WATER BIRDS. 



Patagouian Feuguin. 



The Patagonian Penguin is entirely aquatic in its habits; it is, in fact, expressly formed for the water; 

 its boat-like form of body — its short limbs — its compressed, close and rigid, or scale-like plumage — its pad- 

 ■lle-like wings, and broad, webbed feet, concurring to fit it for its dwelling on the ocean. Its range of habi- 

 tation is restricted to the latitudes south of the line, but within this boundary it is widely distributed, being 

 abundant not only in the Straits of Magallen, and on all the adjacent islands, but extending to Australia, 

 through the islands of the South Pacific. A colony of these birds, covers an extent of thirty or forty acres 

 at the north end of Macquarrie Island, in the South Pacific Ocean. The number of Penguins collected 

 together in this spot is immense, but it would be almost impossible to guess at it with any near approach 

 to truth, as, during the whole of the day and night, thirty or forty thousand of them are continually land- 

 ing, and an equal number going to sea. They are arranged, when on shore, in as compact a manner and in 

 as regular ranks as a regiment of soldiers; and are classed with the greatest order, the young birds be'ng 

 in one situation, the moulting birds in another, the sitting hens in a third, the clean birds in a fourth ; and so 

 strictly do birds in similar condition congregate, that should a bird that was moulting intrude itself among 

 thQse which are clean, it is immediately rejected from them. The females hatch the eggs by keeping 

 them between their thighs ; and, if approached during the time of incubation, they move away carrying 

 their eggs with them. "At this time the male bird goes to sea and collects food for the female, which be- 

 comes very fat. After the young is hatched, both parents go to sea, and bring home food for it ; it soon 

 becomes so fat as scarcely to be able to walk, the old birds getting very thin. They sit quite upright in 

 their roosting-places, and walk in the erect position until they arrive at the beach, when they throw them 

 selves on their breasts in order to encounter the very heavy sea met with at their landing-place. 

 (307) 



