FLIGHTLESS BIRDS AND THEIR FATE. 87 



lie careful in drawing conclusions. We realise, 

 indeed, that things are not always what they 

 seem. That things which appear to be very 

 iDUch alike may in reality be very unlike. 

 Thus a whale is not a fish because it lives in the 

 sea, nor is a snake an eel, though the one may be 

 hardly distinguishable from the other, and iDOth 

 may conceivably be caught in the same haul of 

 the net. 



The ving of the penguin is now, in conse- 

 quence of this transformation to perform other 

 duties, no longer a wing in function, but a 

 paddle. If it were compared with a wing such 

 as that of a pii^eon or a duck, -w e should notice 

 many superficial differences. First of all would 

 be its great breadth, secondly we shouM find 

 that we could not opea and close it like other 

 wings, but that it remained always open. Again, 

 we should see it had no thumb, and lastly, \ye 

 should miss the long distinct covert and quill 

 feathers. Instead, we should find tiny feathers 

 with very broad shafts, and very little of the vane 

 or web which is f.,>und in all other birds. But, 

 after all, these changes are but slight. The paddle 

 is still a wing at bottom. It has only undergone 

 a few comparatively slight and superficial changes 

 to transform it into an efiicic^nt instrument for its 

 new duties. Just as, by a few slight alterations, 

 we can make some existing piece of machinery 

 undertake new work without throwing the whole 

 into the furnace to be recast. 



Those who can visit the London Zoological 

 Gardens should make their way to the fish-house 

 at about the penguin's feeding-time. They will 



