262 
THE STUFFED PENGUIN. 
fresh- water pond two miles from the Thames, in Bucking- 
hamshire. It appears to be getting a more and more rare 
bird everywhere. Of late years, none of our arctic voyagers 
have met with it. M. Audubon was informed that it 
breeds on a low rocky island to the south-east of Newfound- 
land, but had no opj)ortunity of ascertaining the accuracy 
of the report. Various authors state that it lays an egg 
about five inches long, pear-shaped like that of the common 
Guillemot ; yellowish white, with numerous angular lines 
and blotches of brownish black. A pair of these birds is 
said to have bred in Papa Westra, one of the Orkneys, for 
several years. When Mr. Bullock visited the islands in 
1813, he found that the Queen of the Auks, as the natives 
called the female, had just been killed. The King he chased 
in a six-oared boat for several hours, but, although he 
several times got near him, so expert was the bird in his 
native element, that it was imj)ossible to shoot him. ^ The 
rapidity with which he pursued his course under water was 
almost incredible.' 
Different indeed is the appearance presented by the Pen- 
guin on land from that which it presents when in the 
water, where its movements are all grace and agility. Out 
of its proper element, it looks awkward, stupid, and lump- 
ish, floundering about in a most undignified manner, or 
sitting motionless upon its hinder parts, with its body bent 
a little forward, and staring vacantly and helplessly around. 
We shall not soon forget the ludicrous effect of a stuffed 
Penguin belonging to a friend, which he had, to conceal an 
ugly gap in the neck, and keep the head on, adorned with 
a white shirt-collar and a black stock. The poor bird, 
becoming rough, and ragged, and unsightly, was afterwards 
turned out of doors — set upon the step, for any compas- 
sionate person to take who chose. What became of it we 
never heard. Perhaps it may be now adorning the home 
of some lover of natural history, who looks at it admiringly, 
and caressingly addresses it as * my dear Booby.' But our 
great sea-bird, we must remember, stupid and lumpish as 
he looks, is one of a family of much importance and utility. 
From whence do we get the guano which has been found 
so useful of late years as a feitiliser for our land ? It is 
