This Bird Is Commonly Called The Jackass
Penguin, From Its Habit, While On Shore, Of Throwing Its Head
Backwards, And
Making a loud strange noise, very like the
braying of an ass; but while at sea, and undisturbed, its note
Is very deep and solemn, and is often heard in the night-time.
In diving, its little wings are used as fins; but on the land,
as front legs. When crawling, it may be said on four legs,
through the tussocks or on the side of a grassy cliff, it moves
so very quickly that it might easily be mistaken for a
quadruped. When at sea and fishing, it comes to the surface for
the purpose of breathing with such a spring, and dives again
so instantaneously, that I defy any one at first sight to be
sure that it was not a fish leaping for sport.
Two kinds of geese frequent the Falklands. The upland
species (Anas Magellanica) is common, in pairs and in small
flocks, throughout the island. They do not migrate, but build
on the small outlying islets. This is supposed to be from
fear of the foxes: and it is perhaps from the same cause
that these birds, though very tame by day, are shy and will
in the dusk of the evening. They live entirely on vegetable
matter.
The rock-goose, so called from living exclusively on the
sea-beach (Anas antarctica), is common both here and on
the west coast of America, as far north as Chile.
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