STRANGE SEA BIRD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 14

STRANGE SEA BIRD

VISITOR TO TIMARU A strange sea bird found its way on to the premises of the Sailors' Rest, at Timaru recently, and no one has been able to say to what section of the bird family it belongs. It is somewhat like a young penguin in appearance, and, in fact, has a bill similar to that species, but it also has the tail feathers of a shag and a fairly large wingspread for a bird of its size. ' The stranger is not yet fully Hedged, and stands about six inches high on web-footed blue legs. The feathers on the back are a dark slate colour, while the front is pure white from the bfak to thy tip of the tail. Several men who frequent the waterfront a good deal saw the bird, but were unable to place it. One said that he had picked up young penguins, shags, and gulls, but the strange bird resembled none of those species. As the bird is only a fledgling it is improbable that it. Hew from any great distance, and how it came to Timaru remains a mvstery. A possible solution is that it travelled up the coast on a coastal vessel from Dunedin.