Part 13

The Great Crested Grebe is identical with the British bird, for it is found all through the Eastern Hemisphere.

This is a remarkable distribution, when we consider that the bird, by reason of its very small wings, is a poor flyer, and is almost helpless on land. Such a wide distribution of a creature possessing poor means of locomotion indicates that the animal must have existed for a long time, so that it has been able to gradually extend its range. Thus we conclude it is an ancient form.

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ORDER VI.--PODICIPEDIDIFORMES.

F. 24. PODICIPEDIDAE (3), GREBES, 25 sp.--5(2)A., 8(2)O., 6(0)P., 5(1)E., 6(0)Nc., 11(7)Nl.

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=29 Black-throated Grebe= (Little), Dabchick (e), White-bellied Diver (e), Podiceps novae-hollandiae, Java, N.G., A., N. Cal., =vt. Eur. Little Grebe.

Stat. c. lagoons 9.5

Upper blackish-brown; white patch on wing; under silvery-gray; throat, side-face black (summer), brown (winter); beautiful fur-like plumage; lobed toes; f., sim. Small fish, snails, insects.

=30* Hoary-headed Grebe=, Dabchick (e), "Tom Pudding," P. poliocephalus, A., T.

Stat. c. lagoons, river 9.5

Upper brown; wings white patch; under silvery-gray; head short white hair-like plumes (summer); head brown, throat buff (winter); fur-like plumage; lobed toes; f., sim. Small fish, snails, insects.

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=31 Great Crested Grebe= (Tippet), Loon, Gaunt, Carr Goose, P. cristatus (Lophaethyia cristata, Mathews' Handlist), Eur., N. Asia, Japan, Africa, India to A., T., N.Z.

Stat. r. lakes, rivers 24

Upper brown; under glistening-white; crown black; neck-frill chestnut edged black (summer); face, neck whitish (winter); fur-like plumage; lobed toes; f., sim. Small fish, snails, insects.

F. 25. Colymbidae (Gaviidae), True Divers, Loons, 5 sp.--1(0)O., 5(0)P., 2(0)E., 5(0)Nc.

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In the next order come those remarkable birds, Penguins. As so much has been said about Penguins by Lieutenant Shackleton's party, they have caught the popular fancy, and people are much interested in them. Many Australians do not know that three Penguins are found on their own coast. It was one of the sights of the 1910 Summer School at Portsea to sit on the balcony and watch the Penguins chasing their prey in the clear waters in front. Their wings are paddles, being flattened and devoid of quills. The wings are not folded, but are carried hanging awkwardly at the side.

During the interest aroused by Peary's expedition to the North Pole, an illustrated weekly paper published a cartoon, which showed the American Eagle sitting on the North Pole and reading a proclamation to an audience of Penguins. One thing is unfortunate about this--Penguins are unknown in the Northern Hemisphere. Indeed, they support the geographer in his contention that, while the Pacific Ocean is very ancient, the Atlantic Ocean has been formed much more recently, for Penguins are found up the Pacific even to the Galapagos Is. on the Equator, but have not spread into the Atlantic Ocean beyond Tristan da Cunha, at the extreme South.

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ORDER VII.--SPHENISCIFORMES.

F. 26. SPHENISCIDAE (3), PENGUINS, 17 sp.--11(7)A., 6(1)E., 9(4)Nl.

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=32 Crested Penguin= (Tufted, Jackass, Victoria), Penguinus (Catarrhactes) chrysocome, Southern Ocean (circumpolar), V., T., N.Z.

Occ. r. coasts 27

Wing a paddle; upper black; under silvery-white; crest yellow; f., yellow crest feathers shorter. Sea-animals.

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