96 THE FIRST FLUTTERINGS OF THE WING. 



sought in it the wing, and found only a hideous membranous skin, 

 which nevertheless performs a wing's function : 



" I am a bird ; see you my wings ?" 



Yes ; but even the wing does not make the bird. 



Place yourself towards the centre of the museum, and close to 

 the clock. There you perceive, on your left, the first rudiment 

 of the wing in the penguin of the southern pole, and its brother, 

 the Arctic auk, one degree more developed ; scaly winglets, whose 

 glittering feathers rather recall the fish than the bird On land 

 the creature is feeble ; but while earth is difficult for it, air is 

 impossible. Do not complain too warmly. Its prescient mother 



destines it for the Polar Seas, where it will only need to paddle. 

 She clothes it carefully in a fine coat of fat and an impenetrable 

 covering. She will have it warm among the icebergs. Which is the 

 better means ? It seems as if she had hesitated, had wavered. By 

 the side of the booby we see with surprise an essay at quite another 



