2IO FALKLAND ISLANDS chap. 



close before me erect and determined. When thus opposed he 

 continually rolled his head from side to side, in a very odd 

 manner, as if the power of distinct vision lay only in the anterior 

 and basal part of each eye. This bird is commonly called the 

 jackass penguin, from its habit, while on shore, of throwing its 

 head backwards, and making a loud strange noise, very like 

 the braying of an ass ; but while at sea, and undisturbed, its 

 note is very deep and solemn, and is often heard in the night- 

 time. In diving, its little wings are used as fins ; but on the 

 land, as front legs. When crawling, it may be said on four 

 legs, through the tussocks or on the side of a grassy cliff, it 

 moves so very quickly that it might easily be mistaken for a 

 quadruped. When at sea -and fiishing, it comes to the surface 

 for the purpose of breathing with such a spring, and dives 

 again so instantaneously, that I defy any one at first sight to 

 be sure that it was not a fish leaping for sport. 



Two kinds of geese frequent the Falklands. The upland 

 species (Anas Magellanica) is common, in pairs and in small 

 flocks, throughout the island. They do not migrate, but build 

 on the small outlying islets. This is supposed to be from fear 

 of the foxes : and it is perhaps from the same cause that these 

 birds, though very tame by day, are shy and wild in the dusk 

 of the evening. They live entirely on vegetable matter. The 

 rock-goose, so called from living exclusively on the sea-beach 

 (Anas antarctica), is common both here and on the west coast of 

 America, as far north as Chile. In the deep and retired channels 

 of Tierra del Fuego, the snow-white gander, invariably accom- 

 panied by his darker consort, and standing close by each 

 other on some distant rocky point, is a common feature in the 

 landscape. 



In these islands a great loggerheaded duck or goose (Anas 

 brachyptera), which sometimes weighs twenty -two pounds, is 

 very abundant. These birds were in former days called, from 

 their extraordinary manner of paddling and splashing upon the 

 water, racehorses ; but now they are named, much more appro- 

 priately, steamers. Their wings are too small and weak to allow 

 of flight, but by their aid, partly swimming and partly flapping 

 the surface of the water, they move very quickly. The manner 

 is something like that by \vhich the common house-duck escapes 

 when pursued by a dog ; but I am nearly sure that the steamer 



