290 The Animal-Lore of Shakspeare’s Time . 
unrivalled for strength of wing, and for power of endu¬ 
rance ; it is called by sailors the boatswain, from its 
peculiar cry, which is shrill, harsh, and perpetually 
repeated, night and day. Captain John Smith, 1622, 
notes:— 
“ Tlie tropike bird hath his name of the places where he is most 
seene. Another bird of her cry is called perriblico , seldome seene by 
day, an unwelcome prophet of tempests by her clamorous crying.” 
(Purchas , vol. iv. p. 1801.) 
Penguins, from their abundance and the ease with 
which they were captured, must have been of 
great value to the early explorers in distant 
seas. After the privations of a long voyage and a com¬ 
pulsory fish diet, sailors would not be disposed to be 
critical, but from all accounts the flesh of the penguin 
would under other circumstances scarcely be appreciated. 
Anthonie Parkhurst, in a letter dated 1578, and addressed 
to Richard Hakluyt of the Middle Temple, gives a report 
of the commodities of Newfoundland. After describing 
some novelties, he writes :— 
“ There are sea-guls, murres, duckes, wild geese, and many other 
kind of birdes store, too long to write, especially at one island named 
Penguin, where we may drive them on a planke into our ship as many 
as shall lade her. These birds are also called penguins, and cannot 
flie, there is more meate in one of these then in a goose: the French¬ 
men that fish neare the Grand Baie, doe bring small store of flesh with 
them, but victuall themselves alwayes with these birdes.” ( Hakluyt , 
vol. iii. p. 123.) 
Either Mr. Parkhurst confused the penguin with the 
puffin, or the wholesale slaughter led to the extinction of 
the species in northern latitudes. The penguin is now 
almost entirely confined to the southern seas. John 
Jane, “ a man of good observation,” describes the appear¬ 
ance of this bird in an account of a voyage to South 
America:— 
“ This penguin hath the shape of a bird, but hath no wings, only 
