136 THE SPEAKIXG PABROTS. 



information as to its capacity for speech, but, for aught that is 

 known, it may develop that talent well. "We have, however, 

 an example of its longevity, for a Miiller's Eclectus, in Halber- 

 stadt, attained the age of eighty-five years. 



CHAP. XLIV.— THE COCKATOOS. 



Genera — Natural History — Teinj^er — Talking Capacity — Impor- 

 tation — Managemen t. 



The Cockatoo is among the best known and, in a certain sense, 

 most favoured of the parrot tribe. The reminiscences of youthful 

 days of which I spoke on page 3 have special reference to the 

 Cockatoo. Cockatoos and Macaws have, indeed, been brought 

 to Europe from the most ancient times, and are among the most 

 characteristic of the beauties of tropical nature. The group, or 

 lesser family, of parrots which includes the Cockatoos consists of 

 the following genera : True Cockatoos {Fleet olopJnis, Vgrs.) ; 

 Long - tailed Cockatoos {Cahjpthorrlujnchus, Vrgs. et Hrsf.) ; 

 Macaw Cockatoos {Microglossus, Gffr.) ; Dwarf Cockatoos (Nasi- 

 terna, Wgl.) ; Cockatiel (Calhpsittacus, Lss,). However, only 

 three genera come within the limits of this work, for I must 

 omit the Long-tailed and Dwarf Cockatoos. 



The Cockatoos have in general the following distinctive 

 marks. Firstly, they are distinguished from all, or nearly all, 

 other parrots by their feather crest, which appears in all without 

 exception, but which is formed in various ways in the different 

 species. Next, they have the strongest beak of all parrots, well- 

 developed wings, and a short, straight tail, though in this last 

 respect the Long-tailed Cockatoos are an exception. 



They are natives of Australia and the islands of the Indian 

 Archipelago. They are more frequently to be found in small 

 woods than in the dense primeval forests. Being thoroughly 

 tree-birds, they climb cleverly and fly well, but walk awkwardly 

 on the ground. Their habits are similar to those of the Amazons 

 (see page 96j. Nearly all the various species live gregariously, 

 and only the largest singly or in couples ; sometimes they 

 assemble in extraordinarily large flocks, and then they raise a 



