WATER-FOWL. 



.589 



thers and the heat of their bodies is such, 

 that the progress of incubation is carried on 

 very rapidly. 



But there is a difference in the manner of 

 this bird's nestling in other countries, which 

 I can only ascribe to the frequent disturban- 

 ces it has received from man or quadrupeds 

 in its recesses. In some places, instead of 

 contenting itself with a superficial depres- 

 sion in the earth, the penguin is found to bur- 

 row two or three yards deep:- in other places 

 it is seen to forsake the level, and to clamber 

 up the ledge of a rock, where it lays its egg, 

 and hatches it in that bleak exposed situation. 

 These precautions may probably have been 

 taken, in consequence of dear-bought expe- 

 rience. In those countries where the bird 

 fears for her own safety, or that of her young, 

 she may providently provide against danger, 

 by digging, or even by climbing; for both 

 which she is but ill adapted by nature. In 

 those places, however, where the penguin 

 has had but few visits from man, her nest is 

 made, with the most confident security, in the 

 middle of some large plain, where they are 

 seen by thousands. In that unguarded situa- 

 tion, neither expecting nor fearing a power- 

 ful enemy, they continue to sit brooding; 

 and even when man comes among them, have 

 at first no apprehension of their danger. Some 

 of this tribe have been called, by our seamen, 

 the Booby, from the total insensibility which 

 they show when they are sought to their de- 

 struction. But it is not considered that these 

 birds have never been taught to know the 

 dangers of a human enemy : it is against the 

 fox or the vulture that they have learned to 



defend themselves ; but they have no idea of 

 injury from a being so very unlike their natu- 

 ral opposers. The penguins, therefore, when 

 our seamen first came among them, tamely 

 suffered themselves to be knocked on the 

 head, without even attempting an escape. 

 They have stood to be shot at in flocks, with- 

 out offering to move, in silent wonder, till 

 every one of their number has been destroy- 

 ed. Their attachment to their nests was still 

 more powerful ; for the females tamely suffer- 

 ed the men to approach and take their eggs, 

 without any resistance. But the experience 

 of a few of those unfriendly visits, has long 

 since taught them to be more upon their 

 guard in choosing their situations; or to 

 leave those retreats where they were so little 

 able to oppose their invaders. 



The penguin lays but one egg; and, in 

 frequented shores, is found to burrow like a 

 rabbit : sometimes three or four take posses- 

 sion of one hole, and hatch their young to- 

 gether. In the holes of the rocks, where na- 

 ture has made them a retreat, several of this 

 tribe, as Linnasus assures us, are seen to- 

 gether. There the females lay their single 

 egg, in a common nest, and sit upon this, 

 their general possession, by turns ; while one 

 is placed as a centinel, to give warning of 

 approaching danger. The egg of the pen- 

 guin, as well as of all this tribe, is very large 

 for the size of the bird, being generally found 

 bigger than that of a goose. But as there 

 are many varieties of the penguin, and as they 

 differ in size, from that of a Muscovy duck 

 to a swan, the eggs differ in the same propor- 

 tion. 



CHAPTER CXXX . 



OF THE AUK, PUFFIN, AND OTHER BIRDS OF THE PENGUIN KIND. 



OF a size far inferior to the penguin, but 

 with nearly the same form, and exactly of the 

 same appetites and manners, there is a very 

 numerous tribe. These frequent ourshores, 

 and, like tho penguin, have their legs placed 

 behind. They have short wings, which are 



not totally incapable of flight; with round 

 bills for seizing their prey, which is fish. 

 They live upon the water, in which they are 

 continually seen diving; and seldom venture 

 upon land, except for the purposes of con- 

 kind. 



4P* 



tinuing their 



