The Night of Hoggy Darn

"The Night of Hoggy Darn" by Richard McKenna is a science fiction story that centers on Flinter Cole, a youthful ecologist tasked with examining the stomper, a huge, endangered bird, on the remote planet New Cornwall. Cole's scientific assignment quickly becomes more intricate as he gets caught up in the planet's complex history, local traditions, and shadowy secrets. Beginning with his voyage on the spaceship "Gorbals", Cole gains understanding about the perils of New Cornwall and the ecological problems it encounters. He also starts important connections with the crew members and a mysterious woman named Pia Vignoli, during which the planet's past starts to reveal. Upon arriving, Cole recognizes the inhabitants' hesitation toward outsiders, the crucial function of the stomper in their society, and the growing tensions surrounding the approaching Hoggy Darn festival, intertwining adventure, environmental science, and ethical dilemmas in Cole's research expedition.