276 Transactions. 



statioji where keas are plentiful, and by getting some one of 

 scientific standing to keep watch, the keas' method of attack 

 could be witnessed in surroundings that are quite natural. 

 In this way, no forcing or starving of the bird would be need- 

 ful. However, I think I am justified in saying that, as far as 

 human evidence can be relied on, I have conclusively proved 

 that the kea has not only taken to meat-eating, but that it docs 

 actually attack and kill sheep for the sake of the meat. 



In order to have evidence from both sides I invited ac- 

 counts from men who believed the kea to be innocent, but I 

 only received one reply. The writer did not want his name 

 published, and told me not to take much notice of what the 

 Stock Inspectors told me, for the whole thing was a bogey. 

 He promised to send me down the names of a number of reliable 

 men who would give me satisfactory evidence to support his 

 side. However, as his list included two Inspectors, and as four 

 other names were marked as doubtful, I did not deem it wise 

 to continue this kind of investigation. 



Meat and Vegetable Eating. 



If keas, both in captivity and in their wild state, have 

 never been known to eat meat or fat, then this fact would cast 

 grave doubts on the belief that they are the culprits. On the 

 other hand, if the birds, though they are not naturally car- 

 nivorous, have been known to eat meat and fat and even relish 

 it, then we have some reason to believe that these parrots may 

 be guilty of sheep-killing. Many people still believe that these 

 birds are not meat-eaters, but though in some cases this is true, 

 most of the men who have kept keas, or have seen them feed- 

 ing in the open, say emphatically that they like a meat diet. 



There are other birds besides these mountain-parrots that 

 have taken to eating meat, though not natm'ally carnivorous. 

 Many cockatoos are fond of picking meat from bones, and the 

 white-eye {Zosterops coerulescens) can be often seen in winter 

 eating meat and fat. 



Sir W. L. Buller (J) tells of a number of parrots that took 

 to killing and eating their fellows. 



Mr. C. C. Lake, Christchurch, writes saying, " I was given 

 a kea when in Fairlie some two or three years ago, and although 

 I had him several months prior to his death, I can honestly 

 say that never once did I see him refuse meat in preference to 

 anything else." 



Mr. R. Urquhart, Mount Algidus Station, Canterbury, when 

 writing on this question, says, " It is a strange thing, for we 

 have nine keas in a cage, and I can honestly say that they 

 have had nothing but meat to eat for the last two years." 



