132 
THE MOULTING OF THE KING PENGUIN. 
whole of the feathers have been shed from the abdomen, about half of the breast feathers are moulted, and 
feathers are beginning to fall from the greatly ruffled back. The under sides of the flippers have got rid of 
all the old feathers. 
Figs. 8 and 9. Two figures of a penguin to show that on the fourth day the breast is more than half 
moulted, that the back is slowly shedding its feathers, and that the top of the head and the outer side of the 
flippers are beginning to lose' their old feathers. 
Fig. 10 and 11. Two figures of a penguin at the fifth day of moulting. By the end of the fifth day nearly 
the whole of the breast feathers are shed, the yellow throat feathers are beginning to fall off, and the back 
and head are slowly getting rid of their feathers. The lower half of the outer surface of the wing is 
nearly moulted. 
Fig. 12. On the sixth day the new yellow throat feathers are beginning to appear, and the old feathers 
are rapidly falling from the back ; the flippers are nearly completely moulted, and the head feathers are 
being freely shed. 
Figs. 13 and 14. The stage reached in a King Penguin on the seventh day of moulting. By the end 
of the seventh day the majority of the old throat feathers are shed, and the moulting of the auricular patches 
has begun.’ Considerable progress has been made by the head and back, and the flippers are almost free of 
dead feathers. Further, on the seventh day there is an indication of the green sheen on the top of thei head, 
the right half of the mandibular sheath has been cast off, and the new tail feathers are making their 
appearance. 
* Fig. 15. A view of a King Penguin on the eighth day of moulting. On the eighth day there are 
still a few old throat feathers ; the new feathers of the auricular patches are making their appearance, but are 
still very pale; the head and greater part of the back are now clear of their faded dead feathers. The left 
half of the mandibular sheath was shed on the eightli day. Note flexion at elbow and wrist. 
Fig 16. This figure indicates the stage reached on the ninth day of moulting. Note the “ ruff” 'of old 
feathers on the back of the neck, the small groups of dead feathers on the shoulders, the upper part of the 
back, and the base of the beak. The throat and auricular patches are almost clear of old feathers, but the 
new auricular feathers have not yet acquired their rich colour, and the mandibular sheath is still very pale. 
The tail feathers have reached a considerable length. 
Figs. 17 and 18. Two figures of a King Penguin on the tenth day of moulting. With the exception 
of a remnant of the neck “ruff” and a few feathers above the nostrils, the moulting of a King Penguin may 
be complete on the tenth day. By the eleventh day the only indication of the old coat in the penguin 
figured consisted of a few dead feathers on the head and at the base of the beak. 
