GRAY WINGS 



225 



From the rocks they keep slipping into the sea 

 every few minutes and dipping out of sight. 

 They move slowly enough when swimming on 

 the surface; but once under water their heads 

 and necks stretch forward, their bodies seem to 

 draw out behind, and, propelled by foot and 

 wing, they move with the ease, the swiftness, 

 and the directness of submarine boats. The 

 small fish cannot travel so fast nor can they 

 by darting or turning elude pursuit. The shag 

 usually comes to the surface with a squirmer in 

 his file-edged bill, and if the fish is not con- 

 veniently caught for swallowing, it is tossed 

 in the air and caught anew by the beak of the 

 skillful fisherman. 



The penguin is said to be even more greedy 

 than the shag — in fact a winged seal both in 

 capacity for destruction and in general appear- 

 ance. The bird's wings are, indeed, little more 

 than flippers, members almost useless in the 

 air; but once under water they become famous 

 paddles that propel with alternate strokes at a 

 great speed while the feet are used only as a 

 rudder. The penguin spends most of its time 

 at sea, in the winds and the waves of the Ant- 

 arctic circle, and is a deep sea diver of no mean 

 ability. The auks, guillemots and puffins have 

 similar habits and not dissimilar appearances. 



Chnsivp 

 fish u nder 

 water. 



The 

 penguin. 



Auks and 

 puffins. 



