2,0 Vallentin, Notes on tJie Falkland Islands. 



sea. The well-worn paths from the three divisions into 

 which this rookery was divided joined the main path, 

 which, winding along the miniature valley, passed between 

 a gap in the sandhills running parallel with the shore, and 

 so they easily gained access to the ocean. 



The Gentoos, like others of the same genus, are quite 

 unable to fly, but run fairly fast ; and although a poor 

 athlete myself, I found no difficulty in driving them in 

 any desired direction. Unlike the Jackass {Spheniscus 

 magellanicus), these Penguins seldom propel themselves 

 along the ground by resting on their chests and pushing 

 themselves along by the aid of their wings and feet. This 

 method of propulsion seems to be only employed when 

 very hard pressed, or more frequently when an individual 

 happens to overbalance or stumble when running away. 

 A Gentoo always walks upright into the sea till the water 

 is deep enough to cover him. Up to this point the bird 

 keeps the head as high as possible, and looks as if he 

 were walking on tip-toe ; but the instant the bird gets 

 out of his depth the head is withdrawn like a flash, and 

 the creature vanishes. When swimming in the water it 

 is really striking to observe the marvellous similarity 

 between all the Penguins and the Porpoise. Indeed the 

 resemblance is so close that many people, myself included, 

 have frequently been deceived. 



The footprints of a bird of this species on the sandy 

 sea-shore can at once be distinguished from those of 

 others by the curious habit it has of always trailing the 

 third or longest digit along the surface after each footstep, 

 and so producing a scar or mark between the footprints 

 about three inches long. 



Diomedea exulans^ " Albatross." Only a visitor to this 

 archipelago. Their nearest nesting place is South Georgia; 

 a desolate uninhabited island about 800 miles south-east 



