124 WAT E R BIRDS. 



Of this tribe, the Magellanic penguin is the largeft, and the moll 

 remarkable. In fize it is near a goofe; It never flies, its wings being 

 very fhort, covered with ftifFhard feathers, and always hanging ufelcfsly 

 down by the bird's fides. The upper part of the heud, back and rump, 

 are covered with ftifF black feathers ; while the belly and breaft are of a 

 fnowy whitenefs, except a line of Jblack crofTing the crop. The bill, 

 which from the bafe to about half-way, is covered with wrinkles, is black, 

 but marked croffwife with a ftripe of yellow. They walk ereft, their 

 heads high, their fin-like wings hanging down like arm.s; fo that to 

 fee them at a diilance, they look like fo many children with white 

 aprons. From hence they are are faid to unite in themfelves the quali- 

 ties of men, fowls, and fifties. Like men, they are upright ; like fowls, 

 they arc feathered; and, like fifties, they have fin-like inftruments, that 

 beat the water before, and ferve for all the purpofes of fwimming rather 

 than flying. They feed upon fifti ; and fcldom come aftiore, except in 

 the breeding feafon. In fome the flefh is fo tough, and the feathers fo 

 thick, that they Hand the blow of a fcymitar without injury. A fmall 

 depreflion in the earthy without any other ncft, ferves for their laying. 

 By the warmth of their feathers, and the heat of their bodies, in- 

 cubation is carried on very rapidly. But in fome places, the penguin 

 burrows two or three yards deep ; in others it clambers up the ledge of 

 a rock, probably in confequence of dear-bought experience. The egg 

 of the penguin is very large for the fize of the bird, being generally big- 

 ger than that of a goofe. There are many varieties of the penguin, dif- 

 fering in fize from that of a Mufcovy duck to afwan; the eggs differ 

 in the fame proportion. 



OF THE 



AUK, PUFFIN, AND OTHER Birds of the Penguin Kind, 



o 



F a fize far inferior, but of nearly the fame form, and exaftly the 

 fame appetites and manners, there is a very numerous tribe. 



The great Northern Diver, is nearly the fize of a goofe : beauti- 

 fully variegated all over with many ftripes, and differs from the penguin, 

 in being much flenderer and more elegantly formed. The grey fpeildcd 

 Diver docs not exceed the fize of a Mufcovy duck ; and, except in fize, 



5 greatly 



