56 



THE KEA. 



from all accounts they seem to stay until they are nearly full 

 grown. 



The young- Kea's cry somewhat resembles that of the fully 

 grown bird, but it is weaker and very plaintive. The fledglings' 

 one drawback as pets is that, even when kept in clean apartments, 

 they have a most objectionable odour. 



Mr. Urquhart was good enough to send me two live 

 Kea nestlings from Mt. Algidus, and I was therefore able 



From a drawing. 



Bulh'i 

 NESTLING KEAS. 



■• Jliiil.-i ,ij Xfir Zciihdui: 



to see for myself these interesting birds at this stage of 

 their development. 



They were about two months old when I received them 

 at Christchurch, but, though they were nearly the size of a 

 small pigeon, they were quite unable to move about or feed 

 themselves. Their wings were fairly strong, and were 

 sometimes flapped when food was given to them. Their 

 legs were large, yet they seemed devoid of capacity for 

 muscular action, and were never used. Indeed, so helpless 



