AN AUSTRALIAN BIRD BOOK. 25 



30*Hoary-headed Grebe, Dabchick (e),"Tom Pudding," P. 



poUocephalus, A., T. Stat. c. lagoons, river 9.5 



Upper brown; wings white patch; under silvery-gray; 

 head short white hair-like plumes (summer) ; head 

 brown, throat buff (winter); fur-like plumage; lobed 

 toes; f., sim. Small fish, snails, insects. 

 1 31 Great Crested Grebe (Tippet), Loon, Gaunt, Carr 

 3 Goose, P. cristatus {Lophaethyia cristata, Mathews' 



Handlist), Eur., N. Asia, Japan, Africa, India to A., 

 T., N.Z. Stat. r. lakes, rivers 24 



Upper brown; under glistening-white; crown black; neck- 

 frill chestnut edged black (summer); face, neck whit- 

 ish (winter); fur-like plumage; lobed toes; f., sim. 

 Small fishj snails, insects. 

 F. 25. Colym'bidae {Gaviidae) , True Divers, Loons, 5 sp. — 

 1(0)0., 5(0)P., 2(0)E., 5(0)Nc. 



OR DER VII. — SPH EN ISCIFORiMES. 



F. 26. SPHENISCIDAE (3), PENGUINS, 17 sp.— 11(7)A., 

 6(1)E., 9(4) Nl. 



1 32 Crested Penguin (Tufted, Jackass, Victoria), Pen^rmwws 

 5 (Gatarrhactes) chrysocome, Southern Ocean (circum- 



polar), v., T., N.Z. Occ. r. coasts 2 7 



Wing a paddle; upper black; under silvery-white; crest 

 yellow; f., yellow crest feathers shorter. Sea- 

 animals. 



2 33 Little Penguin (Little Blue), Eudyptula minor, N.S.W., 



3 v., S.A., T., N.Z. Stat. c. coasts 18 

 Upper light-blue; under glistening-white; wing a paddle; 



f., sim. Sea-animals, plants. 

 34 Fairy Penguin, E. iindina, V., T., N.Z. Stat. c. coast 1^.5 

 Like 33, but smaller. 



The Great Crested Grebe is identical with the British bird, for 

 it is found all through the Eastern Hemisphere. 



This is a remarkable distribution, when we consider that the 

 bird, by reason of its very small wings, is a poor flyer, and is 

 almost helpless on land. Such a wide distribution of a creature 

 possessing poor means of locomotion indicates that the animal 

 must have existed for a long time, so that it has been able to 

 gradually extend its range. Thus we conclude it is an ancient 

 form. 



In the next order come those remarkable birds. Penguins. As 

 so much has been said about Penguins by Lieutenant Shackleton's 

 party, they have caught the popular fancy, and people are much 

 interested in them. Many Australians do not know that three 

 Penguins are found on their own coast. It was one of the sights 

 of the 1910 Summer School at Portsea to sit on the balcony and 

 watch the Penguins chasing their prey in the clear waters in front 

 Their wings are paddles, being flattened and devoid of quills. 

 The wings are not folded, but are carried hanging awkwardly at 

 the side. 



