a parrot of New Zealand, Nesternotabilis, Gould. For its habits see quotations.
1862. J. Von Haast, `Exploration of Head Waters of Waitaki,1862,' – in `Geology of Westland' (published 1879), p. 36:
«What gave still greater interest to the spot was the presenceof a number of large green alpine parrots ( Nestornotabilis), the kea of the natives, which visitedcontinually the small grove of beech-trees near our camp.»
1880. `Zoologist' for February, p. 57:
«On the 4th of November last the distinguished surgeon,Mr. John Wood, F.R.S., exhibited before the PathologicalSociety of London the colon of a sheep, in which the operationknown as Colotomy had been performed by a Parrot . . . thespecies known as the `Kea' by the Maoris, the `Mountain Parrot'of the colonists, Nestor notabilis of Gould. Only fivespecies . . . are known, one of which ( Nestor productus)has lately become extinct; they only occur in New Zealand andNorfolk Island. They were formerly classed among the Trichoglossinae or brush-tongued parrots . . . morenearly allied to true Psittaci . . . Its ordinary foodconsists of berries and insects; but since its Alpine hauntshave been reached by the tide of civilization, it has acquireda taste for raw flesh, to obtain which it even attacks livinganimals.»
1882. T. H. Potts, `Out in the Open,' p. 176:
«We have the hoary-headed nestors, amongst which are found thenoisy honey-loving kaka, the hardy kea, that famous sheep-killer and flesh-eater, the dread of many an Alpine sheepfarmer.»
1888. W. L. Buller, `Birds of New Zealand,' vol. i.p. 166:
« Nestor notabilis, Gould, Kea-parrot, Mountain-parrot ofthe Colonists.»
1888. `Antipodean Notes,' p. 74:
«The Kea picks the fat which surrounds the kidneys. . . .
Various theories have been started to explain how this parrot has become carnivorous.»
[Two pages are devoted to the question.]
1889. Cassell's `Picturesque Australasia,' vol. iv. p. 19:
«The kea-parrot. . . . The kea is pretty to look at, havingrich red and green plumage, but it is a cruel bird. It is saidthat it will fasten on the back of a living sheep and peck itsway down to the kidney-fat, for which this parrot has a specialfancy. No tourist need feel compunction about shooting a kea.»
1893. A. R. Wallace, `Australasia,' vol. i. p. 445:
«Another very interesting group of birds are the large dullcolonial parrots of the genus Nestor, called kea or kaka by thenatives from their peculiar cries. Their natural food isberries . . . but of late years the kea ( Nestornotabilis), a mountain species found only in the SouthIsland, has developed a curious liking for meat, and nowattacks living sheep, settling on their backs and tearing awaythe skin and flesh to get at the kidney fat.»
1895. `Otago Witness,' Dec. 26, p. 3, col. 1:
«There is in the Alpine regions of the South Island a plantpopularly called the `vegetable sheep,' botanically named Raoulia. From the distance of even a few yards it lookslike a sheep. It grows in great masses, and consists of awoolly vegetation. A large specimen of this singular plant wasexhibited in the Colonial and Indian Exhibition. It is saidthat the kea was in the habit of tearing it up to get at thegrubs which harbour within the mass, and that mistaking deadsheep for vegetable sheep it learned the taste of mutton. Amore enterprising generation preferred its mutton ratherfresher.»