210 
FALKLAND ISLANDS 
CHAP. 
close before me erect and determined. When thus opposed he 
continually rolled his head from side to side, in a very odd 
manner, as if the power of distinct vision lay only in the anterior 
and basal part of each eye. This bird is commonly called the 
jackass penguin, from its habit, while on shore, of throwing its 
head backwards, and making a loud strange noise, very like 
the braying of an ass ; but while at sea, and undisturbed, its 
note is very deep and solemn, and is often heard in the night¬ 
time. In diving, its little wings are used as fins ; but on the 
land, as front legs. When crawling, it may be said on four 
legs, through the tussocks or on the side of a grassy cliff, it 
moves so very quickly that it might easily be mistaken for a 
quadruped. When at sea and fishing, it comes to the surface 
for the purpose of breathing with such a spring, and dives 
again so instantaneously, that I defy any one at first sight to 
be sure that it was not a fish leaping for sport. 
Two kinds of geese frequent the Falklands. The upland 
species (Anas Magellanica) is common, in pairs and in small 
flocks, throughout the island. They do not migrate, but build 
on the small outlying islets. This is supposed to be from fear 
of the foxes : and it is perhaps from the same cause that these 
birds, though very tame by day, are shy and wild in the dusk 
of the evening. They live entirely on vegetable matter. The 
rock-goose, so called from living exclusively on the sea-beach 
(Anas antarctica), is common both here and on the west coast of 
America, as far north as Chile. In the deep and retired channels 
of Tierra del Fuego, the snow-white gander, invariably accom¬ 
panied by his darker consort, and standing close by each 
other on some distant rocky point, is a common feature in the 
landscape. 
In these islands a great loggerheaded duck or goose (Anas 
brachyptera), which sometimes weighs twenty-two pounds, is 
very abundant. These birds were in former days called, from 
their extraordinary manner of paddling and splashing upon the 
water, racehorses ; but now they are named, much more appro¬ 
priately, steamers. Their wings are too small and weak to allow 
of flight, but by their aid, partly swimming and partly flapping 
the surface of the water, they move very quickly. The manner 
is something like that by which the common house-duck escapes 
when pursued by a dog ; but I am nearly sure that the steamer 
