Within tlie last few years it has discovered the out-stations of sonae of the 

 " back country " settlers. Of course, every station has that indispensable 

 requisite, a meat gallows ; it ■ has found out and fully appreciates the value of 

 this institution, as occasionally affording an excellent supply of food ; the 

 gallows is generally visited by night, beef or mutton equally suffer from the 

 voracity of the Kea, nor are the drying sheepskins despised. These visits may 

 be looked upon quite as social gatherings, as it is by no means a rare occurrence 

 for a score of noisy Parrots to be perched on the roof of a hut at one 

 time. A son of the writer obtained some fine specimens by means of a very 

 simple snare — the noose made of a slender strip of flax leaf attached to the 

 end of richer or rod ; he describes them as exhibiting great boldness and 

 confidence, clambering about the roof of the hut, allowing a very close 

 approach ; when caught they remained quite still, without any of the noisy 

 fluttering which usually accompanies the capture of birds, even when managed 

 with adroitness ; they j^reserved this quiet demeanour till the noose had been 

 removed. One of these birds was placed on the floor under an inverted 

 American bucket, the places for the handle not permitting the rim of the 

 bucket to touch the ground ; the Kea taking advantage of this_, wedged its 

 long beak into the space, using its head as a lever, it moved the bucket, 

 I'aising it sufiiciently to effect an escape from its prison. 



On the other side of the river, just opposite to where this is being written, 

 one station is greatly favoured by these visitors ; during the winter season 

 they become a perfect nuisance. On one occasion the hut was shut iip, as the 

 shepherd was elsewhere required for a day or two, on his return he was 

 surprised to hear something moving within the hut ; on entering, he found it 

 proceeded from a Kea, which had gained access by the chimney ; this socially- 

 disposed bird had evidently endeavoured to dispel the ennui attendant on 

 solitude by exercising its powerful mandibles most industriously ; blankets, 

 bedding, and clothes, were grievously rent and torn, j)annikins and plates 

 scattered about, everything that could be broken was apparantly broken very 

 carefully, even the window frame had been attacked with great diligence ; in 

 fact the bird gave a new reading to that moral line of warning, — "For Satan 

 finds some mischief still for idle hands to do." 



Notv/ithstanding the high character various individuals of the species have 

 earned for occasional indulgence in mischief, several have been kept as pets, — ■ 

 not in wooden cages by-the-bye, for a Kea has been seen by his gratified captor 

 to eat its way out of such a place of confinement almost as quickly as it had 

 been coaxed to enter into it. Two which had been tamed by a neighbouring friend 

 were permitted to vfander at large, they regularly returned to the house for 

 their meals, and then rambled away again, scrambling and clamouring amongst 

 the trees and outbuildings; any kind of food appeared to suit their accommodating 

 appetite, but a piece of raw meat was evidently the homie bouche. 



