NESTLING DOWN OF PENGUINS. 9 



of the hinder end of the body assume a harsh character, almost bristle-like : a 

 character which may be due to adaptation to the peculiar environment in which these 

 nestlings are reared. These two generations are shown in Fig. 4. 



The Nestling Down of the King Penguin. 



Unfortunately no specimens of very young King Penguins appear to have been 

 obtained as yet. Doubtless when examined they will be found to show the same 

 succession of down-plumage as obtains in all the other genera. 



To complete our knowledge of the nestlings of the King, and Emperor Penguins, 

 very young examples of the former, and much older examples of the latter, than any 

 which have yet been secured are necessary. But there seems to be little room for 

 doubt that while the adults of these two species closely resemble one another, the 

 nestlings thereof differ widely. In the Emperor Penguin the nestling has a black 

 head and a greyish white body, while the young King Penguin is of a uniform 

 dark brown. 



The King Penguin retains its down-plumage for about six months, by which 

 time the bird is nearly full grown. This down is remarkable for its great length- 

 being about 3 inches long and for its superficial resemblance to long and somewhat 

 coarse hair. If examined when the contour feathers are just breaking through, it will 

 be found that the rami are attached in part to the tips of the rami of the main shaft 

 of the contour feather, and in part to those of the after shaft. Thus they differ from 

 the down of Pygoscelis, wherein the contour feather bears but few of these rami. While 

 the rami are of great length the radii are short. Though they bear about ten pairs of 

 fila, these cannot easily be made out except under high magnification of the microscope. 



In the nestling which formed the subject of this description pre-plumulse and 

 filoplumes also occurred, but I have not met with these in other genera. In this 

 connection it must be recollected that this particular nestling was nearly twelve 

 months old. 



The Nestling Down of the Ringed Penguin. 



The nestling of the Ringed Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) is described by 

 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke as differing remarkably from its congeners of the same age, in 

 that, when newly hatched, it is clothed in a silky-white down, except the lower part of 

 the abdomen, which is partially naked. But he does not say whether this naked 

 area is really larger than the similar apterion which obtains in other species. Later 

 this white down is succeeded by a thick, short, fur-like coat of grey. 



The Nestling Down of the Gentoo Penguin. 



The newly-hatched chick of the Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) appears to 

 resemble the Adelie Penguin at the same age, being clothed in a fine silky down of 



