PART I 

 THE FASTING PERIOD 



Diary from October 1 3 to November 3, describing the 

 arrival of the Adelie penguins at the rookery, and 

 habits during the periods of mating and building. 



The first Adelie penguins arrived at the Ridley 

 Beach rookery, Cape Adare, on October 13. A 

 blizzard came on then, with thick drift which 

 prevented any observations being made. The 

 next day, when this subsided, there were no pen- 

 guins to be seen. 



On October 15 two of them were loitering about 

 the beach. During the forenoon they were separate, 

 but in the afternoon they kept company, and 

 walked over to the south-east corner of the rookery 

 under the cliff of Cape Adare, where they were 

 sheltered from the cold breeze. 



On October 16 at 11 a.m. there were about 

 twenty penguins arrived. Several came singly, 

 and one little party of three came up together. 

 On arrival they wandered about by themselves, 

 and stood or walked about the beach, giving one 



B 17 



