1895.] Psychology. 1131 
increase in the intensity of the repressive factor must tend to the 
suppression of all forms of innovations alike, and hence must extinguish 
progress. For this conclusion I can see no warrant. The tendency of 
individuals to disadvantageous variation is not, in fact, proportioned to 
the tendency to advantageous, and as the latter gains ground upon the 
former, the necessity for stringent suppression on the part of the com- 
munity diminishes. In ethical terms, with the moralization of the 
individual, laws and penalties become superfluous. With the increase 
in average intelligence also goes an increase in the intelligence with 
which the repressive instinct is exercised and a greater freedom in 
choice is allowed the individual than was found in earlier stages of 
development. 
Thus Prof. Durkheim’s startling paradox dissolves upon examina- 
tion. Crime, in the narrower sense of the word, i. e., conduct disad- 
vantageous to the community, is not shown to be essential to the exist- 
ence of variations in conduct which may prove advantageous to the 
community, since we have reason to believe that continuous decrease 
in the former is entirely compatible with continuous increase of the 
latter. 
The Habits of Nestor.—Mr. Taylor White gives, in the last 
number of the Zoologist, an interesting account of the Kea or Nestor 
notabilis, the parroquet of New Zealand, which is so often cited as an 
example of a gramnivorous bird becoming, on occasion, carnivorous, 
and which is reputed to attack sheep and devour the delicate fat which 
-envelops the kidneys. Mr. White lives in New Zealand, and can ob- 
serve the bird close at hand. 
According to him, the Kea subsists principally on lichens and not 
on fruits or grain, for it is found at some distance from the forest, 
among rocks and on bare ground. Like other animals unaccustomed 
to man; the Kea exhibits no fear at first sight. It allows itself to be 
approached, and Mr. White speaks of some of the birds playing about 
him, even becoming familiar enough to peck the buttons on his boots. 
Others would perch on his hand and allow themselves to be caressed. 
In captivity, they eat both bread and meat. Their powerful beaks 
enable them to break the bars of strong wooden cages. 
As to the carnivorous habits of these birds, Mr. White speaks as fol- 
lows: About the year 1861, sheep were introduced, and after some 
years it was noticed that a certain number of them died, and on the 
backs of these, behind the shoulder, in the neighborhood of the kid- 
neys, was found a peculiar wound. About this time it was discovered 
that the Kea was the enemy of the sheep. In selecting a victim the 
