98 THE KEA. 



erythrorhyncha J here formerly fed on ticks and other parasites 

 which infest g:ame and domestic animals ; occasionally, if an 

 animal had a sore, the bird would probe the sore to such 

 an extent that sometimes it killed the animal. Since the 

 cattle plague destroyed the immense herds in Ukamihani, and 

 nearly all the sheep and goats were eaten during the late 

 famine, the birds, deprived of their food, have become 

 carnivorous, and now any domestic animal, not constantly 

 watched, is killed by them. Perfectly healthy animals have 

 their ears eaten down to the bone, holes torn in their backs 

 and in the femoral region." 



It will thus be seen that at least three kinds of 

 insectivorous and fruit-eating birds are known to eat fat and 

 meat on special occasions. 



When we look at the circumstances that forced the Kea 

 to add to its diet, it would have been more wonderful if 

 the bird had refused to touch the new food. 



Unfortunately for science, as the Kea had learned to kill 

 sheep before men were aware of it, we shall never be able 

 now to decide finally what set of circumstances caused him 

 to change ; but I think that the truth is confined to the last 

 two of the following three theories. 



Whether the change of diet was influenced in the way 

 explained by either one or both of those theories it is hard 

 to say ; but so far no other reason can be given to which it 

 is worth while giving serious consideration. 



THE VEGETABLE SHEEP THEORY. 



This was the earliest and for many years the most 

 popular ; but, when further investigation brought to light 

 many new facts, the theory lost favour, though even to-day 

 some people adhere to it. 



The vegetable sheep, after which I have named the 

 theory, is one of the most interesting of our alpine plants. 

 Owing to its cushiony appearance it is often erroneously termed 

 a moss or fungus. The name includes two closely allied 

 plants, which grow especially on the mountainous country of 



