19 



Calyptorhynchus xanthonotns witli a yellow-banded tail, and a variety 



with a red-banded tail, the plumage of both being a bright shiny black." 



There are seven species of Calyptorhynchus mentioned in the British 

 Museum Catalogue besides the Great Rlack Cockatoo, which is put ill a 

 separate genus. 



"These birds are not nearly so abundant as the white kind, and do 

 not go in large flocks. It is rare to see more than twenty or thirty together ; 

 but occasionally they assemble in flocks of a few hundreds, I think for the 

 purpose of migration. Both kinds of those Cockatoos called slender-bills 

 {Licmelis nasica and L. pastinalor) are found in the Swan River district in 

 considerable numbers, and are still more abundant in the Champion River 

 locality and further north. The beautiful pink Cacatua leadbeateri is 

 occasionally seen in the inland parts of the Swan River districts, and has 

 been shot near Perth, while the still handsomer C. rosecicapil/a, with the 

 brilliant rose-coloured breast and gray back and wings is abundant enough, 

 especially about Champion Bay and Gascoigne River." 



It seems odd to describe the common and despised Roseate Cockatoo 

 as being ' still handsomer ' than the lovely Leadbeater — but there is no 

 accounting for taste. 



"A kind of crested parrokeet, the Cockatiel {Calopsitlacus nova- 

 hoUandice) with plumage of grey and yellow and white markings on the 

 head and wings, is found in many localities, and is a great favourite with 

 the colonists on account of its gentle ways and pleasing tricks; and this 

 parrot and the rose-crested cockatoo are two of the birds most frequently 

 kept in their houses as pets. The cockatiel frequently manifests great 

 affection for its master; and has been known to pine to death when the 

 hand which used to feed it has been suddenly removed by death." 



"In its habits the Rosella greatly resembles the grass parrokeets, 

 and is quite as often seen on the ground as in the trees, and is not infre- 

 quently seen perched on the back of cattle, when it evidently searches for 

 the parasites which infest the hides of the animals. For this parrot is 

 nearly carnivorous, and will eat animal food as freely as it does grain. 

 The fanners say it does much mischief to their corn crops; but I have 

 proved conclusively that it is not grain only that attracts to ground that is 

 under cultivation. It preys largely on the larvae of insects of the grass- 

 hopper kind, which also prefer to haunt cultivated ground probably on 

 account of its looseness. The farmers are therefore in error in destroying 

 this bird, which they do without mercy. Many are caught in traps bated 

 with meat, which they eat eagerly, and in confiuinent will take in preference 

 to any other kind of food. The bird goes in flocks of considerable size in 

 districts where it has not been persecuted. I have seen perhaps four or five 

 hundred together ; but when feeding the flocks scatter very much, as all 

 ground-feeding Australian parrots do." H. R. F. 



