236 THE OCEAN. 
up in white aprons, from their white bellies contrast- 
ing with their blue backs. The presence of these 
birds is described as greatly increasing the dreary 
character of these desolate regions; their perfect 
indifference to man conveying an almost awful im- 
pression of their loneliness. The intrusion of sea- 
men even into the very midst of them causes no 
alarm; no resistance is offered, no escape is attempted ; 
the birds immediately gaze around with a sidelong 
glance at the visitors, but they move not from their 
eggs, standing quietly while their companions are 
one by one knocked on the head, and waiting with- 
out dread till their own turn comes. We can scarcely 
form an adequate idea of one of these camps or 
towns, as they have been appropriately called. A 
space of ground, covering three or four acres, is laid 
out and levelled, and then divided into squares for 
the nests, as accurately’ as if done by a surveyor: 
between these compartments they march and coun- 
termarch with an order and regularity that remind 
one of soldiers on parade. But what shall we say to 
a colony of these birds, the King Penguin (Apiene- 
dytes patachonica), which was seen by Mr. G. Ben- 
nett, on Macquarie Island? It covered thirty or 
forty acres; and though no conjecture could possibly 
be formed of the number of birds composing the 
town, yet some notion of its amazing amount may 
be given from the fact, that during the whole day 
and night 30,000 or 40,000 are continually landing, 
and as many going to sea. There are three principal 
species, which inhabit the southern portion of the 
globe, which bear great resemblance to each other 
