148 ^'''""' •'•^".s'"-'«", &'^- [.sl^'jan. 



At other times the terrified sheep, as if making a last 

 despairing attempt to get rid of its enemy, rushes madly forward 

 in one direction, usually down hill, at a terrific speed, quite 

 oblivious of rocks and pitfalls, the Kea meanwhile holding on 

 and balancing itself with outstretched wings. 



Very soon the sheep strikes a rock or stumbles and rolls over 

 and over down the hill, only to get on its feet again and repeat 

 the perform.ance time after time. When the beast stumbles the 

 Kea rises on its wings, and settles down again on to the sheep 

 when it has regained its feet. 



This awful race is continued until, bruised by its numerous 

 falls utterly exhausted by its death struggles, and maddened 

 with pain, the terrified animal stumbles to rise no more, and 

 becomes an easy prey to the Kea. 



The blind rushes often end even more tragically. The sheep 

 in its blind rush often comes to a precipice, and, with the same 

 mad impulse that brought it so far, it leaps over the edge, and is 

 dashed to pieces on the ground below. In this case the Kea 

 leaves go its hold as soon as the sheep begins to fall, but follows 

 the unfortunate animal in the descent, to satisfy its hunger on 

 the result of its labours. — The Canterbury Press, N.Z., 8th 

 October, 1906. 



Reviews. 



["A Key to the Birds of Australia, with their Geographical Distril)Ution." By 

 Robert Hall, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. (Second edition.) Melbourne: Walker, May 

 and Co., Mackillopstreet. London: R. H. Porter, 7 Princes-street, Cavendish- 

 square, W.] 



Mr. Robert Hall is a busy work-a-day man, therefore it is more 

 to his credit that he has been able to find time to rewrite in a 

 measure his useful " Key," with additions bringing it up to date. 

 No working ornithologist can afford to be without this veritable 

 multuin in parvo. 



The 74 well-executed half-tone pictures of birds from photo- 

 graphs by Mr. F. Verrell Heath, taken from John Gould's cele- 

 brated folio work, are a welcome additional feature to the "Key" 

 from an educational standpoint. Fresh interest is also added 

 by giving the meanings, as far as could be ascertained, of the 

 technical names of genera and species. For these the author 

 courteously acknowledges the assistance of Professor T. G. Tucker, 

 Litt. D., and of Messrs. E. R. Pitt and W. J. Stephen. 



The '• Key " comprises a concise digest of all known species of 

 birds found in Australia (including, of course, Tasmania), and is 

 built practically on the lines laid down in the classical " Cata- 

 logue of Birds " of the British Museum. Regarding " Distribu- 

 tion," Mr. Hall has adopted Professor Baldwin Spencer's idea of 

 sub-regions — Torresian, Bassian, and Eyrean— first promulgated 



