124 
PROFESSOR J. COSSAR EWART AND DOROTHY MACKENZIE ON 
unusual interests them enormously, and they are not satisfied till they have 
investigated new objects very thoroughly. A looking-glass kept them occupied 
quite a long time ; they gazed at their image as if fascinated, occasionally pecking at 
it as if to test its reality, but the peck was very gentle and quite different from the 
savage dart of an angry bird. When defending themselves from attack they use 
their beaks and flippers simultaneously — a blow from either may be extremely 
painful. 
When pebbles of various sizes, shapes, and colours were placed in their enclosure, 
they selected the bright ones, turning them over with their beaks to make a more 
thorough examination. They very quickly, however, tired of any one object, and 
soon moved on to the next one. 
They do not appear to have stated times for sleeping or swimming, but spend a 
very considerable portion of the day in the water, both summer and winter. Their 
swimming powers are wonderful, and they seem to fly under the water with nearly 
as great ease and grace as an ordinary bird cleavfes the air. Whatever one of them 
does, the others almost invariably do the same, so that when one settles down to 
sleep, or starts for a walk, or makes for the water, the others follow suit. They walk 
in single file as a rule, and when they reach the water’s edge the leader invariably 
pauses.* A peck from the next one is a reminder that it must not dally too long, so 
in it plunges, instantly followed by the others. Their movements in the water are 
very rapid, and they propel themselves solely by means of their flippers. They seem 
to prefer to swim at a good depth, and may often be seen chasing each other and 
thoroughly enjoying themselves. They set to work to wash themselves with much 
energy, using the beak, legs, and flippers in the operation. After the bath they 
spend a short time apparently resting on the surface of the water, with the head and 
tail submerged, and only the back showing. In this position they are extremely 
difficult to see, as they lie so still. Another favourite way of resting on the surface of 
the water is with the head slightly raised, the back and tail almost submerged, the 
legs stretched out alongside the tail, and the flippers hanging straight down. They 
do not, however, rest very long when in the water ; they prefer to play and enjoy 
themselves in the water and do their resting on land. 
On emerging from the water — in single file, as they entered it — they set to work 
at once to preen themselves and smooth their feathers, and so compact is their coat 
and so impervious to water, that in about ten minutes they are quite dry. Very 
frequently they may be seen standing on one leg, and scratching the top of the 
head with the other — a marvellous feat of balancing, and only successfully accom- 
plished by making use of the tail as a prop ! After the bath they very often have a 
* In his book on Antarctic penguins, Dr Murray Levick makes mention of this pause before diving into the 
water, and explains that the probable reason is owing to the presence of sea-leopards — the chief enemies the penguins 
have to fear in the Antarctic seas. Though the penguins he refers to are the Adelie Penguins, probably the same 
reason holds good in the case of the King Penguins. 
