216 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
Grant as the ‘South Koko-nor Mountains, Northern Tibet, and the Tsaidam 
plains." —H. E. Dresser (Topelyffe Grange, Farnborough, Kent). 
Canada Goose near Dungeness.—I had sent to me in the flesh two 
specimens of the Canada Goose (Bernicla canadensis) on April 26th, which 
were shot out of a flock of five on the sands near Dungeness, Kent, about a 
week before. They show no signs of having been pinioned, and flew in 
from the sea. The heaviest one was a male, and weighed, a week after its 
death, 10 lb. 8 oz. I see Mr. Howard Saunders, in his ‘ Manual,’ does not 
acknowledge the occurrence of any genuine wild examples in this country. I 
should be happy to forward the skins to any competent authority.— GroreE 
W. Brapsnaw (54, London Street, Reading, late of Hastings, Sussex). 
Little Gull in Kent.—On March 8rd, near Horsmonden, a fine adult 
male of Larus minutus was obtained, and sent to Springett, the taxidermist 
in Cranbrook. Horsmonden is about twelve miles as the crow flies from 
the river Rother—Boyp ALEXANDER (Swifts Place, Cranbrook, Kent). 
Birds which nest in London.—In your last number (ante, p. 189) Mr. 
C. Meade King asks for notes on this subject. Two birds might be added 
to the list, both having nested in Regent’s Park within the last two years, 
viz. Magpie (Pica rustica) and Pied Wagtail (Motacilla lugubris).. I do not 
know if the former has actually reared young, but the latter species was 
perfectly successful in the gardens of Regent’s Park in 1896. As to the — 
number of Rooks breeding in Gray’s Inn, there are ten or twelve nests 
occupied at the present time. — Witii1am E. pE Winton (7, Southampton 
Row, W.C.). 
Some Notes on the Nestor notabilis, or Kea Parrot, of New Zealand. 
—Some live specimens of this interesting bird of New Zealand have lately 
been received by the Director of the Zoological Gardens in Melbourne. The 
peculiar birds have acquired the habit of attacking Sheep, and making holes 
by means of their sharp and powerful beaks in the backs of these animals 
for the purpose of abstracting the kidney fat, which appears to be esteemed — 
as a luxurious diet. A large number of Sheep are annually destroyed by 
these birds, which has compelled Sheep-owners to set a value upon their 
heads, and endeavour to accomplish their extinction. It was for a long time 
supposed that this peculiar habit or instinct was developed by the bird get- 
ting the fat from the skins of Sheep that had been slaughtered, but this 
solution was never satisfactory to my mind, as there appeared nothing to 
connect the fat on the skins of Sheep with the live animals. I desire to 
offer the following solution of the mystery, which seems to me to be simple 
and satisfactory, and more rational than the Sheep-skin theory. In the 
hilly districts of the Middle Island of New Zealand there is a great abun- 
