ADELIE PENGUINS 



a little band of climbers to take as much as an 

 hour or more over climbing to the summit. 

 Arrived at the top they would spend a variable 

 period there, sometimes descending at once, some- 

 times spending a considerable time there, gazing 

 contentedly about them, or peering over the edge 

 to chatter with other parties below. 



Again, about half a mile from the beach, a large 

 berg some one hundred feet in height was grounded 

 in fairly deep water, accessible at first over the sea- 

 ice, but later, when this had gone, surrounded by 

 open water. Its sides were sheer except on one side, 

 which sloped steeply from the water's edge to the top. 



From the time when they first went to the sea to 

 feed until the end of the season, there was a con- 

 tinual stream of penguins ascending and descend- 

 ing the berg. As I watched them through glasses I 

 saw that they had worn deep paths in the snow from 

 base to summit. They had absolutely nothing to 

 gain by going to all this trouble but the pleasure 

 they seemed to derive from the climb, and when 

 at the top, merely had a good look round and came 

 down again. 



When the birds were arriving at the rookery I 

 watched for those who were to nest up the cliff, and 

 several times saw birds on arriving at the rookery 

 100 



