224 THE O'^EAN. 



the throat of its mother for a minute oi two, after 

 which the clatter is repeated, and the young one 

 is again fed : this continues for about ten minutes. 

 I observed some that were moulting make the same 

 noise, and then apparently swallow what they thus 

 supplied themselves with ; so, in this way, I suppose, 

 they are furnished with subsistence during the time 

 they cannot seek it in the water."* Mr. Weddell 

 observes of the King Penguins : — " In pride these 

 birds are perhaps not surpassed even by the peacock, 

 to which, in beauty of plumage, they are indeed 

 very little inferior. During the time of moulting, 

 they seem to repel each other with disgust, on 

 account of the ragged state of their coats ; but as 

 they arrive at the maximum of splendour, they -re- 

 assemble, and no one who has not completed his 

 plumage is allowed to enter the community. Their 

 frequently looking down their front and sides in 

 order to contemplate the perfection of their exterior 

 brilliancy, and to remove any speck which might 

 sully it, is truly amusing to an observer. 



" About the beginning of January they pair and 

 lay their eggs. During the time of hatching, the 

 male is remarkably assiduous, so that when the hen 

 has occasion to go off to feed and wash, the egg is 

 transported to him ; which is done by placing their 

 toes together, and rolling it from the one to the 

 other, using their beaks to place it properly. As 

 they have no nest, it is to be remarked that the egg 

 is carried between the tail and legs, where the female, 

 in particular, has a cavity for the purpose. 



• Voyages of Adventure and Beagle, i. 387. 



