124 MOUNTAIN PABBOT. 



outer feathers, the whole crossed near the extremity by a broad band 

 of blackish brown; the under surface is pale olive green, with the 

 subterminal band less distinct, and broadly on the inner webs with 

 bright lemon yellow; the under tail coverts are dull olive green tipped 

 with brown. 



"The bill is greyish brown, the lower mandible rich wax-yellow in 

 its basal portion; the feet are yellowish olive, with paler soles. 



1 ' The female is similar to the male,, but has the tints of the plumage 

 generally duller, and the dusky margins of the feathers broader. 



ff In some examples the lower mandible, instead of being wax-yellow, 

 is dark brown, and these are probably young birds." 



The Hon. and Rev. F. G. Duttori 's account of the Mountain 

 Parrot (Nestor notabilis). 



It is a great pity that these Nestors are not exported, instead of 

 being shot down by the colonists. At present their rarity and costliness 

 keep them out of the reach of the ordinary amateur. But from what 

 one can observe of their playful ways in the Zoological Gardens, they 

 look as though they would make delightful pets. They are very clever, 

 and their cages at the Gardens had to be padlocked, for they would 

 open any ordinary fastening. I daresay they would therefore make 

 good talkers too. Parrots which are clever in one way are generally 

 clever in auother. 



From what a gentleman from New Zealand told me, I gather the 

 Ka-Ka (Nestor lujpopolius) is guiltless of sheep-eating, and that our 

 subject is the sole culprit. He told me that the Ka-Ka was strictly 

 a forest bird, and confined to the Northern Island, where there are 

 no sheep-runs, and that the bird which killed the sheep was a large 

 green bird, burrowing, and partly nocturnal in its habits. Not at that 

 time having seen the Kea, I could only think of the Owl Parrot 

 (Stringops) ; but knowing the rarity of Stringops, I could not account 

 for the bird being so destructive. But the Kea unites all the qualities 

 my informant attributed to the sheep-killer. It is large, green, burrows, 

 aud flies by night, and inhabits the South Island. However, even if 

 it be so destructive, the New Zealanders would do better to export it 

 than kill it. Supposing the price, which is now £25 a piece, fell to 

 £5, they might still make a profit. It should be noted that the Ka-Ka 

 in the Gardens preferred Indian corn to mutton. 



