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Show 980 ON THE MOULT OF THE KING PENGUIN. [Nov. 28, 8. Further Notes on the Moult of the King Penguin (Apteno-dytes pennanti) living in the Society's Gardens. By W. E. D E WINTON, F.Z.S. [Received November 24, 1899.] Some observations on the moult of the King Penguin were offered by m e in November 1898 (see P. Z. S. 1898, p. 900). I am now able to supplement those notes by further important particulars, the same bird, still alive and well in the Society s Gardens, having again gone successfully through the moult. The dates given for last year were again closely adhered to, and the succession of changes were made pretty much in the same order; but I am able now to explain fully the very strange appearance of the old feathers, which were then likened to withered leaves. The coloured portion of the sheath of the bill was shed as before. A n examination of the freshly moulted feathers showed that the bases were unlike those of the feathers of any other bird so far as I a m aware. Feathers of Aptcnodytes pennanti. A. Part of uew feather of flipper, with old feather still attached. B. Moulted breast-feather, showing flexible sheath attached to its base. The quill does not end sharply with a contracted base, but is shed with a flexible sheath attached to it (fig. B). This sheath, which is a continuation of the outer coat of the qudl, is, in the body-feathers as long as the naked part of the shaft. On handling the bird it was found that its enlarged puffed-out appearance at the beginning of the moult arose from the old plumage being actually raised, and now adhering only to the new feathers that were growing into the |