NESTS AND EGGS QF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. O13 



The lii-sL uggs of Lho Biood-sUiiued Cockatoo that reached my 

 collection were taken in the interior, 1864, by Mr. A. A. DOmbrain. 



Mr. Herbert Kenny, while at Cooper's Creek, wrote me : " At times 

 the Blood-stained Cockatoos are to be seen in immense flocks. In the 

 season you may see the blacks bringing home then- dilly bags full of 

 eggs and young ones of all sizes, from those just out of the shell to 

 fiilly-iledgcd ones." Mr. Kenny sent me a set of eggs with the 

 following interesting data : — " Eggs of Blood-stained Cockatoo taken 

 from giim-trce in lunamincka water-hole. Cooper's Creek, within a few 

 yards of spot where Burke, the explorer, perished. ±he nest contained 

 four eggs, which varied in size. Taken 17th August, 1890. Saw 

 blacks with eggs latter end of July." 



Far north Blood-stained Cockatoos resort to the holes of the cooli- 

 bar, or flooded box ^a species of eucalypt), the principal tree in the 

 district. After a certain age the young are left during the day, and 

 are fed at evening, when the congi-egation of birds returns from the 

 plains. The young ai-e then fed in the usual Cockatoo manner, by 

 the parent birds pumiiiug half-digested food from their crops into 

 the yoimg ones mouths. 



Here follows Mr. Price Fletcher's most giapliic description of the 

 Blood-stained Cockatoo at home, written for " ihe Queenslander," 

 (1878): — "These Lesser Corellas are useful as water finders, as stated 

 in my previous paper on water-finding birds. I have a particular 

 affection for them, as I once found a large hole and a fine f)iece of 

 country through them. I was travelling up a creek in what was then 

 unknown land ; it is some years ago now, and the scene I am about 

 describing has vanished before those more utilitarian occupants, sheep 

 and cattle. The season was diy, there had been no winter rains, and 

 I was hunting for water. I had followed up the creek until I thought 

 I was at the last water, and had camped; the creek here split into 

 two feeders, both had heavy timber on, and ought to have had water, 

 yet I had followed one branch for some seven miles, and had to return 

 without finding any ; the creek got diier and drier, more stony and 

 less hkely to hold. I was dispirited, for the other branch I had also 

 gone up three miles, and it seemed of the same character ; and my 

 horses being tired, and night closing in, I had retunled to my present 

 camp. It was at a wretched little dirty puddle, and, not having found 

 any water for many miles down the creek, as well, I had detennined 

 to give up fm-ther search ; when just at siuidown a very large flock 

 of these Corellas came flying by me and up the creek, and to my 

 suii^rise went along the veiy branch I had travelled up so far. 

 Knowing so well the habits of these birds, and that they rejoiced in 

 making a ' camp ' or roosting place at the top-water of a creek, I was 

 delighted, for I knew that at this time of day they were not going 

 on to the plains to feed, but must be going to water and to roost. 

 Intently and anxiously I watched that flock ; I am sure I kept sight 

 of them for five miles — not, indeed, really, but in this way : the sun 

 was just setting, and the beautiful snow-white of their plumage, as 

 they twisted and twirled in their fhght, caught these setting rays and 

 reflected the hght like a flash from a moving mirror, and I kept 



