Percy Comes to Stay

Forest and Bird, Issue 106, 1 November 1952, Page 14

Percy Comes to Stay

By

DUNA VOSSILIUNAS

/”'\NE ■ summer day as I returned home from Redcliffs School (Christchurch), a little boy told me of a penguin which had come ashore. I told my mother about it and we decided to see it. Scrambling over the rocks we reached the spot where a lot of boys were throwing stones at the poor defenceless bird. There huddled up in the rocks, a young Big Crested penguin stood plucking off his baby fluff. Mother said it would be better to take him home from the danger of the boys. When we reached home I set a jar with bread and string to catch some fish. Later I produced seven cockabullies for Percy, for we had already named him. He would not eat so I opened his. bill while mother gently pushed them down. That night there was a fight between the oldest hen and Percy, so I put him under an old door which was resting on a low ledge. Next morning I set to the task of getting Percy his breakfast and caught four silver herrings for him. Around his feet lay a heap of fluff for he had been plucking himself. Fun began as the two cats appeared for Percy was in a playful mood. He pecked the surprised cats and later he ventured into the kitchen. It was comical to see him jump from the yard to the doorstep. He would hesitate, then jump. A friend arrived at 9 o’clock and together we took the bucket' and some cement. That day we made a pool, and a cave (which he could sleep in) made with rock held together by cement. Next day I emptied bucket after bucket of salt water into the pool. Later I arranged seaweed and rocks; then I let in four herrings and seven cockabullies. Percy got to know the idea. He liked seaweed and shrimps. When he was hot he would paddle in his pond. One morning a month later as I was standing on a rock below our wall he jumped right down to me. He was now a sleek black and white peguin with a golden feathered crest on either side of his head. Before he plunged into a blue current of water he tugged the edge of my gym dress three times, and then dived into the icy water and swam away out of sight. “Goodbye— Goodbye Percy,” I cried, then set off to school.