42 
THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
are expert swimmers, and dive with the 
greatest ease, remaining long under water. 
The grebes haunt ponds, lakes, and broads ; 
the divers prefer the open sea. Both feed 
on fish. 
Grebes 
Of the numerous species of grebe, the 
most familiar are the Great Crested Grebe 
and the little Dabciiick. The former has 
suffered grievous persecution for the sake of 
its beautiful breast-feathers, which Fashion 
decreed should be worn by the gentler sex 
in the form of muffs or hats. Thus a price 
was set upon the head of this beautiful and 
harmless bird, and its ranks were speedily 
thinned. Some species wear during the 
nesting-season beautiful chestnut or golden 
“ ears,” “ horns,” or “ frills ” on the head and 
neck. The Eared Grebe is especially mag- 
nificent at this time. 
Divers 
These, as already remarked, are sea- 
loving birds, but they breed inland on the 
shores of lakes. There are not many species 
of divers, but, like the grebes, they assume 
a special dress during the nesting-season, more 
beautiful than the winter dress. 
Photo by H'. P. Dando, F.Z.S.'] 
BLACK-FOOTED 
[^Ke^ent's Park 
PENGUIN 
breeds i 
This bird, also knoivn as the Cape or J ackass-penguin, 
burrows or under ledges of rock 
THE PENGUINS 
The Penguins may justly be called won- 
derful birds, and they are undoubtedly of very 
ancient descent. For countless generations the 
sea has been their home and refuge, and, in 
consequence, flight has been abandoned in ex- 
change for increased swimming-powers, which 
have been gained by transforming the wing 
intoa paddle. Thistransformation hasresulted 
in flattening the wing-bones — and so increas- 
ing the surface of the hand and arm whilst reducing its thickness — and the suppression of the 
quill-feathers. The result is a blade-like paddle closely resembling the paddle of the whale, 
the turtle, or the e.xtinct fish-lizards. With this organ they cleave their way through the water, 
often far below the surface, in pursuit of food, just as of old their ancestors did through the 
air. In other diving-birds the wings are kept closely pressed to the side of the body when 
under water, whilst the locomotion is effected by the feet. The penguin’s legs, in consequence 
of diminished use, have shortened considerably. But besides the wings and legs, the feathery 
covering has also undergone a certain amount of change. This has been effected by increasing 
the size of the shaft of the feather and diminishing the vane; as a result, on the front part 
of the wings these feathers look more like scales than feathers. 
Professor Moseley has vividly described the appearance of a flock of penguins at sea. He 
writes from Tristan d’Acunha: “As we approached the shore, I was astonished at seeing a 
