White.— On the Kea. 275 



.have bright orange-red feathers of small size on the under- 

 side of their wings. They are about the size of a kaka, rather 

 narrower across the back, and have the hooked point of the 

 upper mandible somewhat longer. Their feet are of the true 

 parrot form, or, as a sailor would say, have the toes placed 

 '• fore and aft." 



On first becoming acquainted with man they showed little 

 sign of fear. In fact, I have, when on the mountain-top, re- 

 mained standing perfectly still, with keas hopping round me, 

 but would have ultimately to drive them away, for one would 

 come to inspect the brass eyelets in my boots, and try to pick 

 them out, when, seeing that the boot-laces would quickly be 

 cut through, I would require to stop this performance. One 

 day a shepherd brought home a live kea which he caught by 

 placing his open hand on the ground when he was lying down; 

 this bird calmly stepped on to his hand, and was captured. 

 On bringing the bird home he placed it in a room in a stone 

 building to await my coming. The result was that the small 

 wooden bars of the window were cut away by its powerful beak 

 down level with the panes of glass. A ring and small chain were 

 afterwards fastened to its leg and it was tethered on the lawn, 

 having a small box placed near as a shelter. Here it lived 

 several years, but one day was missing, taking the chain with 

 it. The shelter-box was soon a sight to see, for the bird 

 drilled large round holes through it in several places, and his 

 ^reat delight appeared to be in carpentry work. He was fed 

 on scraps of bread and meat, and would amuse himself by 

 throwing his drinkiug-vessel away, regardless of after-con- 

 sequences. Under the name of Sancho he was regarded as a 

 member of our family party, but never gave any sign of newly- 

 acquired habits under domestication, or showed signs of affec- 

 tion to those who cared for him. 



About the year 1861 we first took sheep into this country, 

 previously having stocked with cattle. The sheep increased 

 -and multiplied, and did remarkably well, notwithstanding the 

 heavy snowfalls on the higher lands. After a number of 

 years, when sheep were mustered in from the back ranges, it 

 was noticed that several would die in the yards during the 

 night, for they would require to be kept in for drafting on the 

 following day. These dead sheep would be mostly sheep 

 which had missed a shearing, and were double-fleeced, having 

 very long wool. On taking the skin from these sheep a small 

 hole, not previously seen, would be found over the shoulder- 

 blades, or in the small of the back, over the kidneys. We 

 were quite incapable of understanding the cause of these 

 wounds, but considered that these sheep would not have died 

 from the wound if it had not been for the heating they re- 

 ceived from the drive of the muster. One day my brother 



