Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1902 — Inquisitive Penguins. [ARTICLE]

Inquisitive Penguins.

We often met companies of six or eight or more penguins promenading on the pack In the sunshine. When they saw us they generally exhibited curiosity, and approached to get a nearer view. Ido not know if these birds have the instinet of the naturalist, and take a lively Interest, doubtless purely philosophic from their point of view, ‘in everything which presents itself, or If the objact of their Investigations is entirely practical, but they certainly came near us with a distinct purpose of making examination. But If we had the misfortune to excite much curiosity, they became aggressive. One would first come close to us and reconnoiter, and then, on his order, the others would advance with a menacing air, and the battle began—a battle in which we sometimes had trouble to demonstrate effectively our superior strength. On one occasion we were able to observe that the penguins are musical amateurs. Unfortunately we could not ascertain If they are equally able to appreciate "talent and classical music,” for we had no virtuoso among us, nor indeed any musician, although we all, without exception, played numerous melodies and even operatic airs on the ship’s barrel organ. But in any case—and the thing is worth notingone oL the sailors delighted to exercise himself upon the trumpet, and the penguins came from great distances to listen to him—no doubt to learn something new. Often, very often, these brave penguins amused us, and. when We were tired of preserved foods, especially of Australian rabbit, they afforded us real succor, after we learned that the flesh of the penguin is excellent eating.— Henryk Arctowski in Geographical Journal.