The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-16
THE PENeU1N's WATER FLIGHT.
Beneath the Surface He 10 at Home, for
He is Built That Way.

Navl architects are credited with say
ing that highest speed in navigation could
be obtained by submarine boats. The prin-
ciple is illustrated in the diving birds,
which are capable Of shooting through
the water with amazing velocity. While
these birds live BY catching FISH in deep
water far below the surface, they present
many differences in outer appearance. In
the collection at the London Geological
Gardens are black footed penguins, guile
mots, 'darters,' putin, and a cormor-
ant. The penguin cannot fly in the air.
cannot walk, but hops as il its feet were
tied together. and cannot swim, and can
only with any grace fly under the water.
When the keeper of their quarters APP
pear TO feed the birds they each behave in
their characteristic way. The fish thrown
INTO the water, the penguns instantly
plunge beneath when an astonishing
change takes place
The slow, ungainly bird Is transformed
into swift and beautiful creature
beaded with globules of quicksilver where
the air clings close to the 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 similar
10 those OF the air birds. while the feet
",
USED Tor propulsion or even as those of a
wild duck when on the wing The twists
and turns necessary to follow the active
httIe ilsh are made wholly by the strokes
or one wing and the cessation Of move
ment in the other; and the fish are chased
caught, and swallowed without the slight
est relaxation of speed in submarine
hight which is quite as rapid as that of
most birds which take their prey in mid
air. The head and shoulders may be
brought above the surface for a second
and then disappear; but any attempt to
remain on the surface leads to ludicrous
splashing and confusion, for the sub
marine bird cannot float.
The movements of the cormorant are
quite different. It does not plunge head
long, but launches itself on the surface
and then ducks" like a glebe. It's wings
are not used as propellers, but trail unre-
sistlngly level with its body. and the speed
al which it courses through the water is
wholly due to the swimming powers of
its large and ugly webbed feet. These are
set quite at the end of the body and work
incessantly like a treadle or the floats of a
stern wheel steamer. Yet the conditions
of submarine motion are SO favorable 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 it has risen and is swimming
on the Top. me 'darters" divers of the
African and American lakes-compared
to the survival Of some ancient lizard
dive and swim much like the cormorant,
except that the bird keeps It's neck drawn
back in the form of a fiattened when in
pursuit OF the fish. Once within striking
distance the sharp bill Is shot out as If
from catapult, and the fish is spiked
through and carried to the surface. This
ascent is made after each single capture
he irA ba l.,
disentangling the pierced fish from the
spear-like beak, and it's companion
adroitly relieves 1t OF the struggling vic
tim and swallows the prize