THE PENGUINS AND THE SKUA 
59 
quite a repertoire, and invariably call on it when getting 
up anchor or hoisting sails. Often as not they are sung 
in a flat and throaty style, but the effect when a number 
of men break into the chorus is generally inspiriting.' 
The men had dinner at midday — much the same fare, 
but with beer and some whisky to drink. They seem 
to have enjoyed themselves much. Evidently the men's 
deck contains a very merry band. 
There are three groups of penguins roosting on the 
floes quite close to the ship. I made the total number of 
birds 39. We could easily capture these birds, and so it 
is evident that food can always be obtained in the pack. 
To-night I noticed a skua gull settle on an upturned 
block of ice at the edge of a floe on which several penguins 
were preparing for rest. It is a fact that the latter held 
a noisy confabulation with the skua as subject — then they 
advanced as a body towards it ; within a few paces the 
foremost penguin halted and turned, and then the others 
pushed him on towards the skua. One after another they 
jibbed at being first to approach their enemy, and it was 
only with much chattering and mutual support that they 
gradually edged towards him. 
They couldn't reach him as he was perched on a block, 
but when they got quite close the skua, who up to that 
time had appeared quite unconcerned, flapped away a 
few yards and settled close on the other side of the group 
of penguins. The latter turned and repeated their former 
tactics until the skua finally flapped away altogether. 
It really was extraordinarily interesting to watch the 
timorous protesting movements of the penguins. The 
