394 HISTORY or 



Of all this tribe, the Magellanic Penguin is the largest, and 

 the most remarkable. In size it approaches near that of a tame 

 goose. It never flies, as its wings are very short, and covered 

 with stiflF hard feathers, and are always seen expanded, and hang- 

 ing uselessly down by the bird's sides. The upper part of the 

 head, back, and rump, are covered with stiff black feathers ; 

 while the belly and breast, as is common with all of this kind, 

 are of a snowy whiteness, except a line of black that is seen to 

 cross the crop. The bill, which from the base to about half 

 way is covered with wrinkles, is black, but marked crosswise 

 with a stripe of yellow. They walk erect, with their h'eads on 

 high, their fin-like wings hanging down like arms ; so that to see 



Tliey are very tenacious of life. Mr Forster left a great number of them 

 apparently lifeless, from tlie blows they had received, while he went in pur. 

 suit of others ; but they all afterwards got up, and marched off with the ut- 

 most gravity. Their sleep is extremely sound ; for Dr Sparrman, acciden. 

 tally stumbling over one of them, kicked it several yards, without disturbing 

 its rest ; nor was it till after being repeatedly shaken that the bird awoke. 



The crested penguins form their nests among those of the birds of the 

 pelican tribe, and live in tolerable harmony with them. The female gene- 

 rally lays only a single egg. Their nests are holes in the earth, which they 

 easily form with their bills, throwing back the dirt with their feet. They 

 are often found in great numbers on the shores where they have been bred. 



Perriu, in liis " Account of an expedition to the Falkland islands in 1772," 

 mentions a species of penguin that resorts to certain places of these islands 

 in incredible numbers, and lays its eggs. These places, he says, had become, 

 by its long residence, entirely freed from grass ; and has given to them tho 

 name of towns. These nests were composed of mud, raised into hillocks 

 about a foot high, and placed close to each other. " Here," he adds, " dur. 

 ing the breeding season, we were presented with a sight that conveyed a 

 most dreary, and I may say awful idea of the desertion of the islands by the 

 human species : general stillness prevailed in these towns ; and \Ahenever 

 we took our walks among them, in order to provide ourselves with eggs, we 

 were regarded indeed with side-long glances, but we carried no terror with 

 us. The eggs are rather larger than those of a goose, and are laid in pairs. 

 WTien we took them once, and sometimes twice in a season, they were as 

 often replaced by the birds ; but prudence would not permit us to plunder 

 too far, lest a future supply, in the next year's brood, might be prevented.' 



The Patugonian Penguin inhabits the Falkland islands and >?e\v Guinea ; 

 is four feet three inches long. The bill and legs are black ; and the ears 

 have a golden spot : lower mandible tawny at the base ; irides hazel ; the 

 head and hind part of the neck is brown ; the back is of a black-blue colour ; 

 the breast, belly, and vent, are white. 



The Manchots bear a close relation to the Penguins, but are found only 

 in the Antartic seas and islands, while the Penguins inhabit the northern 

 seas. Instead of wings, thoy have simple wiuglets, which perform the office 

 of oars or fins. 



