Asheville daily citizen., 1894-11-22
swlMs FAST UNDER WATER.
The Clumsy Penguin Makes as Good Time
"a Bird In the Air.

Inc Clufnsy Tenguin makcs as Uoou lime
as Bird In the Air.
Naval architects are credited with
saying that highest speed in navigation
could be obtained by submarine boats.
The principle is illustrated in the div.
ing birds, which are capable Of shoot
ing through the water with amazing
velocity. While these birds live by
catching fish in deep water far be-
low the surface they present many
differences in outer appearance. I'M
the collection Mt the London geological
gardens are blacll-footed penguins,
guillcmotes, "dartcrs," putin and a
cormorant. The penguin cannot fly in
the air, cannot walk, but hops us if its
feet were tied together, and cannot
swim, and can only with any grace fly
under water. When the keeper OF
their quarters appears to feed the birds
they each behave in their characters
tic way. The fish thrown into the
water, the penguins instantly plunge
beneath, when an astonishing change
takes place, thus described by writer
in the Spectator:
The slow, ungainly bird is trans
formed into swift and beautiful
creature, beaded with globules Of
quicksilver where the air clings to the
close feathers, and flying through the
clear and waveless depths with arrowy
speed and powers Of turning far
greater than in any known form of
aerial flight. The rapid and steady
strokes of the wings are exactly sim
liar to those of the air birds, while the
feet float straight out level with its
body, unused for propulsion or even as
ruddcrs. and rs little needed in It's
progress as those of wild duck when
on the wing. The twists and turns
necessary to follow the active little
fish are made wholly by the strokes of
one wing and the cessation of move
mcnt In the other; and the fish are
chased, caught and swallowed without
the slightest relaxation Of speed In n
submarine fight which is quite as
rapid as that Of most birds which take
their prey in midair. The head and
surface for second and then dis.
appear; but any attempt to remain on
the surface leads to ludicrous splash
ing and confusion, for the submarine
bird cannot float.
The movements of the cormorant are
quite different. 1t does not plunge
hcndlong, but launches itself on the
surface and then ducks" like grebc.
Its wings are not used rs propellers,
but trail INCREASINGLY level with its
body, and the speed at which it courses
through the water is wholly due to the
swimming powers of its large and ugly
wcbbcd feet. These are set quite at
the end Of the body and work lnces-
sanity like treadle or the floats Of n
stern wheel steamer. Yet the condi-
tions Of submarine motion are so favor
able that the speed of The bird below
the surface is three or four times
greater than that gained by equally
rapid movements Of the feet when II
has risen and Is swimming on the top,
The "darters"-divcrs of the African
and American lakcs-comparcd to the
survival of some ancient lizard-dive
and swim much like the cormorant.
except that the bird keeps Its neck
drawn back in the form of nattened
IS" when in pursuit of the fish. Once
within striking distance the sharp bill
is shot out as If from n catapult and
the fish is spiked through and carried
to the surface. This ascent is made
after each single capture. Sometimes
the bird has great difficulty in Olsen.
tangling the pierced fish from the
spearlike beal,, and its companion
adroitly relieves it OF the struggling
victim and swallows the prize.