white-eye, Zosterops, which came to New Zealand about the year 1860 as well as I can fix the date.

The berries on the ranges or mountain-side were few and of little food-value, the chief in point of size being the snow-berry, but it was seldom seen. My opinion is that the kea lived mainly on the lichen growing on the rocks and on grubs when obtainable. The lichen would, in places where the rocks were steep, be free from a covering of snow when all else was snowed up to a depth of 3ft. or more.

The kea always lived high up the mountains a long distance above the forest-line, for you must understand that on a mountain-side each variety of tree has its limit of elevation. The mixed bush grows on the plain; and a short distance above, where these trees, as rimu, white-pine, black-pine, &c., are at their highest, and cease to grow, come the different kinds of Fayus, of which the so-called black-birch attains the highest elevation. On glancing along the alpine hills, such as, for instance, those on either shore of Lake Wakatipu, you will see with surprise that the dark-green of the trees reaches so far up the mountain-side, and is then cut off level and clean as far as the eyesight can extend into the far distance. Above this level line of dark forest comes the brown straw-colour of the mountain-grass, which in turn gives way to the slate-grey or yellow-grey of the rocky summits and their débris of broken stones.

On this same forest limit grew also the tall bracken fern, so the dark-green of the forest would be at places for a considerable extent varied by the brighter green of the fern. But both forest and fern attained the same elevations, and so the long line of green was only changed in shade of colour, and did not encroach upon the area of the yellow grasses.^* The kea lived above this forest limit, and was mostly seen moving about the rocks and boulders on the ridge of the mountain-tops. The name “kea” would seem to be an imitation of a frequent call of this bird. But it also makes a number of other sounds. About the first I can remember of this bird was at a time when I resided near the head-waters of the Oreti or New River. One hot day—it probably was in the summer-time—when walking across the valley between the mountains, my attention was attracted by a remarkable sound or series of cries. These I mistook for the noise of several small puppies of the wild dog, crying from hunger in the nest. I at once set to work to climb up the steep mountain-side to capture these creatures; but the result was not as was expected, but a dull-green-coloured bird was found seated on a projecting piece of rock. These birds are coloured green, shaded with black, and

have bright orange-red feathers of small size on the underside of their wings. They are about the size of a kaka, rather narrower across the back, and have the hooked point of the upper mandible somewhat longer. Their feet are of the true parrot form, or, as a sailor would say, have the toes placed “fore and aft.”

On first becoming acquainted with man they showed little sign of fear. In fact, I have, when on the mountain-top, remained standing perfectly still, with keas hopping round me, but would have ultimately to drive them away, for one would come to inspect the brass eyelets in my boots, and try to pick them out, when, seeing that the boot-laces would quickly be cut through, I would require to stop this performance. One day a shepherd brought home a live kea which he caught by placing his open hand on the ground when he was lying down; this bird calmly stepped on to his hand, and was captured. On bringing the bird home he placed it in a room in a stone building to await my coming. The result was that the small wooden bars of the window were cut away by its powerful beak down level with the panes of glass. A ring and small chain were afterwards fastened to its leg and it was tethered on the lawn, having a small box placed near as a shelter. Here it lived several years, but one day was missing, taking the chain with it. The shelter-box was soon a sight to see, for the bird drilled large round holes through it in several places, and his great delight appeared to be in carpentry work. He was fed on scraps of bread and meat, and would amuse himself by throwing his drinking-vessel away, regardless of after-consequences. Under the name of Sancho he was regarded as a member of our family party, but never gave any sign of newly-acquired habits under domestication, or showed signs of affection to those who cared for him.

About the year 1861 we first took sheep into this country, previously having stocked with cattle. The sheep increased and multiplied, and did remarkably well, notwithstanding the heavy snowfalls on the higher lands. After a number of years, when sheep were mustered in from the back ranges, it was noticed that several would die in the yards during the night, for they would require to be kept in for drafting on the following day. These dead sheep would be mostly sheep which had missed a shearing, and were double-fleeced, having very long wool. On taking the skin from these sheep a small hole, not previously seen, would be found over the shoulder-blades, or in the small of the back, over the kidneys. We were quite incapable of understanding the cause of these wounds, but considered that these sheep would not have died from the wound if it had not been for the heating they received from the drive of the muster. One day my brother

John came home and said that he now knew what caused the holes in the back of the sheep: it was done by the kea. This surprised me greatly, but I soon afterwards had evidence of the fact myself, for when some of these birds had once found out that the blood of the sheep was good for food others were soon initiated into the performance. It was seen that the sheep (merinoes) with the longest wool were those which chiefly suffered, from which I concluded that the length of wool gave the bird better facilities for holding on with his feet during the time occupied in drilling a hole into the unfortunate sheep, which would at first run madly about with the bird fixed to its back. Those sheep which were penned in by a recent fall of snow would be an easy prey.

A person living in this district brought some fifteen hundred crossbred cheviot and merino, and wintered them on these hills, but the extra length of wool on these sheep caused them to be specially attacked by the kea, and on mustering in the spring very few of this flock were found alive. Mr. W. M. Hodgkins, of Dunedin, obtained for me two brace of old-fashioned horse-pistols, which we would take with us when shepherding, loading with shot, and so peppering the keas; for to carry a gun was a heavy load when climbing about. The birds soon found out that we were enemies, and, in place of a friendly interview, were mostly seen flying about, screaming, far away on the opposite range. It became quite a rare thing to get within shooting-distance of these treacherous birds, and all our friendly interest in them was turned to murderous thoughts. I do not think they went specially for the kidney-fat of the sheep, or had any particular choice, but that that point was chiefly selected owing to the bird having a better hold when in that position. They would nest in the crevices of the rocks, but I never was able to take either eggs or young birds, the fissures being too deep and narrow to admit of approach.

Mr. Wallace asks me, did the kea mistake the live sheep for the vegetable sheep—a peculiar growth of lichen? I would say not, for I have never to my knowledge seen a vegetable sheep, or mistaken such for a living one, as the story goes. Therefore my particular keas were not likely to see this vegetable substance either; and I never knew the bird to be seen feeding on a dead sheep. The sheep always died after the repast, and were then left to the wekas (Ocydromus australis) and buzzard hawks, who would finish the work of destruction.

About the time at which we found out that the kea molested the sheep, we read in the papers that the shepherds on the Wanaka Station, some thirty or forty miles in a northerly direction from our position, had also discovered the same fact, and this made the authorities of the Dunedin