Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-15
ne penguin, that amazingly human

Inc penguin, that amazingly human
esaue bird Of Antarctic sea coasts, to
gain the honor Of wholly supplanting
lie monkey as holder among the animals
Of all the man.ike recordsT In almost
Identical phraseology every Antarctic
sxplorer-author describes the penguin as
having startling resemblance to "a
short-legged, plump little gentleman In
immaculate evening clothes" All agree
that the social customs OF Mr.. and Mrs.
Penguin, their morals, their etiquette,
their energetic attention to business and
their lively appreciation Of sport give
them human resemblances to degree
that 10 uncannE
The latest biographer of Or. and Mrs.
Penguin and the millions of their race
which congregate at the Cape Adare and
other Antarctic rookeries during the
mating season, beginning with the dawn
Of the Antarctic Spring about the middle
Of October adds quite astonishing human
details to the many furnished by his
predecessors. This sympathetic observer
Is DR.. G.. Murray Levick, r. N, Zoologist
10 the British Antarctic expedition OF
1908.
The results of DIR. Levick's painstaking
and scientific inquiry into the characters
manners, customs and habits of Mr.. an6
4
book, Antarctic Penguins," published BY
william Heinemann, London. The vol
ume is profusely illustrated in the mnst
satisfactory and scientific way-that is,
with Snapshot photographs. Thus you
are able to see Mr.. and Mrs. Penguin in
the midst of their domestic activities,
with the interesting preliminary OF court
ship, and to observe the political confer
ences and social recreations OF the PEN
otrfvs aalr rurhn MT
breeding season.
Here Is confederation in many detans
of the growing scientific belief that this
strange example of the bird species has
social instincts, desires, emotions and
mental capacities more closely allied to
those OF man than are exhibited by any
other animal. For example, most animals
play, after fashion, particularly young
animals, but their play is rarely more
than playful imitation of the serious
acts which govern their lives.
A cat plays with ball Of yarn just as
II tantalizes the captured mouse which
soon It will eat. Lambkins frolic with
one another in infantile imitation of the
grim battles between the rams of the
flock. The play of dogs is of the same
character. Even the mischievous mon
key exhibits no invention. no construe-
tiveness, In its antics. No familiar spe-
cies of animal demonstrates any syste-
matte plan for pure recreation.
So far as is known the penguin alone
possesses this distinctive human attri-
butte. DR.. LeVick reports this striking In
stance:
"On leaving their nests the birds made
their way down the ice-foot &c the sea
ice. Here they would generally wait
about and join up with others until
enough had gathered together to make
up q decent little party, which would
then set off gaily for the water. They
were now In the greatest possible spirits,
chattering loudly and frolicking with one
another, and playfully chasing about, oc-
casionally INDUCING in a little friendly
sparring with their fippers.
Arrived at the waters edge. almost
always the same procedure was gone
through. The object OF every bird in the
party seemed 20 be to get one Of the
others 20 enter the water first They
would crowd up TO the very edge OF the
Zee, lodging about and trying to push
one another In. Sometimes those be-
hind would nearly succeed in pushing the
front rank in, who then would just re-
cover themselves in time, and. rushing
around 10 the rear, endeavor to turn the
tables on the lthers.