THE MOULTING OF THE KING PENGUIN. 
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rest, and go to sleep. Penguins sleep either upright or else lying down. In the 
upright position they flex their flipper-like wings, under one of which the beak 
is frequently tucked away both when standing and when lying down ; the legs 
are stretched out to their utmost, and the beak also ; they thus assume very much 
the same attitude as when resting on the water’s surface. 
The trumpet-call of the King Penguin has been very well described by Murphy, 
who says : £< The voice of the adult King Penguin is a martial sound, a long-drawn 
bugle-call, highly musical, and almost worthy of being called a tune. When deliver- 
ing the call, the bird stretches grandly to its full height, points its bill skywards, 
and the long volley rings forth from an expanded chest. At the close of the effort 
the head is tilted forward with a jerk and the bird stands at attention — a .rigid, con- 
strained pose, always held for several moments.” 
When and why the penguins utter this sound has never been accurately deter- 
mined. The zoologist of the Pourquoi Pas Expedition termed it the “ chant de 
satisfaction,” and Dr Murray Levick says it may be “ likened to the crowing of 
a cock, or the braying of an ass.” 
The penguins at the Scottish Zoological Park very frequently utter this call, but 
never at stated times, and very often not for many days, or even weeks. During 
May and June 1915 they would “bugle” with great regularity about half an hour 
after feeding time, but they have been heard at all hours of the day, so that “ chant 
de satisfaction ” scarcely applies in their case. Penguins have also another call ; 
a single loud alarm or warning note, which is used on various occasions. 
Though they usually enter and leave the water together, it sometimes happens 
that one of them leaves the pool before the others, and looks anxiously to see if its 
mates are following, and then moves on a step or two. If the others show .no signs 
of following, it gives this loud call, which may or may not be answered from the 
pool. If no answer is forthcoming, the solitary penguin returns to the water. This 
has been done as often as four times in succession, and the bird is not satisfied till 
the two remaining penguins answer the call and leave the water. This alarm call is 
also uttered when a penguin gets separated from its mates ; its agitation on being 
parted from the others is very great, and when it once sights its friends it literally 
runs to meet them. 
The penguin’s gait is very ungainly. The legs are so short, and set so far back, 
that in the King Penguin the stride only amounts to 3^ or 4 inches. In walking 
it uses its flippers to balance itself, and in climbing out of the pool it uses both beak 
and flippers. Penguins have also another mode of progression, which has been termed 
“ toboganning.” Murray Levick describes it thus : “ When wearied by walking or 
when the surface is particularly suitable, they fall forward on to their white breasts, 
smooth and shimmering with a beautiful metallic lustre in the sunlight, and push 
themselves along by alternate powerful little strokes of their legs behind them. . . . 
In this way they relieved the monotony of their march, and gave periodical rest to 
