516 PENGUINS. LARID^E, OR GULLS; PETRELS. 



coast of Britain, associating with the Puffins and other Birds of 

 the same family, pass the winter in the Mediterranean ; whilst 

 those that breed in more northern spots find a sufficient change 

 of temperature, by passing the winter on the British shores. 



458. These Birds are represented in the southern Hemisphere 

 by the Penguins, an extremely remarkable group ; in which the 

 legs are placed so far back, that the body is quite upright when 

 the Bird is standing on the ground ; and the wings lose alto- 

 gether the power of raising the body in the air, being covered 

 with short rigid scale-like feathers, disposed in regular order, 

 instead of having their surface extended by prolonged feathers 

 (Fig. 189). The bones, unlike those of Birds in general, are 

 hard, compact and heavy, and have no apertures for the admis- 

 sion of air ; those of the extremities contain an oily marrow. 

 The Penguin is exclusively a Water-Bird, except in the breeding 

 season ; and, aided by its paddle-like wings, it swims and dives 

 with great facility. It is a courageous bird, although by no 

 means disposed to fight. From the presence of a large number 

 of the horny parrot-like beaks of Cuttle-fish in the specimens 

 dissected, it may be inferred that these animals constitute a large 

 part of their food. 



459. The Birds of the family LARID^J, or Gulls, are entirely 

 oceanic in their habits ; being seldom found at any distance from 

 the sea, and for the most part living upon its surface, even at 

 vast distances from land. They are generally distinguished for 

 great powers of flight ; in which respect they present a remark- 

 able contrast to the Birds of the preceding family. But, on the 

 other hand, they are not good divers ; their food being such as 

 they may obtain at or near the surface of the water, rather than 

 in its depths. They are distinguished by the shortness or 

 absence of the hind toe, which is not included in the web ; and 

 by the compressed form of the bill. These characters are, 

 perhaps, best seen, not in the Gulls, but in the Petrels ; in which 

 the hind claw originates at once from the tarsus (like a spur), 

 without any toe ; and each mandible of the bill (which is longer 

 than the head) terminates in a sort of hard nail, of which the 

 upper one is abruptly hooked. The Petrels are inhabitants of 



