THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 223 



its note is very deep and solemn, and is often heard 

 in the night-time. In diving, its little plumelcss 

 wings are used as fins ; but on the land as front legs. 

 When crawling (it may be said on four legs) through 

 the tussocks, or on the side of a grassy cliff, it moved 

 so very quickly that it might readily have been 

 mistaken for a quadruped. When at sea and fishing, 

 it comes to the surface for the purpose of breathing, 

 with such a spring, and dives again so instantane- 

 ously, that I defy any one at first sight to be sure 

 that it is not a fish leaping for sport."* Of the same 

 species, apparently, Captain Fitzroy thus speaks : — 

 " jNIultitudes of Penguins were swarming together in 

 some parts of the island [Noir Island], among the 

 bushes and tussocks near the shore, having gone 

 there for the purposes of moulting and rearing their 

 }'oung. They were very valiant in self-defence, and 

 ran, open-mouthed, by dozens, at any one who in- 

 vaded their territory, little knowing how soon a stick 

 could scatter them on the ground. The young were 

 good eating, but the others proved to be black and 

 tough when cooked. The maimer in which they 

 feed their young is curious, and rather amusing : the 

 old bird gets on a little eminence, and makes a great 

 noise, between quacking and braying, holding its 

 head up in the air, as if it were haranguing the 

 penguinnery, while the young one stands close to it, 

 but a little lower. The old bird having continued 

 its clatter for about a minute, puts its head down, 

 and opens its mouth widely, into which the young 

 one tln-usts its head, and then appears to suck from 



• Voyages of Adventure and Beagle, iiL 256. 



