 

 from human beings with less protest, but with more uneasiness. 

 Careful of their own appearance and of their rookery, their nests 



