ADELIE PENGUINS 



naturally this begins to pall. The courage of 

 these little birds is most remarkable and ad- 

 mirable. 



Our hut, being built on the rookery, could only 

 be approached through crowds of penguins. Those 

 that nested near us seemed quickly to become used 

 to us and to take less notice of us than those 

 farther off. One thing, however, terrified them 

 pitiably. We had to fetch ice for our water 

 from some stranded floes on the ice-foot, and 

 this we did in a little sledge. As we hauled 

 this rattling over the pebbly rookery it made 

 a good deal of noise, and in its path nests were 

 deserted, the occupants fleeing in the greatest con- 

 fusion, a clear road being left for the sledge, whilst 

 on either side a line of penguins was seen retreat- 

 ing in the utmost terror. After about a minute, 

 they returned to their places and seemed to 

 forget the incident, but we were very sorry to 

 frighten them in this way, as we endeavoured to 

 live at peace with them and to molest them as little 

 as possible, and we feared that later on eggs might 

 be spilt from the nests and broken. As time went 

 on, those on the route of the sledge became 

 accustomed even to this, and we were able to 

 choose a course which cleared their nests. 

 34 



