56 



with the rest. At length one of the pretty Eosellas met with an accident, which, in part, disabled 

 it in the wing. The attention that it received from its partner was quite touching to witness. 

 The maimed bird being unable to reach its perch, and therefore compelled to roost at night on the 

 lower framework of the aviary, its mate forsook its sheltered perch under the dome and took up 

 its position beside it ; and during the day it was constantly chattering to it in a low confidential 

 sort of manner. But this mishap led to a series of disasters that proved fatal, in the end, to the 

 whole company. The Grass-Parrot, still retaining his sulky demeanour, began to persecute the 

 disabled Rosella, and ultimately killed and partly devoured it. There was abundance of grain 

 and other food in the troughs ; but the Blue Mountain-Parrots followed suit, and whetted their 

 appetites on the defunct Rosella. Attributing this contretemps to the weakly condition of the 

 victim, I simply removed the mutilated body, and left the murderer in the aviary. On the fol- 

 lowing morning, however, I found, to my dismay, that he had killed and partly eaten one of the 

 beautiful Blue Mountain-Parrots, and was murderously pursuing the surviving Eosella. I at 

 once removed the author of all this mischief, and hoped to see harmony restored in the family ; 

 but the spirit of evil had been fairly roused, and I next found that the surviving " Blue Mountain'* 

 had killed the male King Lory, and was devouring his body. Then I witnessed another touch of 

 nature ; for the mate of the last-named bird fretted and moped, refused her food, and died of a 

 broken heart. Finally, the bereaved Eosella, as if to seek revenge for the murder of his sickly 

 mate, made open war on the surviving female Blue Mountain-Parrot, and succeeded in killing her. 

 I found this valiant little Parrakeet standing on the body of its vanquished enemy, and whistling 

 in the most excited manner. And thus, within the limits of a single week, a group of Parrots 

 that had lived together so long on the most satisfactory terms had, during a contagious passion 

 for killing and devouring, come to utter grief, and only a solitary male Eosella remained ! This 

 bird shortly afterwards gained its liberty ; and thus terminated my first and last experiment with 

 Australian Parrots. But it must be remembered that this was an abnormal development of 

 character under domestication, or at any rate under the artificial restraints of confinement. The 

 diff'erence in the case of the Kea is that, in its wild and natural state, it readily feeds on raw 

 meat, and seems to prefer that to its proper vegetable diet. 



Dr. Haast informs me that in disposition it is most inquisitive, prying into and examining 

 every thing that comes in its way. On one occasion he left a large bundle of valuable alpine 

 plants, which he had collected with much labour, lying exposed on the summit of a lofty moun- 

 tain-crag. During his temporary absence a Kea came down, and, with a supreme disregard for 

 botanical science, tumbled the collection of specimens over into the ravine below, and quite beyond 

 recovery. Mr. Potts also records an instance of this bird's extreme inquisitiveness. On one 

 occasion a shepherd's hut was shut up, and left for a day or two, the man being required else- 

 where. On his return he was surprised to hear something moving within the hut ; and on enter- 

 ing, he found that the noise proceeded from a Kea, which had gained access by the chimney. On 

 a closer survey, the worthy shepherd discovered that his visitor had been exercising its powerful 

 mandibles to some effect on his slender stock of goods and chattels. Blankets, bedding, and 

 clothes were grievously rent and torn, pannikins and plates scattered about ; and every thing that 

 could be broken was apparently broken very carefully, even the window-frame havmg been 

 attacked with great diligence. 



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