ZOOLOGY. 175 
@uaner 1x THe Hasrrs or a Birp.— The New Zealand papers 
State that in certain districts in those islands the sheep are being 
constantly attacked by the Kea or “mountain parrot” (Nestor 
notabilis), belonging to the family of Trichoglossina or Brush- 
tongued parrots, which infests the neighborhood. These birds are 
seen sticking to a sheep and pecking at it producing a patch of 
raw flesh on the loin about the size of a man’s hand, from which 
matter continually runs down the side, taking the wool completely 
off that part which it touches, and in many cases causing death. 
The fact is of interest, as affording an instance of entire change 
of habit within a comparatively recent period. The Kea, like 
other birds of the family to which it belongs, was originally a 
fruit-eater, or occasionally feeding on insects concealed in the 
crevices of bark and rocks. It is only since the colonization. of 
New Zealand by Europeans that sheep or other large mammals 
have been introduced. The parrots are also frequently seen 
tearing at the skins of sheep which have been hung up to dry, 
and they were probably first tempted by these when their natural 
food ran short in the winter.— A. W. B 
REPRODUCTION oF Sturcron.—The following observations on the 
_ Sturgeon of the Volga by Professor Owsjannikow and others are 
recorded in the “ Bulletin of the Acclimatization Society” of Paris. 
The sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), the smallest of the Russian stur- 
geons, spawns in the Volga early in May on rocky bottoms, the 
temperature of the water being at 10° R. (= 543° F.). The eggs 
are readily fecundated by the artificial method. After they have 
: been in the water a few minutes they adhere to any object which 
7 they touch. The development of the embryo can be observed in 
Progress at the end of one hour. On the seventh day they hatch. 
At first the young fish are 0".007 (about -2y inch) long. At the 
age of ten weeks they are nearly two inches long. They feed on 
æ of insects, taking them from the bottom. Both in the egg 
‘nd when newly hatched, the sterlet has been taken a five days’ 
JPurney from the Volga to Western Russia, and in 1870 a lot of 
~~ €388 Were carried to England to stock the river Leith. This 
*Pecies passes its whole life in fresh water. The other species 
mhabiting the Baltic, Acipenser sturio, A. Huso, A. stellatus and 
$ - Güldenstädtii, are anadromous. These species hybridize. and 
freely, and from this circumstance some Russian savants have 
Pronounced them only varieties instead of species. —C. G. A. 
