ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE CRESTED PENGUIN 



(UrDYrTKS CHRYSOCOAfE) IN AUSTRALIA, 



witli Notes on its Raiig-f, and on the History of its Original Discovery. 



BY 



A. E. Rasskt Hn,i., Hon. Oi-nitlioloo-ist. 

 (Plates x.-xi.) 



Early in December, 1917, a Crested Penguin (Euchji^fes cliry^ocome, 

 Forster) was taken alive in Broken Bay, New South Wales, this being the 

 first recorded occurrence of the sj)ecies in this State. Mr. C. F. Rane, 

 wlio resides at Balmain, has supplied me with the following graphic 

 accoiTnt of tlie incident : — 



"I captnred tlie bird at Ettalong Beach on 5th Decembei', 1917, 

 whilst fishing fi-oni tlio i-ocks at the southern end of the Beach, nearest to 

 Barrenjoey, I do not know tlie name of the headland. While looking 

 towards Ettalong Village, I saw, what appeared tome to be, a Mollyhawk, 

 some two or three hundVed yards along the beach, riding on the breakers. 

 At the same time the bird gave a call resembling the screech of a goose. 

 I tlien answei^ed it, imitating the call. The bird then made one dive and 

 came nj) within ten feet of wliere I stood. A heavy sea then canght the 

 bii'd and swept it in close to the beach. I jumped into the water between 

 the bird and the open. It then made a dive for the open water, but came 

 straight at me. 1 made a clutch and caught it by the neck, and after 

 keeping it for a few davs, I sent it to the Zoological Gardens at Taronga 

 Park." 



Mr. A. S. Le Souef, Director of the Gardens, informed me that the 

 Penguin appeared to be in good health when received, and lived contentedly 

 enough in the Seal Pond. After about ten days it showed signs of moping 

 and would iiot eat. It died a few days afterwards, and the body was 

 sent to the Australian Museum. The skin is preserved there, and the 

 following is a description : — 



Immature male. The whole upper surface dark brown, the centre 

 of the feathers bluish -black. A few shreds of down adhering below the 

 neck. Supei^ciliary stripe extending from culminicorn over the eye, 3| 

 inches in length, whitish to behind eye, then pale sulphur-3'ellow. Chin 

 and upper throat light brown, lower neck and rest of under surface white. 

 Wings, brownish, tipped with white except at the extremities. Under 

 surface of wings white with an irregular black margin. Feet, fleshy- 

 white ; toes, black ; bill, reddish horn colour. Total length 27 inches. 

 Wing, 7 in. ; foot (bare to end of middle toe), 4| in. ; middle toe, \\ in. ; 

 bill, 2 in. ; latericorn, Ij in. ; lower mandible, 2~- in. (Plate x., tig. 1). 



Some earlier records of the occurrence of this species in Tasmania 

 and Australia are as follows : — ■ 



Gould says^ : — "For a fine example of tliis singular Penguin I am 

 indebted to my friend, Ronald C. Gunn, Esq., of Launceston, Van 

 Diemeu's Laud, who informed me that it had been washed on shore on the 

 northern coast of that Island after a heavy gale. It is less plentiful in 



' Gould — Birds of Avistralia (folio). 1848. 



