A CITY OF BIRDS. 



237 



But, though as helpless on land as the seals, to 

 whose manner of life theirs bears in many respects 

 so great a resemblance, they are, like the latter, per- 

 fectly at home in the 

 water, which they 

 never leave except 

 to lay their eggs and 

 rear their young. 

 Indeed, it may be 

 said that they be- 

 long to the ocean al- 

 most as much as do 

 certain fish that oc- 

 casionally land and 

 creep about the 

 beach ; for they not 

 only swim upon the 

 surface, but, like dolphins and porpoises, sound the 

 depths of the sea in search of the crabs and marine 

 animals upon which they feed, and fly about under 

 water as other birds do in tlie air. 



Wonderful stories are told of the breeding places 

 and habitations of these strange, fishlike birds. This 

 is told us by Mr. Louis Figuier : " At certain pe- 

 riods of the year the penguins assemble on the 

 beach as if they had appointed a particular day for 

 the purpose. These assemblies last for a day or two, 

 and are conducted with evident solemnity. When 

 the meeting results in a decision they proceed to 

 work with great activity. 



" Upon a ledge of rock sufficiently level and of the 



Old penguin and nestling. 



