182 THE ANIMALS OF NEW ZEALAND 



little foibles and failings, which, after all. should only endear it 

 to us, especially as we may lose our frail friend altogether. 



The charge-sheet contains several indictments. The first, and 

 most serious, is theft. "With wekas, thieving is a disease. They 

 are confirmed kleptomaniacs. They steal not only from other 

 birds, but also from human beings, and commit the crime, 

 apparently, merely for the sake of stealing, as the articles they 

 sometimes appropriate can be of no earthly use to them. Any- 

 thing, from ducks' egg's to spoons, pipes, and pannikins, is good 

 enough to be carried off. On one occasion a weka stole a silver 

 watch from a hut in Alforcl Forest, and the article was only 

 accidentally recovered a short distance from the hut. Some 

 years ago a Aveka entered a bushman's hut in Peel Forest while he 

 was away. After springing on the table, it tasted the meat, the 

 butter, and the bread, and tumbled the remainder on the floor, 

 with the idea, no doubt, of carrying it off. Failing in this, it 

 took with it, so the buslmian said, "one of a new pair of Sunday 

 boots." Although the "new Sunday boot" was recovered close 

 to the door, the bushman took revenge by killing forty wekas in 

 less than a month. 



The weka does not look like a rogue, and its appearance of 

 childlike innocence, as it walks about with slow and deliberate 

 steps, is deceptive. Inquisitiveness is another of its character- 

 istics ; it is of a very inquiring turn of mind, especially in regard 

 to matters that do not concern it. Above all, it is quick tempered. 

 "Just tread on my toes!" seems to be the idea that runs con- 

 tinually through its mind. When two of these fiery customers 

 commence a quarrel, there is generally nothing for it but to fight 

 to the finish. They sometimes go out into the open, so as to have 

 space for sparring. When the battle is lost and won, there is woe 

 to the vanquished, as the victor is relentless in the persecution of 

 its fallen foe. 



They possess wing-spurs, which seem to have been acquired for 

 defensive purposes alone. Mr. W. W. Smith, in describing their 

 fighting capabilities, says that when the birds are fighting and 

 facing each other, the wings are elevated or arched over the 

 back, the neck is drawn in under cover of the wing-s, and the 



