THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 271 



the high banks, we beheld a company of penguins (Spheniscus 

 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 darkgray and white colour- 

 ing, and reeling movements, suggesting a drunk and disorderly 

 funeral procession. AVhen hard pressed they abandoned the 

 erect position, and crouching down on all fours, if I may be 

 permitted the expression, 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. While contemplating one individual in 

 its den, I was suddenly startled by a loud " Ho-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. 



The most remarkable spectacle, however, was still to come. 

 Pursuing our way over the island, we ere long reached some 

 large hollows, which cormorants (Phalacrocorax carunculatus) 

 had adopted as breeding-places. The birds were there congre- 

 gated in their nests literally in thousands, forming a dense black 

 mass covering a space of many yards ; and, on being disturbed, 

 rose into the air in a cloud, winnowing it with their wings so as 

 to produce a sound resembling that of a strong breeze blowing, 

 and almost concealing the heavens from view ; while a number 

 of skua gulls, associated with them, gave vent to a tumult of 

 discordant cries. Their nests w^ere regularly shaped flattened 



