Order ANSEEES.] [Fam. SPHENISCID^E. 



EUDYPTULA MINOR 



(BLUE PENGUIN.) 



Little Penguin, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 2, p. 572, pi. ciii. (1785). 

 Aptenodyta minor, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 558 (1788, ex Lath.). 

 Catarrhactes minor, Cuv. Regn. An. i. p. 513 (1817). 

 Chrysocoma minor, Steph. Gen. Zool. xiii. p. 61 (1825). 

 Spheniscus minor, Gray, in Dieff. Trav. ii., App. p. 199 (1843). 

 Aptenodytes minor, Forst. Descr. An. p. 101 (1844). 

 Eudyptula minor, Bonap. C. R. xlii. p. 775 (1856). 

 Eudyptila minor, Gray, Hand-1. of B. iii. p. 99 (1871). 



Native name. — Korora. 



Ad. supra obscure cyanescens : subtus argentescenti-albus : facie laterali brunnescente lavata, : ala sordide 

 ciuerea, albo marginata et latius apicata : rostro cyanescenti-cano, culmine saturatiore : pedibus carneo- 

 albidis, membranis interdigitalibus brunnescenti-nigris : iride flavicanti-cana. 



Adult. Crown of the head, hind part of neck, and all the upper surface, as well as the thighs, light blue, 

 with a black line down the centre of each feather ; sides of the head dark grey ; throat, fore neck, and 

 all the underparts silvery white ; upper surface of flippers black, tinged with blue, and margined with 

 white along the inner edges ; under surface yellowish white, with a dark grey spot near the extremity. 

 Irides yellowish grey, with a brownish margin ; bill bluish grey, darker on the ridge ; feet flesh-white, 

 the soles, webs, and claws brownish black. Total length 19 inches ; extent of flippers 14 ; length of 

 flipper 5 ; bill, along the ridge 175, along the edge of lower mandible 2 ; tarsus 1 ; middle toe and 

 claw 2" 5. 



This species occurs all round our coasts, and resorts in large numbers to the Island of Kapiti, in 

 Cook's Strait, and probably to other islands of similar character, to breed and rear its young. 

 It is abundant also in the seas surrounding Tasmania, in Bass's Strait, and on the south coast of 

 Australia generally. Mr. Gould found it breeding on the low islands in Bass's Strait from 

 September to January, and states that in these localities the ground is " completely intersected 

 by paths and avenues; and so much care is expended by the birds in the formation of these 

 little walks, that every stick and stone is removed, and in some instances even the herbage, by 

 which the surface is rendered so neat and smooth as to appear more like the work of the human 



hand than the labour of one of the lower animals A considerable portion of the year is 



occupied in the process of breeding and rearing the young, in consequence of its being 

 necessary that their progeny should acquire sufficient vigour to resist the raging of that element 

 on which they are destined to dwell, and which I believe they never again leave until, by the 



2 z 2 



