ADELIE PENGUINS 



experience the penguins seemed utterly unable to 

 grasp them. 



As an example of this, we had rigged a guide 

 rope from our hut to the meteorological screen, 

 about fifty yards away, to guide us during blizzards. 

 This rope, which was supported by poles driven 

 into the ground, sagged in one place till it nearly 

 touched the ground. At frequent intervals, pen- 

 guins on their way past the hut were brought to a 

 standstill by running their breasts into this sagged 

 rope, and each bird as it was caught invariably 

 went through the same ridiculous procedure. First 

 it would push hard against the rope, then finding 

 this of no avail, back a few steps, walk up to it 

 again and have another push, repeating the process 

 several times. After this, instead of going a few 

 feet further along where it could easily walk under 

 the rope, in ninety per cent, of cases it would turn, 

 and by a wide detour walk right round the hut the 

 other way, evidently convinced that some unknown 

 obstacle completely barred its passage on that side. 

 This spectacle was a continual source of amuse- 

 ment to us as it went on all day and every day for 

 some time. 



As penguins' eggs are very good to eat and a 

 great luxury, as well as being beneficial to men 

 58 



