Page:The Kea, a New Zealand problem (1909).pdf/100

96 and deeper in places. On reaching the summit of what we called the main top we came across a mob of sheep more or less snowed in. These we dug out of the snow, and, having let them roll down the hill as far as they would, we went further up the spur to see how many more we could find. After a short climb we came across a mob of fifty, also snowed in, and here I caught the Keas in the act of murdering. The birds had already killed three, and several others were dying. The dead ones were very much torn about, and what especially attracted my attention was the way in which the small gut was pulled out through the flank and stretched yards away. There were fully a dozen Keas attacking the mob around the hole, and the place was literally stained with blood, no doubt from the Keas’ blood-stained feet. The birds seemed thoroughly to enjoy killing sheep, and were very bold. I was up to my waist in snow alongside the sheep, and when I was standing still the Keas would come boldly up to me to within five feet. After we had driven the Keas off they flew almost straight to the first mob, and, according to my mates, who went back for the first mob, attacked those sheep in a similar way.”