430 



The Living Animals of the World 



are expert swimmers, and dive with the 

 greatest ease, remaining long under water. 

 The grebes haunt ponds, lakes, and broads; 

 the divers prefer the open sea. Both feed 

 on fish. 



Grebes. 



Of the numerous species of grebe, the 

 most familiar are the Gkeat Crested Grebe 

 and the little Dabchick. The former has 

 suffered grievous persecution for the sake of 

 its beautiful breast-feathers, which Fashion 

 decreed should be worn by the gentler sex 

 in the form of muffs or hats. Thus a price 

 was set upon the head of this beautiful and 

 harmless bird, and its ranks were speedily 

 thinned. Some species wear during the 

 nesting-season beautiful chestnut or golden 

 " ears," '■ horns," or " frills '' on the head and 

 neck. The Eared Grebe is especially magnifi- 

 cent at this time. 



Divers. 



These, as already remarked, are sea- 

 loving birds, but they breed inland on the 

 shores of lakes. There are not many species 

 of divers, but, like the grebes, they assume 

 a special dress during the nesting-season, more 

 beautiful than the winter dress. 



THE PENGUINS. 



The Pengdins may justly be called wonder- 

 ful birds, and they are undoubtedly of very 

 ancient descent. For countless generations the 

 sea has been their home and refuge, and, in 

 consequence, flight has been abandoned in ex- 

 change for increased swimming-powers, which 

 have been gained by transforming the wing 

 into a paddle. This transformation has resulted 

 in flattening the wing-bones— and so increas- 

 ing the surface of the hand and arm whilst reducing its thickness — and the suppression of the 

 quill-feathers. The result is a blade-like paddle closely resembling the paddle of the whale, 

 the turtle, or the extinct fish-lizards. With this organ they cleave their way through the water, 

 often far below the surface, in pursuit of food, just as of old their ancestors did through the 

 air. In other diving-birds the wings are kept closely pressed to the side of the body when 

 under water, whilst the locomotion is effected by the feet. The penguin's legs, in consequence 

 of diminished use, have shortened considerably. But besides the wings and legs, the feathery 

 covering has also undergone a certain amount of change. This has been effected by increasing 

 the size of the shaft of the feather and diminishing the vane ; as a result, on the front part 

 of the wings these feathers look more like scales than feathers. 



Professor iMoseley has vividly described the appearance of a flock of penguins at sea. He 

 writes from Tristan d'Acunha : " As we approached the shore, I was astonished at seeing a 



PkoloJjy If. P. Da-iKlo, F.Z.X.] 



[Ref/cnt'n Park.. 



BLACK-FOOTED PENGUIN. 



bird, also known as the Cape or JackiXss-pongnin, lireeds in 

 bnnowa or under ledges of rock. 



