Benham. — On tJie Flesh-eating Projyensity of the Kea. 89- 



oil the sheep's back. I could recount many instances where I 

 have seen the keas at work, but probably what I have written 

 may suffice." 



6. Mr. R. McKenzie. 



" Birchwood, Southland, 23rd October, 1905. 



[I have quoted portion of Mr. McKenzie's letter on page 78. 

 describing one method of attack, as being a very clear account.] 



" The habit of attacking sheep I firmly believe to be 

 peculiar to individuals in a flock. I also believe the reputed 

 slaughter by keas of hundreds or even scores of sheep in a single 

 night to be gross exaggerations. On one occasion, during a 

 snowstorm, when two or three hundred sheep had been hemmed 

 in for a few days, I found three or four sheep killed and mostly 

 eaten up by the birds 



" With regard to the bird digging in over the kidney, I 

 believe this to be accidental rather than by design or instinct, 

 for as the maddened sheep tries to escape by running away — 

 always down-hill — the bird hangs on to the highest part (that 

 is then the rump just over the kidney) of the sheep, and begins 

 operations there." 



Literature. 



(1.) Potts, 1871 : Nature, iv, 489. 



(2.) Potts, " Out in the Open." 



(3.) Travers, 1872 : Trans. N.Z. Inst., iv, 210. 



(4.) Menzies, 1878 : Trans. N.Z. Inst., xi, 376. 



(5.) Reischek. 1885 : Trans. N.Z. Inst., xviii. 98. 



(6.) Huddlestone, 1891 : N.Z. Journ. Sci. (n.s.), 198. 



(7.) Chapman. 1891 : N.Z. Journ. Sci. (n.s.). 203. 



(8.) Taylor White. 1895 : Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxvii. 273. 



(9.) Lankester, Nature, Ixii, 366. 



(10.) Otago Daily Times, March 22, 1906. 



(11.) Otago Daily Times, Feb. 16. 1906. 



(12.) Benham, 1906 : Nature, Ixxiii, 559. 



(13.) Buller, " Historv of New Zealand Birds," i. 



EXPLAXATIOX OF PLATE IV. 



Outline of humerus of sheep which has been opened by a kea. — 

 a, a. The surface of this bone has been picked away, expo.sing the 

 cancellar structure, b. Tiie cavity of the shaft exposed by the removal 

 of a somewhat triangular piece of bone. 



All the four humeri had been opened by the kea at this s]>ot, in order, 

 no doubt, to get at tiie marrow. 



