Vol. XIV 

 1914 



1 From Magazines, S'C. 69 



Habits of the Kea.— The following is published in the Lyttelton 

 Times (N.Z.) of 14th March, IQ14, in the column entitled " In 

 Touch with Nature," conducted by Mr. James Drummond, 

 F.L.S., F.Z.S. :— " The quaint habits of Keas in their own realm 

 are dealt with in a note from Mr. E. R. Waite, Curator of Canter- 

 bury Museum, who, while on a hoUday visit to Mount Cook, in 

 the middle of February, found time to make a few observations 

 of these birds. At the Ball Hut, where he counted the unlucky 

 thirteen, he was surprised at their confidence and their utter 

 fearlessness. Later, when the members of the party became 

 better acquainted with these mountaineers, an opinion was ex- 

 pressed that in bare-faced impudence they rivalled the notorious 

 Weka. As soon as the visitors reached the hut Keas gathered 

 about them, or assembled on the ridges of the building. From 

 there they condescended to take pieces of food offered to them on 

 the points of alpenstocks. As long as the visitors remained 

 standing the birds kept at arm's length ; but when the visitors 

 sat down the birds lost all fear, and established terms of familiarity. 

 Two, three, or more quarrelled for the gratification of trying to 

 remove big nails from glacier boots or to untie the laces. One 

 of the birds turned its attention to the dress worn by Miss Green- 

 well, a member of the party, and it was found that an action which 

 was believed at the time to be dictated merely by innocent amuse- 

 ment had resulted in several holes being pecked in the fabric. 

 Mr. Waite, by sitting on the ground watching for opportunities, 

 had no difficulty in catching the birds by hand while they were 

 absorbed in an inspection of his clothing. When released, they 

 retired to a short distance, but they soon overcame their surprise 

 and were once more in the grip of the spirit of inquisitiveness. 

 This trait was demonstrated in other places besides the vicinity 

 of the hut, as Mr. Waite caught a Kea at the top of a moraine 

 overlooking the Hochstetter icefield. Black-backed Gulls were 

 the only other birds seen as high as the Ball Hut. There were 

 only two Gulls there, but as soon as the party set out on its tramp 

 across the glacier one of them took wing, and it was seen sitting 

 on a rock near the Malte Brun Hut, wairing the strangers' 

 arrival there. Their guide told them that that particular indi- 

 vidual usually treated visitors in that way. As if in corroboration 

 of his statement, the Gull, on their return journey, passed over 

 their heads, presumably after having devoured the edibles they 

 had thrown away after they left the hut. Mr. Waite reports that 

 the native Pipit— commonly, but wrongly, called the Native Lark 

 —is often seen in the vicinity of the glaciers, but that the avi- 

 fauna is mostly represented by the introduced Blackbirds, Larks, 

 Chaffinches, and Yellowhammers." 



Member Honoured.— Dr. J. A. Leach, co-editor of The Emu, 

 and author of "An Australian Bird Book," has been elected a 

 Colonial Member of the British Ornithologists' Union. 



