Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-16
The PENCUlN'S WATER FLIGHT.
Beneath the Surface He is at Home, for He
81 Built That Way. o

Naval architects are credited with
saving that highest speed In navigation
could be obtained BY submarine boats.
The pr1ncpic is illustrated IN The diving
birds. which are capable Of shooting
through The water with amazing velocity.
While these birds live by catching nsh IN
deep water. far below the surface they
present many differences IN outer appear
auce. In the collection at the LONDON
Geological Gardens are bdck-iootcd
p.ugmus. guii!emots, "darters.' IL putin,
and IA cormorant The penguin cannot fly
IN the air, cannot walk, but hops. as II
its feet were tied together, and cannot
SWIM and can only, with any grace, NY
under water. When the keeper OF th"r
quarters appears 10 feed the birds, ihey
cacn behave IN their Characteristic Wy.
The Ash thrown into the water, the
penguns instantly plunge beneath, when
an astonishing change takes place.
The slow. ungainly bird is transformed
intO a swift and beautiful creature. bead
81 with glObGles Of quicksilver where the
air ciines 10 the close feathers. and nyins
through the clear ana wdveless depths
with arrOWy speed and powers Of turning
Tar greater than in any known form OF
B aerial flight. The rapid ana steady
strokes Of the wings are exactly similar
L, those OF the air birds, While the ieet
float straight out level with its bohy.
unused for propulsion, or even as ruddeFs,
| and as little needed in its progress IS
those of wild duck when on the wing.
| The twists and turns necessary TO fol-
| low the active Little FISH are made wholly
| by the strokes OF one w.ns and the ceesd-
| ton Of movement in the other; and the
/ fsh are chased. caught, and swallowed
without the slightest relaxation % speed
/ IN q submarine flight which is quite as
| rapii as that Of most birds which take
| their prey in mid-air The head ami shout
! drrs may be brought above the surface
! for second and then disappear; but any
attempt 10 remain on the surface leads
! 10 ludicrous splashing ana confusion, lor
| the submarine bind cannot hoNi.
! The movement OK the CormOidnt are
| quite different II does not plunge head-
| long, but launches itself on the surface
| ana then ducks like Il grvbe. It's wings
| are not used as prOpellefs. but tran uh-
| resistinsly level with its body. and the
| speed at winch 1t courses through inc
water IS wholly due 10 the swimming
! powers OH It's large and Vgly-WebDed
! feet. These are set quite at the cad OF
| the body ami work necessarily. IKE d
! treadle. or the floats Of 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 oy
J c4ualiy-rapid movements OF The IeSt
| when IL has risen. and Is swimming on
! the top. The 'dartlrs"-diVeTs OF the
African and American lakes-cOmpared 10
! the survival Of some ancient liZatd-dlVe
and swim much IKE the cormorant. eX-
cept that the bird keeps its neck drawn
| back in the form OF a hattened Wheh
! IN pursuit Of the fish. once within
| striking distance. the sharp bill Is shot
out az II from catapult, ana the hsh -
| spiked through, and carried TO the sur
| face. This ascent Is made after each
| single capture. Sometimes the bird mas
| great dimculty in disentanglng the
! pierced nsn from the spear-iike beak'
| and its companion adroitly relieves II or
the struggling victim, and swallows the
| prize.