, eight or ten inches high, with the
diameter of a water pail, and builds its nest on the top, whence it
looks down on its next neighbors and friends.

None of the nests in the entire brooding-place is left vacant an instant
until the eggs are hatched, and the young ones old enough to take care
of themselves. The male bird goes to the sea for fish, and when he has
satisfied his hunger hurries back and takes the place of the female,
while she in turn goes in pursuit of food. Even when they are changing
places, they know how to manage it so as not to leave their eggs for a
moment uncovered. When, for instance, the male comes back from fishing,
he nestles close beside the female and gradually crowds her off the nest
with such care as to cover the eggs completely with his feathers without
exposing them to the air at all. In this way they guard their eggs
against being stolen by the other females, which are so greedy to raise
large families that they seize every chance to rob the surrounding
nests. The royal penguin is exceedingly cunning in this sort of trick,
and never loses an occasion that is offered: In this way it often
happens that the brood of this bird, on growing up turns out to be of
two or three different species, a sure proof that the parents were no
honester than their neighbors.

It is not only interesting but instructive and even touching to watch
from a little distance the life and movements of these brooding-places.
You can then see the birds walking up and down the exterior path or
public promenade in pairs, or even four, six, or eight together, looking
very like officers promenading on a parade day. Then all at once, the
whole brooding-place is in continuous commotion, a flock of the penguins
come back from the sea and waddle rapidly along through the narrow
paths, to greet their mates after this brief separation; another company
are on the way to get food for themselves or to bring in provisions. At
the same time the cove is darkened by an immense cloud of albatrosses,
that continually hover above the brooding-place, descending from their
excursions or mounting into the air to go upon them. One can look at
these birds for hours, and not grow weary of gazing, observing and
wondering at their busy social life.

ARIADNE.

WRITTEN FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE

BY E. W. ELLSWORTH.

I.

[Scene, part of the island of Naxos. Enter, sundry Dryads,
habited as fair youn