116 



THE OdLdOlST 



to the north and south, in the num- 

 bers shown in the illustration. On 

 the open places, also, away from the 

 shore, they were holding their solemn 

 communistic concourse. 



Everywhere above the line of high 

 tide, the nesting places were to be 

 seen. In some of the depressions, 

 where an old bird was nesting, one or 

 two almost fully fledged young were 

 discovered. In others, incubation was 

 still in progress, — mostly two eggs, 

 but often only one. Some eggs were 

 fresh, others ready for the little pen- 

 guin to emerge from the shell. 



The nests are burrows wherever 

 these can be found or made. Rarely 

 deep, but preferably just deep enough 

 so that the stout weapon of the par- 

 ent penguin can fairly command the 

 entrance. In the sand, however, it is 

 always possible to make a burrow, 

 and then any kind of a depression 

 will serve the purpose, no opportunity 

 being lost to find a spot protected by 

 the stubby vegetation or a rock. In 

 a great many cases, however, no kind 

 of protection whatever is possible. 



Like the Little Penguin, aescribed 

 briefly in a previous number of THE 

 OOLOGIST, the sitting bird will not 

 flush. The best way to see whether 

 she has young under her, or dirty, 

 well-incubated eggs ,or a white fresh 

 one is to protect your hand with your 

 cap, and grab her around the neck, 

 and yank her off the nest. A fling 

 of a few feet will not hurt her physi- 

 cally, and before she returns, you 

 have the information you want as to 

 the advanced state of her present 

 marital accomplishments. 



The first egg is laid two weeks 

 or so before the second, so that one 

 egg is generally pretty well advanced 

 in Incubation before the second one 

 is laid. A set, however, properly con- 

 sists of two eggs, and two fluffy young 

 penguins with the militant parent 



protector are the usual thing, and al- 

 ways an interesting sight. 



The mother bird, if the burrow is 

 short, comes to the opening of her 

 lair, when intrusion threatens, growl- 

 ing, and snapping; pushes her over- 

 curious young ones back with her 

 flippers; lays her head and neck close 

 to the ground, turns her head over 

 first with one eye straight to the 

 zenith, then reverses the action in a 

 perfectly inane jack-ass fashion. 

 Nothing can induce her to stand up, 

 as nothing can induce those walkng 

 about on the strand to get down and 

 grovel or crawl. 



The Guano Island Company also 

 have the concesson for the guano 

 made by the Dykers, — cormorants, — 

 on the island. These are there also 

 in limitless numbers, on another part 

 of the island, and would well repay 

 the photographng naturalist for a 

 visit to this interesting place, if 

 never a penguin were to be seen. 



The penguin is a funny bird 

 Though it is feather and not furred 

 It cannot fly but walks on earth 

 With motions weird that merit mirth. 

 Though it has feathers and not scales 

 It beats the flsh that swims or sails. 

 Its back is dark; its breast is white; 

 When on the ground it stands up- 

 right; 

 It stands around with penguin pals, 

 Or with the feathered beaux and gals, 

 In such a way, by dint of dress, 

 And posture, that I must confess, 

 It looks like man in evening clothes, 

 From stem to stern, from head to 



toes. 

 Although the while the weirdest 



wail 

 Comes from our social penguin hale. 

 May this the explanation be? — 

 Is not a college penguin he, 

 Engaged in singing college glee? 



KENNETH T. REDICK. 



