Stephen Roberts., Age 12, Of Exeter, Calif., for his question;

Can a penguin swim?

The penguin is a flightless bird whose wings are too weak to lift his bulky body into the air. He is not much good on the ground where he must waddle along on short legs and wide, flat feet. But in the water, the dinner jacket bird is a champ.

The slender wings of the penguin are adapted as flippers. He uses them to swim under water where he seeks fishy food and frolics with his friends and relatives. He can waddle into shallows, swim a few strokes and plunge down below the surface, or he can dive down into the sea from a rocky ledge.