576 SUBANTAECTIC ISLANDS OP NEW ZEALAND. [Aves- 



Order IMPENNES. 



Fam. SPHENISCIDAE. 

 Aptenodytes, Forster, 1781, 



Aptenodytes patachonica, Forster. (King penguin.) 



A'ptenodytes patachonica, Forster, Comment. Phy. Soc. R. Sci. Gottingensis, 

 iii, 1781, p. 137, pi. ii. 



A single example of the king penguin was seen at Antipodes Island during His 

 Excellency's visit in February, 1907. Stragglers occur in our southern islands. 

 Captain Bollons has seen skins taken at Campbell Island, but the bird does not breed 

 nearer to New Zealand than the Macquarie Islands, where large rookeries exist. 



Hah. — New Zealand, Stewart Island and southern islands ; Macquarie Islands, 

 South Georgia, Tierra del Fuego ; Falkland, Marion, Kerguelen, Heard, and Crozet 

 Islands. 



Catarractes, Brisson, 1760. 



Catarractes chrysocome, Forster. (Tufted penguin.) 



A'ptenodytes chrysocome, Forster, Comment. Phy. Soc. R. Sci. Gottingensis, 

 iii, 1781, p. 135, pi. 1. 



This species occurs on all our southern islands, and was the only penguin I saw 

 on Disappointment Island. It was at the Antipodes that I found it to be most 

 numerous, and had the best opportunities of observing it. 



The beach where we landed was piled up with huge rounded boulders, and was 

 reached by the rowing-boats through a broad band of kelp. As we put foot ashore 

 we were greeted with the defiant shrieks of birds, chiefly C. sclateri, present in countless 

 thousands. The big-crested penguin occupied all the available space on the beach, 

 and for some distance up the slopes also. As we ascended we fell in with the smaller 

 tufted penguinS; and these alone were on the higher cliffs. They were extremely 

 numerous, and have long distances to travel to reach 'the sea. It seems reasonable 

 to suppose that they occupy these higher grounds, reached only by long and arduous 

 climbing, by force of circumstance rather than by choice, being driven from more 

 accessible haunts by the larger C. sclateri. 



The birds were tending their young, the breeding season being over at this 

 period (February). The young birds were losing their down, and presented a quaint 

 appearance, some parts being quite sleek with feathers, and others fluffy in down. 

 This substance lay thick on the ground in the neighbourhood, and was occasionally 

 blown about like thistledown. The nests, then out of use, and doubtless trodden 

 out of shape, are like shallow craters made of mud, and the whole surroundings 

 plastered with mud and dung. In wet weather the mess and stench must be well- 

 nigh intolerable. 



The plumes on the side of the head are golden-coloured in the adult, but pale 

 yellow in the young. They stand out at right angles, and give the bird a wild or 

 scared appearance. 



The eyes of all penguins that I have seen are remarkable for the smallness of the 

 pupil, scarcely larger than the head of a pin, and it did not appear to me that it was 



