DIVING-BIRDS, PETRELS, AND PENGUINS 39 



is pure white ; and the Great, or Giant, Petrel when it wanders to 

 the far south also becomes white. 



Petrels were supposed by the older naturalists to be nearly related 

 to the Seagulls, which they closely resemble. As a matter of fact, 

 this resemblance is purely superficial, and is due to their similar mode 

 of life. 



THE PENGUINS 



The Penguins are surely the most remarkable of all the '* carinate " 

 birds, and this because they have become so completely changed 

 to fit them for an aquatic life. No other living bird has become so 

 profoundly modified. Though the bird-like shape is retained, the 

 wings have become transformed into paddles, recalling those of 

 whales ; and with these paddles Penguins propel themselves through 

 the water after the fashion of a bird flying through the air. 



These birds are absolutely confined to the southern regions of 

 the world, though one species, the Cape Penguin, or Black-footed 

 Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), ranges as far north as the Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



In size they vary enormously, the largest species being represented 

 by the King Penguin (Plate II. fig. 8) and the Emperor Penguin, 

 standing about four feet high ; while the smallest is the Little 

 Penguin (Plate II. fig. 6) of New Zealand, not larger than a small 

 duck. 



The King and the Emperor Penguins are found only in the in- 

 hospitable regions of the Antarctic ; they live, in short, in a region 

 of perpetual ice and snow. They lay but one egg during the year, 

 and this is most zealously guarded. To protect it from the ice, it is 

 placed, as soon as laid, upon the back of the feet, and covered by the 

 feathers of the lower part of the abdomen. Here it is carefully 

 brooded by each parent in turn till the young is hatched ; when 

 this is similarly nursed. But though so similar in their nursing 

 habits, the young birds of the two species are very unlike. Thus 

 the young King Penguin is covered in long, hair-like, tawny- 

 coloured down, while the young Emperor, as befits him, is clad 

 in a pure white down, excepting only some black markings on the 

 head. 



