SPHENISCUS MAGELLANICUS , 157 



Pernety's observations on this Penguin in the Falkland 

 Islands in 1764 are exceedingly droll : — " Un animal singulier," 

 he remarks. ..." Quand il crie, on diroit un ane qui brait. 

 Son maintien & sa demarche n'imitent pas ceux des oiseaux. 

 II marche debout, la tete & le corps droits comme I'homme. lis 

 se logent dans glajeux, comme les Loups marins, & se terrent 

 dans les tannieres, comme les Renards." 



On the " Nassau " Survey, Dr. Cunningham thus humorously 

 describes a colony of these birds on Penguin Island in the Strait 

 of Magellan : — " On climbing to the summit of one of the high 

 banks we beheld a company of Penguins (Sphemscus magellanicus), 

 which, after standing erect and staring at us in a stupid manner 

 for a few moments, shuffled off, their little wings hanging limp at 

 their sides, and their dark grey and white colouring, and reeling 

 movements, suggesting a drunk and disorderly funeral procession. 

 When hard pressed they abandoned the erect position, and 

 crouching down on all fours, if I may be permitted the expres- 

 sion, ran along like rabbits at a very rapid rate, using their wings 

 as fore-legs, till they gained their burrows, fairly ensconced in 

 which they faced their pursuers, and, slowly turning about their 

 heads from side to side, barked and brayed in the most ridiculous 

 manner, offering a stout resistance to being captured by biting 

 most viciously with their strong bills. Whilst contemplating 

 one individual in its den, I was suddenly startled by a loud 

 ^^ Ilo-ho-ho-ho-ho" close to me, and turning round perceived 

 another bird, which had boldly walked out of a neighbouring 

 burrow, and was thus addressing me. I succeeded at last, 

 though with much difficulty, in raking an old bird out of its 

 hole with the crook of a walking stick, and also obtained two 

 young ones in their down." 



Capt. Fitzroy contributes the following note, on the occasion 

 of his visit to Noir Island in the " Beagle," in 1830 : — 

 " Multitudes of Penguins were swarming together in some 

 parts of the island, among the bushes and ' tussac ' near the 

 shore, having gone there for the purposes of moulting and 



