332 



VERTEBRATA. 



siH-ks, or on I'.n- >i<li' of :i irrassy olifT, it inov('(l so very (luickly tliat it miglit rt'udily liavc been 

 uiistakcn for a (|iiailriipc<l. W'lu-ii at sea, nml li>Iiinu", it comes to the surface, for the purpose of 

 lireathiiiir, with such a spring, and dives again so instantaneously, tliat 1 defy any one at first 

 BJglit t«) l>e sun- tliat it is not a fish leai)ing for sport." 



The following interesting aeconnt, pi'oliaMy referring to this species, is furnished hy Captain 

 Fit/rov. He is speaking of Noir Island: "Multitudes of Penguins were swarming together in 

 some parts of the island, among the hushes and tussocks near the shore, having gone there for the 

 purpose of moulting and rearing their young. Tliey were veiy valiant in self-defense, anil ran 

 open-mouthed, hy dozens, at any one who invaded their territory, little knowing how soon a stick 

 would scatter them on the ground. The yourg were good eating, but the others proved to be 

 black and tough when eo(d<cd. The manner in which they feed their young is curious and rather 

 amusing. The old bir<l gi'ts on a little eminence and makes a great noise, between quacking and 

 bravinir, lioldiii"' its licad 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 

 minuti^, puts its liead down and opens its mouth widely, into which the young one tlirusts its 

 head, and then appears to suck from the throat of its mother for a minute or two, after which the 

 clatter is repeated, and the young one is again fed ; this continues for about ten minutes. I ob- 

 served some which 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." 



The King PENGUI^f or Patagonian Penguin, A. Patachonica, is over three feet long ; slaty- 

 black above, with white, satin-like feathers 

 on the breast. It appears to be very abund- 

 ant on the Straits of Magellan, the coasts of 

 Patagonia, Terra del Fuego, Falkland Isl- 

 ands, ttc. Sir John Narborough says that 

 their erect attitude and bluish-black backs, 

 contrasted with their white bellies, might 

 cause them to be taken at a distance for 

 young children with white bibs. The towns, 

 camps, and rookeries, as they liave been 

 called, of these birds, liavc proved an ample 

 theme for most of the southern voyagers. 

 Those at the Falkland Islands have at- 

 tracted particular attention. Some of these 

 assemblies are described as giving a dreary, 

 not to say awful impression of the desola- 

 tion of the place, and the utter absence of 

 the human race. In some of the towns, it 

 is stated, there was a general stillness, and 

 when the intruders walked among the fea- 

 thered population, to provide themselves 

 with eggs, they were regarded with side- 

 long glances, but they seemed to carry 

 no terror with them. In many places the 

 shores are covered with these birds, and three hundred have been taken within an hour; for 

 they generally make no effort to escape, but stand quietly by, while their companions are knocked 

 down with sticks till it comes to their turn. Cook, speaking of two islands in the high latitudes 

 of the south, describes the cold as intense ; the islands were covered with hoar-frost and snow, 

 neither trees nor shrubs appeared, and he saw no living creature except the shags and penguins, 

 the last being so numerous that they seemed to encrust the rock. 



Some describe the rookeries as designed with the utmost order and regularity, though they arc 

 the resort of several ditferent species. A regular camp, often covering three or four acres, is laid 



THE KING PENGUIN. 



