Order  VIII.  ANSERES.  Family  III.  Alcidje. 
The  third  Subfamily, 
SPHENISCINiE,  or  Penguins, 
have  the  Bill  more  or  less  long  and  straight,  with  the  sides  compressed  and  grooved,  the  culmen 
rounded  and  curved  at  the  tip,  which  is  acute ;  the  Nostrils  placed  in  the  lateral  groove,  and  linear ; 
the  Wings  short,  imperfect,  being  only  covered  with  scale-like  plumes  ;  the  Tail  more  or  less  short,  and 
composed  of  narrow  rigid  feathers ;  the  Tarsi  very  short  and  depressed ;  the  Toes  moderate  and 
depressed,  with  the  anterior  toes  united  by  a  web  ;  the  hind  toe  very  small,  and  united  to  the  side  of  the 
tarsus. 
Spheniscus  Briss* 
Bill  moderate,  much  compressed,  and  strong,  with  the  culmen  rounded  and  curved  at  the  tip,  which 
is  acute  ;  the  tip  of  the  lower  mandible  suddenly  truncated,  and  the  gonys  moderate  and  curved  upwards  ; 
the  nostrils  rather  rounded,  and  placed  in  the  lateral  groove  near  the  middle  of  the  bill.  Wings 
imperfect,  and  covered  with  scale-like  plumes.  Tail  very  short.  Tarsi  very  short,  thick,  flattened,  and 
covered  with  small  scales.  Toes  long,  the  lateral  ones  unequal,  and  united  to  the  middle  toe  by  a  web  ; 
the  hind '  toe  very  small,  and  united  to  the  tarsus  at  the  base  of  the  inner  toe  ;  the  claws  long, 
compressed,  and  slightly  curved. 
These  birds  are  found  on  the  rocks  of  the  islands  of  the  Southern  Ocean,  and  the  southern  portions  of  South 
America  and  Africa.  They  are  frequently  observed  on  the  floating  islands  of  ice  that  are  scattered  in  that  dreary 
ocean.    Their  habits  and  manners  are  similar  to  'those  given  in  the  next  genus. 
1.  S.  demersus  (Linn.)    Ternm.    Edwards's  Birds,  pi.  Qi.,    PI.  3.  S.  Humboldtii  Me)  en,  Nov.  Acta,  &c.  xvi.  t.  21. 
enl.  382.  1005.,  Reg.  Anim.  (D'Orb.)  Ois.  t.  90.  f.  3.  4.  ?  S.  chiknisis  (Mol.)  —  Aptenodytes  Molina?  Lutlt. 
2.  S.  magellanicus  (Forst.)  Comment.  Goett.  iii.  t.  5.,  Forst.  Icon, 
ined.  83.,  Descr.  Anim.  p.  351. 
Eudyptes  Vieill.'f 
Bill  more  or  less  long,  straight,  much  compressed,  and  grooved  on  the  sides,  and  the  culmen  rounded 
and  curved  at  the  tip,  which  is  acute ;  the  end  of  the  lower  mandible  truncated,  and  the  gonys  moderate 
*  Established  by  Brisson  in  1760. 
t  Established  by  Vieillot  in  181 6  {Analyse,  Sfc,  p.  67.)  :  but  in  1825  he  used  Brisson's  name  of  Cuturractes  for  the  same  series  of 
birds,  and  Chrysoconta  of  Mr.  Stephens  (1825)  is  coequal.     It  embraces  Dasyramphus  of  MM.  Hombron  and  Jacquinot  (18-16). 
