144 THE KEA. 



are reported where horses, dogs and rabbits have been mauled. 

 I do not consider that these attacks are really made to procure 

 food, but rather for fun and mischief. 



One correspondent gives the following account of an attack 

 upon a horse : — "The pack-horse was tethered on a piece of flat 

 ground about ten chains from the camp. After we had tea, I 

 strolled over to where there was a large flock of Keas on a 

 little knoll above the pack-horse. This would be about an hour 

 before dusk. One or two flew down on to the horse's back. 

 He was an old, stiff-built cobby horse of very sluggish nature. 

 He took no notice of the Keas when they flew off" and on his 

 back for some time, giving him an occasional peck. At last 

 an old fellow perched on his back and started operations in a 

 most serious manner. He soon had the old horse showing more 

 life than he had ever done before ; in fact, before he got the 

 Kea dislodged, he was almost mad. When I got down to him, 

 he was in a heavy sweat, and the blood was trickling slightly 

 over his loins. On examination I found a nasty wound that 

 took a long time to heal, as it became very dirty. Ever after, 

 the horse would go almost frantic when there were any Keas 

 about." 



Shepherds report that rabbits are sometimes killed by them, 

 while dogs are often worried by their attentions. The birds 

 are sometimes found eating the carcases of deer. 



One case is known where a human body was torn about by 

 them. On the Minarets Station a musterer was sent out to 

 attend to some sheep on high country. The station is famous 

 for its rugged and dangerous peaks, and is said to contain some 

 of the wildest country on a sheep run. At night the man 

 failed to report himself, and a search party was sent out to 

 seek him. They found his body lying in a gully, where he had 

 evidently fallen from the heights above. It was attended by 

 two or three Keas, who had torn holes in his clothes, and 

 already torn the flesh about. This is, I think, the only instance 

 known where the Keas have attacked a human body. From 

 the position of the body it is almost certain that the man 

 was dead a long time before the birds began to maul him. 



