78 



MUTTON BIRDS 



attract attention at noon, that a new idea sug- 

 gested itself. I had noticed that these signals 

 repeated, brought the bird lower down from the 

 tree tops than I had formerly seen her, and 

 determined now to try if whistling and singing 

 would create anxiety enough to lure her within 

 shot. It was trust in us gratifying no doubt 

 in a way, but vexatious that kept her away. 

 She had grown accustomed to our presence ; she 

 was sure no harm was intended; there was 

 really, therefore, no particular reason why she 

 should inspect the twins. By this time, too, all 

 idea of concealment on my part had been 

 abandoned. The Wekas of the locality, at- 

 tracted by the lopped timber, were patrolling 

 the fallen stuff and regaling themselves on the 

 coprosma berries. Again and again, after their 

 discovery of the bolt hole, they had caused me 

 the greatest anxiety. As I have already said, 

 in the Wekas' estimation every hole exists, not 

 to be visited once, or twice, but many times a 

 day, always, I suppose, on the off chance of 

 finding something new and strange. The report, 

 then, of such a treasure trove as two Kaka 

 chicks sitting bolt upright in a dim light, 

 stomach to stomach, was soon spread abroad. 

 On my stage I was kept in a nervous agony lest 

 these precious chicks should perish almost before 

 my eyes. They were to the Wekas as irresistible 

 as are to boys the caves of a wild coast 

 or the ribbed frame of a sand-anchored wreck. 

 No sticks could keep them off, even my pocket 

 Keats was sacrificed. They would though 

 it was hard to reach explore that hole. 

 Any risk was well run for the inexhaustible 

 pleasure of obtaining a peep of the monsters 



