86 THE KEA. 



When this sheep was skinned it was seen that the whole 

 back was more or less black, which seemed to point to 

 blood poisoning, as none of the organs were injured. 



Though the cases cited are horrible enough, the wounds 

 are often more severe ; for not only are the kidneys injured, 

 but often the intestines are torn and pulled out through the 

 wound. Sheep have been found with yards of their intestines, 

 all hardened by exposure to the sun and air, dragging along 

 the ground. 



In discussing the effect of the horrible cruelties practised 

 on the sheep by the Keas, Sir W. Buller gives the following 

 account. 



"On the surgical operation performed on the living sheep 

 by the Kea, an interesting paper was read before the 

 Pathological Society of London in November, 1879, by the 

 distinguished surgeon, Mr. John Woods, F.R.S. He exhibited 

 the colon of a sheep in which the operation known as 

 colotomy had been performed by this parrot, of which 

 likewise he produced a specimen, both having been sent to 

 him for that purpose by Dr. DeLatour, of Otago. 



"Mr. Woods was informed by his correspondents that, 

 when the sheep are assembled, wounds resulting from the 

 Kea's 'vivisection' are often found upon them, and not 

 infrequently the victims present an artificial anus, a fistulous 

 opening into the intestines, in the right loin. 



"The specimen exhibited was from a sheep that had 

 been so attacked. It consisted of the lumbar vertebrae and 

 the colon, showing the artificial anus between the iliac crest 

 and the last rib on the right side, just in the place, that is, 

 where the modern surgeons perform the operation know to 

 them as Amussat's ; below the wound the intestine was 

 contracted, while it was enlarged and hypertrophied above. 



"The sheep was much wasted. The mbdus opemndi was 

 described as follows : — The birds, which are very bold and 

 nearly as large as rooks, single out the strongest sheep in 

 the flock. One bird, settling on the sacrum, tears off the 

 wool with its beak and then digs its beak into the flesh 

 until the sheep falls from exhaustion or loss of biood. 



