PENGUINS. 61 



"A colony of penguins presents many interesting features during the nesting. 

 The breeding grounds are mostly completely razed, the grass having been torn off for 

 nesting purposes, so that everywhere the soil is bare between the irregularly strewn 

 nests, and converted by rain and the droppings of the animals into a malodorous 

 puddle. The nests are very rudely built, some by taking advantage of an already 

 existing hummock after biting off the grass ; others consisted only of a shallow cavity 

 trampled into the ground, and surrounded with small pebbles, and particularly with 

 grass-roots and moss which the bird pulls out with the bill. 



"The building of the nests does not occur without furious fights. Every opportu- 

 nity to steal grass and moss from unwatched nests (usually one of the mates is sitting 

 in the nest while the other carries the building materials to the spot) for use in their 

 own nest is seized upon, and then the depredators, who do not limit their pillaging to 

 their own colony, are pursued with blows and pecks of wings and bills. 



" We found the first eggs about the end of October, and usually only two are laid ; 

 if taken away, however, or stolen by the skuas (Stercorariiis antarcticus) two other 

 eggs may again be laid, but these are then always smaller. They vary considerably in 

 size, the longer diameter being from seven to nine centimetres. The white has a 

 bluish gloss, the yolk is orange, the shell very thick. The eggs are of considerable 

 practical importance, as a great number may be collected in a short time without diffi- 

 culty, although the taste is rather coarse. 



" The breeding requires on an average six weeks, and is performed alternately by 

 both parents. They sit on the eggs like other birds, and can only be removed from 

 the nest by force, in which case their conduct is extremely ludicrous, as they defend 

 themselves, blowing like geese, with the bill wide open, and, arising slightly, peck at the 

 hand which dares encroach upon them. Pushed off the nest, the bird runs away as 

 fast as possible, returns very soon, however, and jumping, both feet at a time, into 

 the nest, looks foolish and bewildered at finding it empty ; after searching all around 

 within and outside the nest, until finally it dawns upon its mind that it has been 

 robbed, the penguin lifts its head, giving vent to its grief by a doleful and discordant 

 scream. When hearing the screeching of the plundered birds one may imagine being 

 removed to a goose-pasture. 



" The young ones are guarded and fed with the utmost care ; the broad paths are 

 alive with a never-ceasing swarm of going and coming birds engaged in bringing food. 

 The old ones feed out of the crop ; the young take the food from the bill of the old 

 ones. 



"Toward the end of the breeding season, at the beginning of March, the old 

 penguins are very lean, presenting, on the whole, an unusually miserable appearance 

 during the molt which occurs shortly after the young ones have exchanged their 

 gray down for the first plumage. They generally leave the colony at that time, retir- 

 ing with the young ones to some sheltered place, if possible in the vicinity of a rivulet, 

 where they await the molt. 



" On shore the penguins move only slowly and clumsily if not attacked ; they remain 

 unmoved if approached quietly, gazing with curiosity at the intruder, and may be 

 driven for hours like a flock of geese. When attacked, however, they defend them- 

 selves by striking violently with the wings, but finally try to escape by lying down 

 on the belly, rushing away by means of both feet and wings, moving the latter as 

 when they are swimming. Their speed is so great that the pursuer only with difficulty 

 can overtake them, particularly on snow-fields. I have repeatedly measured the dis- 



