A HISTORY OF 



They seem, when sitting, or attempting to 

 walk, like a dog that has been taught to sit 

 up, or to move a minuet. Their short legs 

 drive the body in progression from side to 

 side ; and were they not assisted by their 

 wings, they could scarcely move faster than 

 a tortoise. 



This awkward position of the legs, which 

 so unqualifies them for living upon land, adapts 

 them admirably fora residence in water. In 

 that, the legs placed behind the moving body, 

 pushes it forward with the greater velocity; 

 and these birds, like Indian canoes, are the 

 swiftest in the water, by having their paddles 

 in the rear. Our sailors, for this reason, give 

 these birds the very homely, but expressive, 

 name of arse-feet. 



Nor are they less qualified for diving than 

 swimming. By ever so little inclining their 

 bodies forward, they lose their centre of gra- 

 vity ; and every stroke from their feet only 

 tends to sink them the faster. In this man- 

 ner they can either dive at once to the bot- 

 tom, or swim between two waters; where 

 they continue fishing for some minutes, and 

 then ascending, catch an instantaneous breath, 

 to descend once more to renew their opera- 

 tions. Hence it is, that these birds, which 

 are so defenceless, and so easily taken by 

 land, are impregnable by water. If they per- 

 ceive themselves pursued in the least, they 

 instantly sink, and show nothing more than 

 their bills, till the enemy is withdrawn. Their 

 very internal conformation assists their power 

 of keeping long under water. Their lungs 

 are fitted with numerous vacuities, by which 

 they can take in a very large inspiration ; and 

 this probably serves them for a length of time. 



As they never visit land, except when they 

 come to breed, their feathers take a colour 

 from their situation. That part of them which 

 has been continually bathed in the water, is 

 white; while their backs and wings are of 

 different colours, according to the different 

 species. They are also covered more warm- 

 ly all over the body with feathers, than any 

 other birds whatever; so that the sea seems 

 entirely their element: and but for the ne- 

 cessary duties of propagating their species, 

 we should scarcely have the smallest oppor- 

 tunity of seeing them, and should be utterly 

 unacquainted with their history. 



Of all this tribe, the Magellanic Penguin is 

 the largest, and the most remarkable. In size 

 it approaches near that of a tame goose. It 

 never flies, as its wings are very short, and 

 covered with stiff hard feathers, and are al- 

 ways seen expanded, and hanging uselessly 

 down by the bird's sides. The upper part 

 of the head, back, and rump, are covered with 

 stifFblack feathers; while the belly and breast, 

 as is common with all of this kind, are of a 

 snowy whiteness, except a line of black that 

 is seen to cross the crop. The bill, which 

 from the base to about half way is covered 

 with wrinkles, is black, but marked crossway 

 with a stripe of yellow. They walk erect, 

 with their heads on high, their fin-like wings 

 hanging down like arms ; so that to see them 

 at a distance, they look like so many children 

 with white aprons. From hence they are 

 said to unite in themselves the qualities of men, 

 fowls, and fishes. Like men, they are up- 

 right; like fowls, they are feathered; and 

 like fishes, they have fin-like instruments, that 

 beat the water before, and serve for all the 

 purposes of swimming, rather than flying. 



They feed upon fish; and seldom come 

 ashore, except in the breeding-season. As 

 the seas in that part of the world abound with 

 a variety, they seldom want food ; and their 

 extreme fatness seems a proof of the plenty 

 in which they live. They dive with great 

 rapidity, and are voracious to a great degree. 

 One of them, described by Clusius, though 

 but very young, would swallow an entire her- 

 ring at a mouthful, and often three successive- 

 ly before it was appeased. In consequence 

 of this gluttonous appetite, their flesh is rank 

 and fishy ; though our sailors say, that it is 

 pretty good eating. In some the flesh is so tough, 

 and the feathers so thick, that they stand the 

 blow of a scimetar without injury. 



They are a bird of society; alid, especial- 

 ly when they come on shore, they are seen 

 drawn up in rank and file, upon the ledge of 

 a rock, standing together with the albatross, 

 as if in consultation. This is previous to their 

 laying, which generally begins, in that part 

 of the world, in the month of November. 

 Their preparations for laying are attended 

 with no great trouble, as a small depression 

 in the earth, without any other nest, serves 

 for this purpose. The warmth of their fea- 



