FLORA AND FAUNA 



other birds, with the body submerged and the long 

 snakelike heads projecting above the surface. The 

 birds stand nearly four feet high, and as they waddle 

 along erect on their feet like a man, it was a matter of 

 common occurrence to mistake them in the polar twi- 

 light for fellow explorers ! 



Adelie Penguins. — Of all birds the penguin is best 

 adapted to aquatic life. It swims entirely under water 

 by means of its wings, which have modified to form 

 veritable flippers. To breathe it jumps out of the water 

 in the fashion rendered familiar to voyagers by the 

 dolphins. The Adelie runs along upright and reminded 

 me of a tiny child learning to walk, who runs quickly 

 to his mother, knowing that a topple at the end does 

 not matter. Then he will stop and flap his wings 

 (one was going to say arms) and bow and turn his 

 head around in a most human and unbirdlike way. 

 The most striking feature, I think, is the stiff little tail 

 which he drags on the ground as he toddles along, and 

 which seems to help to support him. Possibly the scien- 

 tific name (Pygo-scelis, tail-leg) refers to this habit. 

 The bird stands about two feet five inches in height. 

 The coloring of pure white breast and black back 

 reminds one of a stout little man in a swallowtail coat 

 and a white shirt, both much too big for him. 



The most complete study has been made by Dr. 

 Levick at Cape Adare (71° 14' S.) during 191 1. Dur- 

 ing the winter the birds probably live on the northern 

 edge of the pack ice, some five hundred miles north 

 of their rookery on land. The first penguins arrived 



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