DOMESTIC LIFE 



have done by upsetting the floes. Very probably 

 this is because the agile bird can escape with such 

 ease from the ponderous whale, and fears it no more 

 than a terrier fears a cow, though he thinks twice 

 before coming within reach of its jaws. 



When the sea-ice had gone out, leaving open 

 water right up to the ice-foot, a ledge of ice was 

 left along the western side of the rookery, forming 

 a sort of terrace or " front," with its sides composed 

 of blue ice, rising sheer out of the water to a height 

 of some six feet or more in places. From this point 

 of vantage it was possible to stand and watch the 

 penguins as they swam in the clear water below, 

 and some idea was formed of their wonderful 

 agility when swimming beneath the surface. As 

 they propelled themselves along with powerful 

 strokes of their wings, they swerved from side to 

 side to secure the little prawn-like euphausia which 

 literally swarm everywhere in the Antarctic seas, 

 affording them ample food at all times. Their 

 gluttonous habits here became very evident. They 

 would gobble euphausia until they could hold no 

 more, only to vomit the whole meal into the water 

 as they swam, and so enlightened start to feast 

 again. As they winged their way along, several 

 feet beneath the surface, a milky cloud would 



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