THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 293 



Famous swimmers, but bad Avalkers, penguins, not being 

 able to build eitlier in trees or on the sea, have been obliged 

 to content themselves Avitli the shore. Of too limited a 

 capacity to weave a nest, they are satisfied, being simply 

 miners, with scooping out a hole in the ground. 



It is generally on desert islands covered with grass that 

 these animals establish their subterranean abodes. They 

 hollow these out by means of their beak and feet just be- 

 neath the ground, and make them sometimes as much as 

 three feet deep. The interior by its form gives one the 

 idea of an oven, and the narrow and depressed entrance 

 represents the door. From every cavern proceeds a regu- 

 lar concealed road, carried through the grass and covered 

 by the tops of it. It is by these tortuous and shady paths 

 that the birds pass from their nests to the shore. 



These subterranean works have multiplied to such an 

 extent in some localities, that it often happens that the 

 sailors sink in when walking. The penguin, disturbed by 

 this unexpected invasion, throws itself upon the imprudent 

 mortal who has broken into its abode, and frequently the 

 visitor cannot withdraw his leg till he has received some 

 smart Avounds from the sharp blows of its beak. More 

 than one mariner has left a portion of his trousers behind 

 him. 



The tribe of masons is very numerous, and these winged 

 architects employ very various materials in their edifices. 

 Many, like the ancient Germans, construct their buildings 

 only with earth or clay. Others make use of plants after 

 having worked them into a pulp like mortar or mastic. 



The most powerful, but at the same time the clumsiest, 

 of all our race of masons is the flamingo, the rude construc- 

 tions of which we pardon for the sake of its splendid plum- 

 age, tinted Avith rose colour and briUiant red. This great 



