New-York tribune., 1907-06-16
WAYS OF PENGUINS.
MGu Be Made Pets-Peculiar Habits
of Nesting Fight for Mates.
Wv C. VI Becbe Curator Of OrnItholOsy. Hew York
ZooI"sicaI Park

Gre6 miles apart Many species OF pelIb ulho l4CSt
IN New Zealand. although oil hunters are doing
ali they can 10 wipe these birds of the face Of the
earth There are few birds more remarkable in
their habits or loyablc. In their quaint. up
right gait and in motion they personify pitt
fin although laughable' innocence. and in their
trllstfulness of man this characteristic is sustained
The penguin possesses much seriousness and self
satisfaction Nothing appears to frghten II or
disturb it's placid cquanimity.
one who lived long in New Zealand says that
penguns make admirable pets A penguin which
was taken from the rookery and confined for a few
davs in a yard became tame almost at once. In
short time it would follow its owner everywhere
tong up and down hill 10 keep up with him If he
went upstairs the penguin came hopping up step
a time. but when the funny fellow tried TO go
down he was at once in trouble The tail feathers
of New Zealand penguins are long and stiff, and at
each jump from step TO the next this appen-
dage struck the edge and rolled the bird Sew
times he tried this mode of descent. and then
wisely gave IL UP. Balancing himself for a
ment on the edge OF the top step. the bird would
fold fits ippers close its Sides draw in its head
and deliberately proceed roll down. humping
from step step like a football. and arriving in i
heap the bottom. Far from being hurt it would
instantly arise shake itself vigorously like dog.
look around. find its owner and trot off in his di-
rection.
This ability 20 endure rough tumbling and ugly
falls stands the penguins in good stead and is fire.
Quently brought into in their wild life. One
colony Of little blue penguins had their rookery
distance Of half mile from the sea, and in order
TO reach it they were compelled to follow a well
trail which zigzagged back and forth along
cliff and up a steep hill beyond If watched
this trail II would be noticed that it used only
by penguins going inland toward the rookery. The
returning birds had discovered an easier method.
namely. steep slide the side of the cliff, down
which they slipped, slid rolled to the rocks be-
meath. making their way thence 10 the adjacent
beach, and to the ocean, where most of their
life is spent. The fact that their bodies in
cased IN such a thick layer of fat or bubber prob
ably accounts for the lack of fatalities from this
method Of saving time
Many interesting things have been told OF a pen
guin rookery. and when such place is systemau-
cally observed and the habits and interreatons OF
the inmates studied. the result will probably be
one of the most fascinating bits of bird history
ever written. In the regularity of their streets
and nests the enforcing OF unwritten code OF
rules for the good Of all and in their comcally hu
posture and gait, they remind one of some
Gulliveresque country of liliputlans. If a man
walks through the rook"ry or city, as II deserves
be called, keeping the right side of the streets
trails between the nests, he will be unmolested
and almost unnoticed If his toes were Webbed
and his clothes of feathers. instead of cloth. But
let him TO the left wrong side and every
penguin's beal, will be turned against him. This
ridiculously anthropomorphic custom, or instinct.
is doubtless of value in keeping the road clear for
the host OF penguns constantly leaving their nests
or returning from the They walk slowly
that if constantly stopping TO get out of each
others way they would lose much valuable time in
getting to their relieve them Of the care OF
the eggs or in bringing fish TO the hungry young
An instance the peculiar habits OF the penguins
occurs at end of the breeding season, when the
birds with their full young start for years
life on the open Antarctic Sea. Some species nest
IN burrows which they excavate in the ground. but
others nest pebbIy beaches or plains and gather
goodly pile Of rounded stones on which TO lay
their eggs OF course. by the time the young are
as5N 70 leave the the nesting pile of pebbles
is 1attened and the adjacent nests are confusedly
intorningled. one would expect that the birds,
when ready 10 depart. would simply ieave the
scene Of confusion as i is But the orderly
penguirs. Before the parents their backs
upon the nests for the last time that year they
carefully pile up their nest materials into neat
utle Of pebbles pickering and quarrelling and
dlsputing the while. Thus the penguins leave be-
ninG them hundreds of tiny piles Of
stones and the succeeding year each pair of pen
gJius returns 10 its particular pile. No has
absolutely proved this be a fact although
would be easy matter by marking nest and by
tagging the owners with d band of metal fastened
about the leg. However, the dispatch with which
nests are selected and the comparative lack of con-
fusion upon the arrival OF the birds the succeeding
year would confirm the statement that
each year the penguins their particular
nests of the season before.
It IS probable that penguins pair for life al
though nothing definite is known the subject.
When mates are chosen the process is as interest
ing as ii is striking is the case with so many
creatures. the males fight with other for the
feTnales-might being right in the penguin code.
The birds have regular fighting places and one
such battle-ground found under an overhangng
ledge. The results Of innumerable encounters were
present in the shape Of great quantities OF loose
feathers surrounding the little fighting ring, which
itself clear Of all debris. Although the bedk
Of a penguin is formidable a weapon when used
on thin skinned enemies. yet their own skin and
blubber resistant that they infict no
injury by this means. The customary mode o
fighting is really a kind of boxing, ''hppering'
it might be called. The two combatants proceed
the fighting place and then walk cautiously about
each other. jockeying for opening and ready
10 take instant advantage of false step or move
on the part Of the opponent. All however. is SOL
emn and decorous, consistent with the rest of the
life Of these strange little beings
When last each secures good grin on the
begins. As nine-tenths OF the life OF penguins is
capture sh swimming with great sWiftness abg bg
strokes of the hipperlike wings. 1t can well be
great and when the two fighters begin TO beabor
each resounding whack must make a Considerable
impression even on the protecting of blubber
fat No one has ever recorded the finish OF such
an encounter, but it is not probable that they
SUIT fatally. The weaker Of the two must soon
succunb under such severe punishment and yield
the field and the fair penguin mate TO his stronger
The strength of the wing strokes can be tested
by allowing penguin to take mold of ones
or fourth stroke will draw blood and one is soon
fuIly SATISFIED to the penguin's ability in this
respect. -
The tough skin and the loose rolling bubber
neneath. besides breaking a fall and protecting the
oird from the icy waters in which fl lives some
tlfnes suOSeryes another most important PURPOSE
small colony OF short-tailed Detrels or mutton
BIRDS, as the New Zealanders call them had nested
o m ;afs an swallow burrows on little promontory
on the south shore. They were so tame and so
fearless OF man that they could be lifted in the
nahd from the nest and replaced without resistance
i nesr me extremity Of the promontory a single
pair OF penguins had their nest, also in a burrow
N the ground After absence of several months