Page:Cassell's book of birds (IA cassellsbookofbi04breh).pdf/300

 member of this group, is about twenty inches long. In this species the upper parts of the body, the throat and cheeks and a horse-shoe band upon the breast and sides are blackish grey; a stripe over the eyes and the under side are white, the latter often marked with round brownish spots. The beak is black, banded with white, and foot brown. The Spectacled Penguin is met with in all seas between the Cape and South Polar Circle in countless numbers: it is also common near the Falkland Islands and Macquarie Land, and from Cape Horn northwards to Valparaiso and La Plata. The Cape Penguin swims and dives excellently, but moves awkwardly and stumbles frequently if it attempts to hurry. According to Latham, it will frequently run for some time like a quadruped, making use of its fin-like wings instead of legs till it can recover the upright posture which it usually maintains. It is said to clamber some way up the rocks to make a nest, in doing which it has been seen to assist itself with the bill. It lays two eggs of the size of those of the Duck, which are thought to be delicious, and are obtained in great numbers for the table. These birds are frequently kept tame, but do not live in confinement many months.

The LEAPING PENGUINS (Eudypetes) constitute a section having the beak closely compressed at the base, obliquely furrowed, and sharp pointed; the extremity of the upper mandible is slightly hooked and incised; above each eyebrow moreover the feathers are prolonged into conspicuous tufts.

THE GOLDEN OR CRESTED PENGUIN.

The or  (Chrysocome catarractes) has the head, neck, and sides black and over each eye a stripe of pale yellow feathers, which are lengthened into a crest behind, wings black on the outside, their hinder edge and under surface white, breast and under surface silvery white, bill reddish brown, feet greyish white. The female is said to have the yellow feathers over the eyes shorter, or not prolonged into a crest.

The Golden Penguin is found in many parts of the Southern Ocean, on the coast of Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego, and Tristan d'Acunha; it is also occasionally seen on the shores of Tasmania and the coast of Australia, but is most numerous in the Islands of St. Paul's and Amsterdam; in the latter, where it is met with in great abundance, it may be seen sitting erect, or basking on the rocks in company with the seals.