EARLY RECORDS. 81 



These, it is true, are probably not trained scientific 

 observers. Nevertheless, they all live in contact with facts ; 

 and it seems to me that we are sure to get nearer to the 

 truth by taking the experiences of men who have spent most 

 of their lives in Kea country in preference to those of men 

 who judge the birds mostly from caged or preserved specimens. 



To make the evidence as reliable as possible, the following 

 precautions have been taken :^ 



I. Nothing but the accounts from eye-witnesses themselves 



has been taken. 



II. Evidence without the writer's name and address has 

 been cast out. 



III. All details, such as year, have been forthcoming (as 

 far as possible) in each case. 



IV. The witnesses, if necessary, have been cross-examined 

 by post. 



V. All the accounts of Keas attacking sheep have been 

 forwarded with a written statement to the effect that, 

 if necessary, the writer will swear to his evidence 

 before a Justice of the Peace. 



The result of this investigation has already been 

 published,* including the eye-witnesses' names and addresses, 

 as well as many of their written accounts. 



I am fully aware that, in spite of all these precautions, 

 inaccuracies may creep in, and I have already proved that 

 some men will even tell lies for the sake of having their 

 names published. 



However, in order to substantiate the records, I have 

 made several trips into the Kea country, and can testify to 

 many of the facts myself. 



To some people this question will never be satisfactorily 

 proved until some man of scientific standing has actually seen 

 the Kea killing the sheep. In order to satisfy these doubters, 

 I would suggest that a number of sheep should be fenced in on 

 some station where Keas are plentiful, and that some one of 



*Traiisactious of the New Zealand lustitute, Vol. xxviii. page 271. 



