Page:The Kea, a New Zealand problem (1909).pdf/116

112 I wrote letters to those men who might be able to give me information on this point, and even went so far as to ask for evidence through the newspapers which circulate through the Kea country, but I received nothing to support the suggestion made in the letter.

In order to ascertain on what authority the statement was made, I wrote to the correspondent and asked him to let me know if he had ever seen the Keas breaking the bones, and also if he could furnish the names of men who could give me authentic evidence on this very interesting point; but I received no answer.

Nowhere else in all the Kea country did I hear of any similar instance of bone-splitting by Keas, and therefore, until more conclusive evidence is forthcoming, the matter must be regarded as a supposition merely. I cannot trace any teeth marks on the bone; as the Kea has been known to split thin flakes from the soft rocks, it may, by commencing at the head of the bone, which is somewhat soft, be able to split a bone open.

It is certain from the appearance of the bone that some animal has split it open; but from the evidence to hand we cannot be sure that this was the work of the Kea.