The King Penguin. 



405 



young one again feeds, and this continues for about ten 

 minutes." 



Mr. C. Darwin describes very graphically the behaviour of 

 one of these animals whose retreat to the sea was intercepted 

 by him : — " One day, having placed myself between a penguin 

 {Sph-erriscus demersus) and the water, I was much amused at 

 watching its habits. It was a brave bird, and till reaching the 

 sea it regularly fought and drove me backwards. Nothing 

 less than heavy blows would have stopped him, every inch 

 gained he firmly kept, standing close before me, erect and 



KING PENGUIN SWIMMING. 



determined. When thus opposed, he continually rolled his 

 head from side to side in a very odd manner, as if the power 

 of vision lay only in the anterior and basal part of the eye. 

 This bird is commonly called the jackass penguin, from its 

 habit while on shore of throwing its head backwards, and . 

 making a loud strange noise very like the braying of an ass. 

 While at sea and undisturbed, its note is very deep and 

 solemn, and is often heard in the night time. In diving, 

 its little plumeless wings are used for fins. When at 

 sea and fishing, it comes to the ^surface for the purpose 

 of breathing with such a spring, and dives again so in- 

 stantaneously, that I defy any at first sight to be sure that it 

 is not a fish leaping for sport." 



