266 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Voracity Sociability. 



live. They dive with great rapidity, and are vo- 

 racious to a great degree. One of them de- 

 scribed by Clusius, though but very young, 

 would swallow an entire herring at a mouthful, 

 and often three successively before it was ap- 

 peased. In consequence of this gluttonous ap- 

 petite, their flesh is rank and fishy ; though the 

 English sailors say, " that it is pretty good eat- 

 ing." In some, the flesh is so tough, and the 

 feathers so thick, that they stand a blow of a scy- 

 mitar without injury. 



They are birds of society; and especially when 

 they come on shore, they are seen drawn up in 

 rank and file, upon the ledge of a rock, standing 

 together with the albatross, as if in consultation. 

 This is previous to their laying, which generally 

 begins in that part of the world in the month 

 of November. Their preparations for laying are 

 attended with no great trouble, as a small depres- 

 sion in the earth, without any other nest, serves 

 for this purpose. The warmth of their feathers 

 and of their bodies is such, that the progress of 

 incubation is carried on very rapidly. 



THE CRESTED PENGUIN, 



WHICH is the most beautiful of the penguin 

 tribe, is nearly two feet in length. The bill is 

 red, and three inches long; the upper mandible 

 curved at the end, and the lower obtuse. The 



