22 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
destruction. The bird lights on the back of the sheep, and having 
fixed its claws firmly in the wool, flaps its wings, causing the sheep 
to run until it is so completely exhausted it yields itself up to its fate, 
and then the bird picks through the small of the back, tearing out 
the kidneys and surrounding fat, leaving the poor sheep to die 
slowly from its wounds. 
THE KEA. 
THE SADDLE-BACK. 
The Saddle-back gets its name from its very peculiar marking. It 
is a black bird, about the size of our American Robin, with a very broad 
band of reddish brown color running across the back and across the 
wings, giving him the appearance of being saddled. ‘The most curi- 
ous thing to be noted of the Saddle-back is his habit of accompany- 
ing a flock of Yellow-heads, a small wild Canary. Wherever you see 
a flock of these little birds, there you will see also a single male 
Saddle-back in the midst of them, an apparently self-appointed gen- 
eral, directing their movements and protecting their interests. 
Naturalists have never yet been able to discover the bird’s motive for 
this queer habit. This bird is exceedingly restless and noisy. In 
the day time he cannot, apparently, remain more than a very few : 
seconds in one place, making a harsh cry. In the breeding season, 
however, his notes are very soft and musical, and it is a matter of 
surprise to the naturalists, that a bird so restless and noisy should 
be able to conduct himself at any time with such modesty and 
delicacy. 
