Page:The Kea, a New Zealand problem (1909).pdf/144

140 Station, about halfway up the Saxton River, some miles north of the homestead.

Another correspondent reports that he has seen one thirty miles only from Blenheim, the capital of the province.

Now that Keas have reached the north coast of the South Island, one wonders if the Cook Strait will prove a sufficient barrier to prevent them from flying over to the North Island and spreading there.

The two islands are only 15 miles apart at their nearest points, and on a clear day the opposite coast can easily be seen.

This northern extension of recent years does not, I consider, in any way support the old idea that the birds migrated northward for a decade or so after their discovery.

They were known at the Lochinvar Station about 1866-7, and since then they have practically not made any further advance until 1900; but at the present time they are certainly spreading northward.

The migration may be due to the increased numbers, or perhaps to the incessant slaughter which has been going on for some years.

What really started the northern migration theory was knowledge of the fact that, though the Keas themselves never migrated northward in the early days, yet the habit of sheep-killing has extended from Otago northward to Nelson. No one thought of recording the Keas’ presence as long as they did no harm, but as soon as they began to harass the flocks reports were sent to the daily papers.

As the habit gradually spread northward many jumped to the conclusion that the birds had just arrived, whereas in many instances we know that the birds were on some of the stations years before they commenced to kill.

For instance, at Browning’s Pass the Keas were seen in 1865, but no cases of sheep-killing were known until 1886.

The first instance recorded of sheep-killing was in 1868 in the south near Lake Wanaka; and thence the killing has spread south to Lake Wakatipu and north to the Amuri district, including Hanmer. About 1880 the bird’s depredations were recorded at the lakes south of Canterbury, and by 1886,