meat hanging out over night in
the cool air. It was observed that the parrots got in the habit of
coming down to the meat frames and picking off the layers of fat,
particularly those around the kidneys. Their fondness for this kind of
food seemed to increase as time went on, and they finally became such a
nuisance as to compel the herders to give up their practise of leaving
the meat out of doors in the night-time.

"After a while the farmers occasionally found the fattest and best of
their sheep dead or dying of wounds across the smaller part of the back
directly in the region of the kidneys. Nobody could tell how the wounds
were made, but it was evident that the mischief-makers were numerous, as
a good many sheep, always the finest of the flock, were killed. Finally,
one of the men employed about a sheep run ventured to suggest that it
must be done by the parrots. His suggestion was ridiculed so earnestly
that the man was sorry he had made it, but he gave as his reason for it
the fact that he had seen a parrot perched on the back of a sheep and
the bird flew away when he approached.

"Watchers were set over the sheep, and the suggestion of the man proved
to be the correct one. How the birds ever connected the existence of the
fat which they tore from the carcases on the meat frames with the
location of the same fat in the living animal, no one can tell, but
certain it is that they did so. It was found that a parrot bent on
securing a meal, would fasten his claws in the wool of the sheep, and
then with his powerful beak he would tear away the skin and flesh until
he reached the fat of which he was in search around the kidneys of the
struggling animal. It was impossible for the sheep to shake him off;
whether it ran or lay down and writhed in its agony, the bird retained
its hold until its object was accomplished."

"Of course this led to a war of extermination against the parrots, did
it not?"

"Certainly it did. As soon as the fact was well established the colonial
government offered a reward of one shilling for each parrot's head, and
the business of hunting these birds began at once. Formerly they used to
come freely into the presence of man, but now they shun him, and it is
very difficult to find them. They live in the forest, concealing
themselves in the daytime, and only coming out at night. In fact, their
depredations were committed in the night-time, and that is the reason
why their offences continued so l