eavouring to out-squall and out-gabble its
neighbour. Undaunted by the noise, the doctor climbed on, and was soon
in the midst of the feathered colony. Willy followed close at his
heels, when the birds fearlessly commenced attacking them, snapping at
their legs, seizing hold of their trousers, and showing their anger in
every possible way.

"I say, Dicey, we must put a stop to this," cried the doctor, beginning
to jump about as the birds dug their beaks into his calves. Willy, for
the same reason, was skipping here and there, in a vain endeavour to
avoid them. "Give me your axe, and defend yourself as you best can with
your stick," cried the doctor; and saying this, he laid about him with
the weapon, and a number of hapless penguins were soon brought to the
ground. In a short time, upwards of a hundred were killed; the
remainder still continuing gabbling and squalling as loud as ever. In
some places there were old birds with their young, in others nests on
which the hens were still sitting. In some of the nests, which were
formed of dry seaweed, or frequently only placed without a lining in the
hollow of a rock, was one egg, in others two. The eggs varied in size,
some being as large as those of a goose, others not larger than a hen's
egg, with a slight tinge of green. The nests were about two feet apart,
and generally one old bird was found sitting on the nest, the young ones
endeavouring in vain to nestle themselves under her wings. They were
very like goslings, covered with a dark thick down. The parent birds
were about twenty inches in height, with a white breast, and nearly
black back; the rest of the body being of a dark, dun colour, with the
exception of the head, which was adorned on each side with four or five
yellow feathers, three or four inches long, forming graceful plumes.
Thus the birds, when seen standing erect in rows, had very much the
appearance of a company of soldiers.

"These will be a welcome prize to our poor friends," exclaimed the
doctor; "so load yourself, Dicey, with as many eggs and birds as you can
carry, and we will send the men up for the remainder." Saying this, the
doctor, tying the legs of a number of birds together with his
handkerchief, fastened them round his neck, and then filled his hat full
of eggs. Willy did the same.

"They will take us for a couple of feathered bipeds of some new
species," said the doctor, laughing. In truth, except their heads,
nothing was to