19? 



so fine that it appears more like hair than fea- 

 thers^ and instead of wings it has two pendent 

 fins, covered with very short feathers resembling 

 scales, which are of great use to it in swimmings 

 but much too small for the purpose of flying. It 

 is of the size of a common duck, but its neck is 

 much longer ; the head is compressed at the sides, 

 and very small in proportion to the size of the 

 body ; the bill is slender, and bent a little to- 

 wards the point ; the upper part of the body, the 

 wings and the tail, which is nothing more than 

 an extension of the feathers of the rump, are of a 

 changeable grey and blue, and the breast and 

 belly are white. The feet, which have but three 

 toes, are situated near the anus, and it walks in 

 an erect posture, with its head elevated like that 

 of a man, keeping it constantly in motion in 

 order to preserve its equilibrium. This gives it 

 at a distance the appearance of a child just be- 

 ginning to walk, whence the Chilians have deno- 

 minated it the child-bird. 



Although the penguin is an excellent swimmer, 

 it cannot keep the sea during a storm, and the 

 bodies of those whicli have perished at such 

 times, are frequently found upon the beach. I 

 have never known it eaten in Chili, though seve- 

 ral , navigators represent it as very good food. 

 The skni is as thick as that of a hog, and very 

 f^asily separated from the flesh. The femsH 



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