The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-08
THE pENGUIN's WAFER FLIoHr
Heneath the Surfsce He IL 1T Hose, for
ne ~ nuiIt That way.

From he Spectator.
Naval architects are credited with saying
that highest speed In navigation could be OBJ
tanned by submarine boats. The principle is
illustrated In the diving birds, which are ca
oable 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 guillemots. "darters." putin. and a
cormorant The penguin cannot fly in the air,
cannot walk, but hops II its feet were tied to-
Rether, and cannot SWIM aud can only with any
grace fly under water. When the keeper OF their
quarters appears 70 feed the birds, they each be-
have Ia their characteristic way. The fish
thrown into the water, the penRulns Instantly
plunge beneath, when an astonishing change
The slow. ungainly bird is transformed into
swift and beautiful creature. beaded with glob-
close feathers. and flying through the clear and
waveless depths with arrowy speed and powers
OF aerial night. The rapid and steady strokes
OF the wings are eLactly similar 10 those Of the
air birds, while the feet float straight out level
with Its body, unused for propulsion even
rudders. and as little needed in its progress as
those Of wild duck when on the wing. The
little fish are made wholly by the strokes Of
one wing and the cessation Of movement in the
swallowed without the slightest relaxation OF
speed in a submarine flight. which is quite as
rapid as that OF most birds which take their
prey in midair The head aud shoulders NAV
be brought above the surface for a second and
then disappear; but any attempt to remain on
the surface leads TO ludicro,is splashing and
confusion, for the su BIN rine bird cannot float
The movements Of the cormorant are quite
different. IL does not plunge headlong but
launches itself on the surface and then ducks"
like grebe. Its wings not used as propel-
lers. but trail INTERESTINGLY level with its body.
and the speed at which IL courses through the
water In 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 inces-
wheel steamer. Yet the conditions Of subma:
rine motion are so favorable that the speed Of
the bird below the surface IL 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 dart
ers"-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 fattened s when in pursuit OF
the fish,: Once within striking distance the
sharp bill Is shot out as II from a 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 diff
Guilty in disentangling the pierced fish from the
spear-like beak. and Its companion adroity re-
lieves Il OF the struggling victim and swallows
the prize.