256 FALKLAND ISLANDS. 



I have little to remark on the zoology of these 

 islands. I have before described the carrion-vul- 

 ture, or Polyborus. There are some other hawks, 

 owls, and a few small land-birds. The water-fowl 

 are particularly numerous, and they must formerly, 

 from the accounts of the old navigators, have been 

 much more so. One day I observed a cormorant 

 playing with a fish which it had caught. Eight 

 times successively the bird let its prey go, then 

 dived after it, and although in deep water, brought 

 it each time to the surface. In the Zoological 

 Gardens I have seen the otter treat a fish in the 

 same manner, much as a cat does a mouse : I do 

 not know of any other instance where Dame Nature 

 appears so wilfully cruel. Another day, having 

 placed myself between a penguin (Aptenodytes 

 demersa) and the water, I was much amused by 

 watching its habits. It was a brave bird ; and till 

 reaching the sea, it regularly fought and drove me 

 backwards. Nothing less than heavy blows would 

 have stopped him ; every inch he gained he firmly 

 kept, standing close before me erect and deter- 

 mined. When thus opposed, he continually rolled 

 his head from side to side, in a very odd manner, 

 as if the power of distinct vision lay only in the 

 anterior and basal part of each eye. This bird is 

 commonly called thejackass penguin, from its habit, 

 while on shore, of throwing its head backwards, 

 and making a loud, strange noise, very like the 

 braying of an ass ; but while at sea, and undis- 

 turbed, its note is very deep and solemn, and is 

 often heard in the night-time. In diving, its little 

 wings are used as fins; but on the land, as front 

 legs. When crawling, it may be said on four legs, 

 through the tussucks or on the side of a grassy cliff", 

 it moves so very quickly that it might easily be 

 mistaken for a quadruped. When at sea and fish- 

 ing, it comes^ to the surface for the purpose of 



