NATATORES. 425 



families gain their subsistence by procuring the eggs and young 

 of these and similar birds. The storm-lashed and iron-bound 

 coasts of Northern Europe and America, and the frozen islands 

 of the Arctic Seas are the dreary homes of the Auks; some of 

 them roam hundreds of miles out to sea. 



The Penguins occupy, in the Southern Hemisphere, the place 

 filled by the Auks or Puffins in the Northern. Their wings are 

 very small, mere rudiments, covered with an integument, re- 

 sembling scales, and entirely powerless as organs of flight; but 

 they not only aid the bird in its divings and evolutions under 

 water, but also as a sort of front extremities when progressing on 

 land. Being without the power of flight, and unable to run, this 

 bird may be easily overtaken on land; but when it reaches the 

 water, it has no difficulty in distancing itp pursuers, swimming 

 like a fish, and springing several feet over any obstacles which 

 it meets in its course. The Penguins are peculiarly remarka- 

 ble for having a kind of ball and socket union in the vertebrae, 

 corresponding, in some degree, to what is seen in the reptiles. 



The GREAT AUK, Alca impennis, (Lat. wingless,) is almost 

 wingless, i. e. its wings are very small, entirely incapable of 

 raising it in the air, but serving admirably as paddles to the bird 

 when diving under water. The Lump-fish is said to be a spe- 

 cial favorite of the Great Auk. Audubon says, " the egg is 

 very large, measuring five inches in length and three in its great- 

 est breadth ; the shell is thick and rather rough to the touch ; 

 color yellowish white, with irregular lines and blotches of brownish 

 black," which have been supposed to bear some resemblance to 

 Chinese characters. Newfoundland is one of the breeding places 

 of these Swimmers, and the Esquimaux who frequent that island 

 are said to make clothing of their skins. The Great Auks are 

 widely diffused in the northern hemisphere, but in high northern 

 latitudes they "swarm." They may be seen on floating ice, but 

 do not wander beyond soundings. The winter plumage, which 

 begins to appear in autumn, "leaves the cheeks, throat, fore part 

 and sides of the neck, white. In spring, the summer change 

 begins to take place, and confines the white on the head to a large 

 patch which extends in front and around the eyes ; the rest of 

 the head, the neck and upper plumage is deep black." The 

 length of the Great Auk is ahout three feet. 



The RAZOR-BILL, or BLACK-BILLED AUK, A. torda, has wings 

 so far developed as to answer for the purpose of flight, though 

 the bird uses them with great effect as oars, when swimming 

 under water. Its length is about seventeen inches. These 

 Auks breed from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to along the coast of 



