THE PENGUINS OF SOUTH GEORGIA 
on their tails until the harassed adults 
gave up ip despair. The young ones 
would then press closely against the 
provider, open their little bills expect- 
antly, and lose nothing of the regurgi- 
tated meal. 
About the first of February most of 
the young Johnnies begin molting their 
down, thus exposing the adult plumage 
feathers which have developed under- 
neath the down. The down is shed 
in sheets and patches; the process re- 
sembles the peeling of the velvet from a 
deer’s horn. By the middle of February, 
or toward the close of the molting period, 
clinging tufts, collars, or top-knots of 
down give the otherwise smooth young 
penguins the appearance of clowns and 
pierrots. 
The molt of the nestling Johnny 
penguins is succeeded closely by the 
annual molt of the adults. Toward 
the end of February the feathers of the 
latter, already much faded and frayed, 
begin to drop out, still further to litter 
the ground of the rookeries. The molt- 
ing season of the adults seems to endure 
all through the Antarctic summer. On 
March 12 I observed that a few of the 
adults had not yet begun to doff their 
old coats, which were brown, rough and 
threadbare. Many more, the majority 
of the birds in fact, were in the throes 
of the process and were exceedingly 
ragged, the new plumage showing in 
spots. Still others had completed the 
molt of the old body feathers, but still 
retained their long tails, while the most 
advanced birds had lost all their feathers 
including the tail, a temporary loss 
which gave them a more dumpy outline 
than ever; for appearance sake a 
Johnny can ill afford to be without its 
luxuriant caudal bristles. 
The Johnny penguin has not in any 
degree the fearless and courageous dis- 
position of its Antarctic cousin, the 
231 
Bands of Johnnies 
along the beaches are prone to take 
alarm if a man appears suddenly among 
them. The most successful course of 
action is to approach them slowly, 
halting at a discreet distance and so in- 
viting the penguins to take the initiative. 
They have a large bump of curiosity 
Adélie penguin. 
and will presently push the acquaint- 
ance, their familiarity increasing in 
direct proportion to the quietness and 
seeming indifference of the observer. 
A description taken from my notes of 
1912, 
On the afternoon of this day I walked to 
a glacial pond on the far side of which 
stood a group of Johnny penguins. As 
December 23, is characteristic. 
soon as they saw me one of their num- 
ber across 
walked toward me. 
water and 
I remained motion- 
less until it came up quite to my feet 
and stood there. When I moved quietly, 
it followed, and when I stopped, it did 
likewise. Then, one by one, it was 
joined by the other penguins from across 
the pond. It was whimsical to see this 
troop of mimicking small brothers with 
no other wish than to keep me company. 
I finally broke the spell by stooping to 
pat one on the head, when they all 
wiggled their tails, hurried back into 
the pond, and swam across like porpoises. 
On March 12 I rowed ashore during a 
brisk snowstorm and found a _ whole 
army of penguins near the rookery at 
Possession Bay. They were standing 
by hundreds in a long double row along 
the beach. These rows marched for- 
ward to meet and surround me, and 
their numbers were continually aug- 
mented by new arrivals which kept 
popping out of the surf, and came 
running up the shingle as if much 
astonished to find me there. 
The Johnnies walk in a deliberate 
manner, raising their feet high at each 
step, carrying their tails well above the 
swam under 
