3;j8 the feathered trihes. 



disproportiiinatc shortness and thickness of tlio lo\v(n', the cockatoos vie witl\ tlie more 

 gorgeous macaws, whicli thej^ also emulate in size, habits, and behaviour. The naked 

 space iu their cheeks is, however, reduced to a small circle surrounding each of the eyes ; 

 and their tail is short, and perfectly square at the extremit}'. 



Their most remarkable character consists in a tuft of elongated feathers, rising from 

 the back of the head, and capable of being raised or depressed at pleasure. By this 

 crest they are at once distiugiushed from all the other groups of the parrot family, -with 

 the exception of a New Holland genus, differing from the other coclcatoos in the greater 

 elevation and comjjarative shortness of its bill, the increased dilitatipn of its lower 

 inaudible, and several other characters of inferior moment. In the latter group, the 

 ground colour of nearly all the species is black ; while in the common cockatoos, it is 

 almost uniformly white. 



The species of this genus naturally arrange themselves into two subdivisions ; in the 

 one of which tlic crest assumes a rounded form, and fulls backward over the neck ; while 

 in the other it is lengthened iiito a point, folded together, and curved upw'ards. The 

 Rose-crested species belongs to the first subdivision. Its length is sixteen or eighteen 

 inches; and its plumage white, with an occasional tinge of rose. The crest is formed of 

 feathers for the most part of a bright orange-red beneath, and the inferior wing and 

 tail-coverts liave a shade of yellow. The bill is bluish-black, and the legs arc of a 

 leaden gray. 



The rose-crested cockatoo is a native of Sumatra and the j\Ioluccas. It is said to be 

 less intelligent than the rest of the group, and is particularly foud of making a noise and 

 assuming a variety of antic postures. 



THE C/RHATER srU'HrR-CRESTEI) COCKATOO.* 



Wc give tliis bird as an example of the second division of the genus P/yc/o/o/j/iH.s', or 

 that in Avhich the feathers are folded on themselves, curved up'wards, and elongated into a 

 sharp point. Tlie ground of its plumage is purely white, with a tinge of light yellow on 

 the crest, the inner barbs of the wing and lateral tail-feathers, and the inferior tail- 

 coverts. The iris is dusky-brown, and tlic bill and legs grayish-blacJi. In size, the bird 

 is somewhat less than the species last described, but the longer feathers of the crest 

 measure as much as seven inches in length. !Mr. Caley says : — " I have met with 

 this bird in large flocks at the conflux of the Grose and Kaukesberg rivers, and in the 

 long meadow near the Nepean river in New Holland. They are sliy, and not easily 

 aj^proached. I have heard from the natives that tliis bird maki-s its nest, in the rotten 

 limbs of trees, of nothing more than tlic vegetable mould formed by the deca3'cd parts of 

 the bougli ; that it has uo more that two young ones at a time; and tliat tlie eggs are 



Avhite without spots." 



, .. only seen . 



^..., . . „o an affinity to the larger pai..^^,^,, ^,Q(.j^^,j.Q(^ J, 

 iu another species, the PdttacHs Mallacceims of Lai. 



of its race, its extreme length being about six inc.--. thougli I'arcU- able to articulate 

 with the upper mandible cmarginate. The head and uaiisposiiion, and amusing ]i!il)its, 

 bounded by a black nuchal collar ; the neck and breast a ,,)„.,.^,,| p^,(.^ j, i^. j^^j,,,! .^^^^^ 

 back and upper tail coverts are deep azure blue. The taii, .,„(i t,,].^ (,.,j,^, ^^^ j, . ^_^^^^ 

 even, has the two intermediate feathers wholly green ; the re ^y|,], i,|,pu„i(y_ When 

 basal half vermilion-red, bounded by a bar of black, the tips-,,^ ,^ peculinr noise- at 

 and toes are grayish-black. The wings are long, and wlim dose ,j^.^.]^ 

 tail. 



• Microglosum .\tcrciinum. — Lisson. islutii.— \iiill 



