INTRODUCTION 



tormented, it faces its aggressor and ruffles the 

 black feathers which cover its back. Then it takes 

 a stand for combat, the body straight, the animal 

 erect, the beak in the air, the wings extended, not 

 losing sight of its enemy. 



" It then makes a sort of purring, a muffled 

 grumbling, to show that it is not satisfied, and has 

 not lost a bit of its firm resolution to defend itself. 

 In this guarded position it stays on the spot ; some- 

 times it retreats, and lying flat on the ground, 

 pushes itself along with all the force of its claws and 

 wings. Should it be overtaken, instead of trying 

 to increase its speed, it stops, backs up again to 

 face anew the peril, and returns to its position 

 of combat. Sometimes it takes the offensive, 

 throws itself upon its aggressor, whom it punishes 

 with blows of its beak and wings." 



The Adelie penguin is excessively curious, taking 

 great pains to inspect any strange object he may 

 see. When we were waiting for the ship to fetch 

 us home, some of us lived in little tents which we 

 pitched on the snow about fifty yards from the edge 

 of the sea. Parties of penguins from Cape Royds 

 rookery frequently landed here, and almost in- 

 variably the first thing they did on seeing our tents, 

 was at once to walk up the slope and inspect these, 



5 



