ADELIE PENGUINS 



were distinct. A fine powdering of snow was 

 falling. 



It would be difficult to estimate the number 

 of penguins that poured into the rookery during 

 the following day. There was no evidence that any 

 pairing had taken place on or before the march, and 

 the birds all had the appearance of being quite 

 independent. 



Far away from the beach the line had become 

 thicker, and was no longer in single file, the 

 progress of the birds being slow and steady, but 

 when within half a mile or so from the beach, 

 excitement seemed to take possession of them, and 

 they would break into a run, hastening over the re- 

 maining distance, the line now being a thin one, 

 with slight curves in it, each bird running, with 

 wide gait, and outstretched flippers working away 

 in unison with its little legs. In fact, the whole 

 air of the line at this time was that of a school- 

 treat arrived in sight of its playing-fields, and 

 breaking into a run in its eagerness to get there. 



Arrived at the rookery, and plunged suddenly 

 amidst the din of that squalling, fighting, struggling 

 crowd, the contrast with the dead silence and 

 loneliness of the pack-ice they had so recently left, 

 was as great a one as can well be imagined ; yet 

 32 



