ANTARCTIC CRUISE. 289 



eighteen feet, before two albatrosses- came down, and commenced pick- 

 ing at the dead birds I had just killed, but not being able to make any 

 impression upon them, deliberately picked up two of the eggs with 

 their beaks, and in spite of my efforts to prevent it, flew away with 

 them. The eggs were about the size of a goose's ; the original colour 

 seemed to have been white, but they were so dirty that it was difficult 

 to say with certainty. They were no doubt the eggs of the penguin, 

 as I took them out of their nest, which was only a small place 

 scratched in the earth, just big enough to hold one or two eggs, with 

 little or no grass, sticks, or any thing else to form a nest of. I after- 

 wards picked up a number of these eggs, and another was found, of the 

 size of a hen's egg, white, with a slight tinge of green. On mounting 

 the hill still higher, which was very steep, and composed of volcanic 

 rock, loose stones, and a little soil mixed with birdlime, I found that 

 there were more of these birds than I anticipated. The nests were 

 within two feet of each other, with one or two young ones in each ; 

 one of the old ones watching and sitting on the nest, whilst the young 

 were trying ineffectually to nestle themselves under the small wings of 

 the old ones. The appearance of the young was not unlike that of 

 goslings, being covered with a dark thick down. 



" These penguins are the Eudyptes chrysocome ; they are from 

 sixteen to twenty inches in height, with white breast and nearly black 

 back, the rest being of a dark dove-colour, with the exception of the 

 head, which is adorned on each side with four or five yellow feathers, 

 three or four inches long, looking like graceful plumes. The birds 

 stand erect in rows, which gives them the appearance of Liliputian 

 soldiers. The sight was novel and beautiful, and had it not been for 

 the gabble, — enough to deafen me, — I could have stayed much longer. 

 It was now time to return to the boat, when it occurred to me that 

 live birds would be preferable to the dead ; so throwing the latter 

 down, I seized one old and a couple of young ones, and with three or 

 four eggs in my cap, made the best of my way to the boat. It was 

 now found impossible to hand them on board, and not willing to sur- 

 render my prize, a lead-line was thrown me from the boat, but did not 

 come near enough, and in my attempts to get it, I was overtaken by a 

 sea, and was thrown violently against the rocks among the kelp, and 

 just made out to crawl on hands and knees beyond the reach of the 

 returning sea, somewhat bruised, wet, and benumbed with the cold." 



At this juncture, the quarter-master returned with a large species 

 of penguin over his shoulders, but without the crown of feathers on 

 his head. He described a similar rookery, and also saw some green 

 paroquets with a small red spot on the head, and an oblong slaty or 



vol. ii. z 37 



