AT PLAY. 63 



but their curiosity is so great that, if anything takes their 

 fancy, they come and inspect it, and talk to one another and 

 shake their heads like a group of solemn judges. 



Mr. Fitzgerald gives an interesting instance which he 

 noted when on Mt. Cook. " They were so tame," he says, 

 "that, if you sat down quietly for a few minutes and held 

 up any bright object that glittered in the sun, they would 

 come and hop all over you, curiosity apparently being their 

 strongest characteristic On this present occasion 



A KEA : On the Ball Glacier. 



their chief interest seemed to centre on a nickel-plated 

 drinking cup, which I had laid on the rocks close by to dry. 



"They are of an inquisitive nature, and did not rightly 

 gather what the shiny object might be meant for ; so they 

 came [up in line and circled round it, one or two of the 

 bolder spirits even pecking at it. 



"This evidently did not satisfy them, so they retired to a 

 neighbouring rock, and gathered in a group to consult, which 

 meant a tremendous screeching and jabbering. 



