ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



1457 



large consignment of Australian fauna, was re- 

 ceived by Dr. Hornaday. This was followed by 

 a more complete list, which showed the col- 

 lection to be an uncommonly rich one. Tenta- 

 tive orders were placed at once, but it was not 

 until early November that the specimens finally 

 arrived at the Zoological Park. All were in ex- 

 cellent condition, for which Mr. Joseph merits 

 congratulation. The birds were numerous, 

 some being of such unusual interest as to de- 

 serve special mention. 



The gem of the lot is a New Zealand giant 

 petrel, (Mac7'onectes giganteus albus). This 

 bird, a brobdignagian cousin of the Mother Ca- 

 rey's chicken, is the largest of the petrels, ex- 

 ceeding in size many of the albatrosses. It is a 

 wanderer about the seas of Australia and New 

 Zealand, breeding on the rocky ledges of small 

 sea-bound islands. It is carnivorous in habit, 

 feeding on such fleshy carrion as it can find, 

 and not hesitating to attack any living creature 

 weaker than itself. Two color phases are 

 found, one smutty brown, of which our speci- 

 men is a representative, and the other pure 

 white, with intergrading intermediates of every 

 degree. 



An account of the capture of the petrel is 

 given by Mr. D. le Soeuf, in the Emu, the or- 

 gan of the Royal Australian Ornithologists' 

 L^nion, for October, 1916. Two fisherman, 

 sailing in Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, observed 

 a strange bird floating nearby on the water. A 

 hook was baited with bread and thrown toward 

 the waif, which readily took it. The hook caught 

 in the bill without injuring it, and the bird was 

 easily secured. Needless to say, it was a cap- 

 ture worth making. 



Two kea parrots, (Nestor notabilis) are 

 easily worthy of second place. Interesting 

 enough for their rich olive plumage, with a 

 touch of red, and the strong feet, adapted to 

 a life chieflv terrestrial, the kea recentl}'^ has 

 developed a habit which gives it a sinister at- 

 traction. 



According to Mr. G. R. Marriner,* in 1867 

 the shepherds in northwestern Otago, South 

 Island, New Zealand, noticed that their sheep 

 appeared to be affected with a strange disease, 

 which left severe scars on the loins. It soon 

 became obvious that these scars were the re- 

 mains of wounds made by some creature, the 

 identity of which was obscure. 



Many theories were advanced, but investi- 

 ffation soon disclosed the kea as the culprit. It 

 was found that the bird settled on the rump of 

 the living sheep, and tenaciously retaining -its 



*The Kea : A New Zealand Problem, 



73. 



grip, tore away and ate the flesh of the un- 

 fortunate creature, usually causing its death. 

 Most observers declare that the fatty capsule of 

 the kidney is the ultimate object, but others 

 believe that these organs are attacked because 

 they are most readily accessible, and not from 

 any special preferment. 



This curious change from a mainly vegetable 

 diet to a fiercely carnivorous habit is no more 

 remarkable than the ]3erfect manner in which 

 the bird is fitted for its sanguinary work. The 

 long, slightly curved upper mandible, special- 

 ized for uncovering seeds, roots and grubs, is 

 admirably suited to its new-found gruesome 

 task ; the strong claws find no difficulty in fast- 

 ening themselves in the wool of the victim. 



The offering of liberal bounties quickly led to 

 the destruction of the birds in large numbers. 

 The slaughter still goes on, but it is believed 

 that the kea will continue to persist in the 

 fastnesses of the mountains which form its 

 home. 



The fowl-like birds are represented in Aus- 

 tralia only by a variety of quail and several 

 large species known as megapodes. The latter 

 are aberrant in several characters, the most in- 

 teresting of which is the habit of depositing 

 their eggs in large mounds of jungle debris, and 

 leaving them to be hatched by the heat gener- 

 ated by the decaying vegetation. The young 

 birds emerge with wings well developed, and 

 are quite competent to care for themselves. 



Two species of these birds were brought by 

 Mr. Joseph — the brush turkey, (Catheturus 

 lathami) and the much rarer ocellated mega- 

 pode or mallee fowl, {Alectura ocellata). 



A pair each of the Australian white ibis, 

 (Ihis molucca strictipennis) and the straw- 

 necked ibis, (Carphibis snmicollis~), are wel- 

 come additions to the Flying Cage group. 

 Neither species has previously been exhibited 

 in the Zoological Park. A pied crow-shrike 

 several white- winged choughs, a satin bower- 

 bird and a fine pair of wedge-tailed eagles, 

 besides a considerable array of smaller fry, 

 complete the collection. Mr. Joseph expects 

 to return to New York next spring, and we are 

 hoping for an even greater array of the de- 

 sirable birds of the Antipodes. 



Old Pi/thon Dies. — Our large python that 

 had lived in the Reptile House for about fifteen 

 years recently died. Curator Ditmars had es- 

 timated its length at twenty-two feet. When 

 it was measured it was found to be exactly 

 twenty-one and a half feet. The weight of the 

 huge snake was one hundred and seventy 

 pounds. 



