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Southland Times, Issue 22508, 16 February 1935, Page 19

Millions of small jelly-fish are infesting Dunedin beaches. As the tide recedes each day, a slippery transparent mass is being left on the sand, especially at St. Clair. However unpleasant is this unwelcome visitor, he has at least one redeeming feature —no cases of bathers being stung have yet been reported. In the North Island, jelly-fish are much more dangerous, and can inflict a painful sting. Whereas the largest of the jelly-fish that have invaded Dunedin’s beaches measure about six inches in diameter, a local authority on marine life to whom. a reporter referred the reason for their desertion of deep waters said that he had often seen jelly-fish a foot in length.

The Otago coast has been visited by some unsual callers during the last day or two, their origin, no doubt, being the Antarctic. At Pounawea a penguin standing about two feet high made a leisurely call upon the residents, making its appearance in Mr J. R. Wilson s garden, about 6 o’clock in the morning. Interested spectators watched it dive gracefully into the water, and then parade around the esplanade. The penguin was quite tame and approachable. The other visitor was a whale which was seen cruising about half-way between White Island and St. Clair (Dunedin) on Monday night. Its length was estimated at 30 feet by members of the life-saving club, who watched it moving for about half an hour along the stretch of sea from the baths point towards St. Kilda, after which it was hidden by a thick fog which came suddenly down upon the sea. This is probably the same whale that was seen off Akatore on Sunday.