432 
BREEDING PLACES. 
The next step is to clear all the ground within the space 
from obstruction of every kind, picking up the stones in 
their hills, and carefully conveying them outside the lines, 
until they sometimes raise quite a little wall on three sides 
of their space. Within the range of stones and rubbish they 
form a pathway, six or seven feet in width, quite smooth. 
On this path they all walk by day, and on it the sentinels 
patrol by night. Having thus finished what may he called 
their outworks, they next lay out the whole area in little 
squares of equal size, formed by narrower paths, which cross 
.each other at right angles, and which are also made very 
smooth. At each intersection of these paths, an Albatross 
constructs her nest ; while in the centre of each little square 
is a Penguin’s nest. 
In this regular manner is the whole space taken up by 
Penguins and Albatrosses, with the addition of a few other 
sea-birds, which find places in unoccupied spots. But 
although these Penguins and Albatrosses are on such inti- 
mate terms, and appear to go on so well together, they not 
only form very different nests, hut the Penguin, when she 
can, will rob her neighbour’s. She merely makes a slight 
hollow in the earth, just deep enough to prevent her single 
egg rolling out; whereas the Albatross throws up a little 
mound of earth, grass, and shells, eight or ten inches high, 
about the size of a small water-bucket, on the top of which 
she sits. None of their nests are ever left unoccupied for a 
single moment until the eggs are hatched, and the young ones 
old enough to take care of themselves. The male goes to sea 
till he has satisfied his hunger, and then returning, takes the 
place of his mate, when she flies off for the same purpose, — 
the egg being conveyed to him by the hen placing her toes # 
together, and rolling it towards the male, the beak being 
used to place it properly. 
During this season the Penguins may he seen marching 
round, or up and down the pathways of this marine rookery, 
as it may he termed, while the air is darkened by thousands 
* Weddell’s Voyage to the South Pole. 
