140 THE KEA. 



Station, about halfway up the Saxton River, some miles north 

 of the homestead. 



Another correspondent reports that he has seen one thirty 

 miles only from Blenheim, the capital of the province. 



Now that Keas have reached the north coast of the South 

 Island, one wonders if the Cook Strait will prove a sufficient 

 barrier to prevent them from flying over to the North Island 

 and spreading there. 



The two islands are only 15 miles apart at their nearest 

 points, and on a clear day the opposite coast can easily be seen. 



This northern extension of recent years does not, I consider, 

 in any way support the old idea that the birds migrated 

 northward for a decade or so after their discovery. 



They were known at the Lochinvar Station about 1866-7, 

 and since then they have practically not made any further 

 advance until 1900 ; but at the present time they are certainly 

 spreading northward. 



The migration may be due to the increased numbers, or 

 perhaps to the incessant slaughter which has been going on for 

 some years. 



What really started the northern migration theory was 

 knowledge of the fact that, though the Keas themselves never 

 migrated northward in the early days, yet the habit of 

 sheep-killing has extended from Otago northward to Nelson. 

 No one thought of recording the Keas' presence as long as 

 they did no harm, but as soon as they began to harass the 

 flocks reports were sent to the daily papers. 



As the habit gradually spread northward many jumped 

 to the conclusion that the birds had just arrived, whereas in 

 many instances we know that the birds were on some of 

 the stations years before they commenced to kill. 



For instance, at Browning's Pass the Keas were seen in 

 1865, but no cases of sheep-killing were known until 1886. 



The first instance recorded of sheep-killing was in 1868 

 in the south near Lake Wanaka ; and thence the killing has 

 spread south to Lake Wakatipu and north to the Amuri 

 district, including Hanmer. About 1880 the bird's depredations 

 were recorded at the lakes south of Canterbury, and by 1886, 



