266 APPENDIX 



but it is left, as before, a matter of doubt and 

 conjecture. We shall probably be right in 

 thinking that it had not necessarily, or even 

 probably, one single origin. It is difficult to 

 imagine that such a custom commenced with 

 one individual bird ; and different causes may 

 very likely have started the habit at different 

 times. It is on record that in some cases years 

 elapsed after flocks had been driven to new 

 ' Kea country,' before the first cases of mutila- 

 tion occurred. It must be mentioned, however, 

 in favour of the 'Tick' theory, that a singularly 

 analogous case is mentioned by Mr. Marriner 

 as occurring in British East Africa. Here, 

 according to Professor Ray Lankester, the 

 Rhinoceros-bird formerly fed on ticks that infest 

 game and domestic animals ; and when the 

 animal had a sore, would probe it to such an 

 extent as sometimes to cause death. The great 

 herds having been destroyed by the cattle 

 plague, and this source of food thus no longer 

 available, 'the birds 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.' 1 



1 Nature, August, 1900. 



