ASPECTS OF THE INCUBATION PERIOD OF T}TE KING PENGUIN APTENODYTES PATAGONICUS AT

• Main Authors: C. J. Du Plessisi, P. J Seddon, Y. M. Van Heezikz, N. J Adams
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Fuller; King Penguins
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.526.819; http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/19/MO_1991_29.pdf

Fuller with camera and film in order to obtain photographic proof of the claim that the King Penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus carries its egg on its feet. The resulting photographs were, for the most part, indecipherable with '.barely enough light to show a horizon line. " (Hazard 1894). One plate, however, was apparently of sufficient clarity to discern the vital feature. Unfortunately Hazzrd had to resort to the publication of a scale drawing of the photograph in order that the existence of the King Penguin's brood pouch be ".proved beyond any question. " (Hazard 1894). Despite the shaky evidence Hazard (and Capiain Fuller) were indeed correct, the King Penguin, like its congener the Emperor Penguin A. forsteri, does not build a nest, but incubates the single egg on the f-eet, enfolded by the brood pouch (Gillespie 19l9). Of greater interest in more recent times is the mamer in which the incubation of the egg is shared between mated birds. King Penguins have ^ circumpolar distribution, breeding in large colonies at seven local i t ies (Wilson 1983). Previous information on King Penguin incubation has come from only rwo of these localities; South Georgia