THE RED-THROATED DIVER. 1 99 



place of diving under water, as its ordinary habit is when threatened, 

 it boldly attacks its enemies with its beak. Its skin serves the 

 Greenlanders as clothing. It inhabits the Arctic seas of both hemis- 

 pheres, is abundant about the Hebrides, in Norway, in Sweden, and 

 even on the coast of Scotland. Its appearance on the French coast 

 is very irregular, and only after great storms. 



When on a long journey, they keep at a great height, moving 

 rapidly in a direct course with outstretched wings. On these occa- 

 sions they exceed the speed of most of their congeners. With their 

 long outstretched necks and snow-white breasts, from their compara- 

 tively short wings, they present a curious and novel sight. When 

 swimming they are extremely vigilant, and permit nothing to 

 approach them. On the appearance of a boat they glide as it were 

 out of sight under the water, without noise or flutter, and thence 

 pursue their way with great rapidity, using wings as well as feet to 

 propel themselves. 



The Penguins (Aptenodytes) 



belong exclusively to cold countries. They rarely quit the vicinity 

 of land, yet seldom come ashore except in the breeding season, or 

 when driven by squalls and storms from their favourite element. On 

 shore they are compelled to sit erect. They carry the head very high 

 and the neck stretched out, while their short winglets are advanced 

 like two diminutive arms. When they sit perched in flocks on some 

 lofty projecting rock. they might be mistaken at a distance for a line 

 of soldiers. 



At certain periods of the year the Penguins assemble on the 

 beach as if they met preconcertedly for deliberation. These as- 

 semblies last for a day or two, and are conducted with an obvious 

 degree of solemnity. When the meeting results in a decision, they 

 proceed to work with great activity. Upon a ledge of rock, suffi- 

 ciently level and of the necessary size, they trace a square with one 

 of its sides parallel and overlooking the edge of the water, which is 

 left open for the egress of the colony. Then with their beaks they 

 proceed to collect all the stones in the neighbourhood, which they 

 heap up outside the lines marked out, to serve them as a wall to 

 shelter them from the prevailing winds. During the night these 

 openings are guarded by sentinels. They afterwards divide the 

 enclosure into smaller squares, each large enough to receive a certain 

 number of nests, with a passage between each square. No architect 

 could arrange the plan in a more regular manner. 



