112 THE KEA. 



I wrote letters to those men who might be able to give 

 me information on this point, and even went so far as to 

 ask for evidence through the newspapers which circulate 

 through the Kea country, but I received nothing to support 

 the suggestion made in the letter. 



In order to ascertain on what authority the statement 

 was made, I wrote to the correspondent and asked him to let 

 me know if he had ever seen the Keas breaking the bones, 

 and also if he could furnish the names of men who could 

 give me authentic evidence on this very interesting point ; 

 but I received no answer. 



Nowhere else in all the Kea country did I hear of any 

 similar instance of bone-splitting by Keas, and therefore, 

 until more conclusive evidence is forthcoming, the matter 

 must be regarded as a supposition merely. I cannot trace 

 any teeth marks on the bone ; as the Kea has been known 

 to split thin flakes from the soft rocks, it may, by 

 commencing at the head of the bone, which is somewhat 

 soft, be able to split a bone open. 



It is certain from the appearance of the bone that some 

 animal has split it open ; but from the evidence to hand we 

 cannot be sure that this was the work of the Kea. 



