BATH IN PETROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23058, 8 June 1938, Page 12

BATH IN PETROL

OIL-SOAKED PENGUINS TWO BIRDS VISIT MUSEUM DRASTIC TREATMENT SUCCEEDS MALE BASKS BEFORE A FIRE [by telegraph—own correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday The dangers to sea birds of floating wasto oil discharged from ships was clearly shown by the condition of two Great Crested Penguins, male and female, which wero washed in petrol at the Canterbury Museum to-day. It is hoped they can be returned to the sea. to-morrow free of oil and able to make a successful recovery. The female was found on Monday by the curator of "the museum, Mr. It. A. Falla. Its feathers wero matted with oil, and it was attempting to preen itself, but with no chance of success. The male was found in a similar condition and sent to the museum, where both had the oil removed. Mr. Falla said that washing in petrol was a rather drastic method, but'it was the only successful one to deal with the amount of oil covering the birds. Affected by Fumes Both birds were affected by the fumes and spent half the day recovering from the dizziness caused. Late this afternoon, however, they seemed in fairly good condition, and Mr. Falla hoped to be'able to release them at Taylor's Mistake to-morrow. "It was actually a breach of regulations to take the birds from the sea shore, as they are protected birds, but there is no doubt that it was*a breach of the letter of the regulation rather than of the spirit," remarked Mr. Falla. "It is one for which the birds have every reason to be grateful, for they would have almost certainly perished if they had been left in the condition in which they were found." Natural Oil Also Removed The extraordinary and sometimes comic similarity between the actions of penguins and of human beings was well illustrated to-day by the behaviour of the birds after they had been cleaned. The waste oil was successfully removed, but the birds were also left with much of the natural oil removed and had to preen themselves to get back into normal condition. Both felt rather chilly and the mal© bird was not slow to take advantage of the warm lire in the museum workshop. He stood before it with his flippers outstretched, his attitude bearing a remarkable resemblance to that of a man warming his hands in front of a fire.