PENGUINS THREE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 67, 20 March 1926, Page 9

PENGUINS THREE.

—— ' m "■ ■■- — ■ ■ NEW ZOO EXHIBITS. I SETTLING DOWN WELL. Those three interesting latest additions to the Zoological Park, the Emperor penguins which arrived in Auckland last Tuesday after being brought to tbe Dominion from the Antarctic by the Sir James Clark Ross whaler, are fast settling down in their new surroundings. The female member of the trio, is inclined to be mopey, but, with the other two, she is taking her food well, much to the relief of the keepers, who had to force the fish down the birds' throats when they first arrived. The plump little fellows, with their soldier-like bearings, but ridiculous waddle, P.re accommodated in a spacious portion of the Zoo, with water from the Western Springs running through it and willow trees providing plenty of shade. The curator (Mr. Griffin) and the caretaker (Mr. Aldridie). are giving much time to the work of acclimatising them. This is a difficult task, for the birds have been brought straight from their frigid habitat to a sub-tropical climate, "if they die at all. it will be through heat-apoplexy." said Mr. Griffin this morning, when a "Star" representative visited the Zoo. The penguins are fed on small herrings, caught fresh every morning. They . are given these frequently in small quantities, but later, when they become used to their new sphere, they will bi? fed regularly three times a day. Visitors to the Zoo to-morrow will have an opportunity of seeing the birds swallowing the fish in straight gulps and shaking their heads from side to side as encouragement to the unfortunate herrings to "go down." The birds are a friendly lot and are quite agreeable to being stroked by tbe (keepers. They have a number of peculiar antics, and will provide much amusement for patrons. The female, although she is not very frisky at tlip i present time, and lias a decided sloop i compared with the erect standing of her j mates, is not quitp as ill as she looks. | although it is possible that she may not survive the violent change of temperaj ture.