THE COCKATOOS. 139 



desirable end there is no other way than going to a trustworthy- 

 dealer and asking him for one which he knows for certain to be 

 capable and tame. It is hardly possible in this case for any 

 mistake to arise, for the experienced dealer knows each bird 

 perfectly. But of course one must not hesitate as to price, all 

 the less because the bird may prove a means of delight to. its 

 owner for years to come. If my advice were followed, it would 

 not be loDg before amateur bird fanciers would choose the 

 much more beautiful and engaging Cockatoo as a companion, 

 rather than an Amazon or any other of the speaking kinds." 



Dr. Lazarus, on the other hand, does not speak very favour- 

 ably of cockatoos, for he writes : " An amateur who for any 

 length of time has had an opportunity of keeping and becoming 

 acquainted with the veritable talking birds — i. e., Amazons and 

 Grey Parrots — will find some difficulty in maintaining his pre- 

 ference for Cockatoos. Every bird of the last named family 

 must in the end become wearisome, owing to its want of 

 speaking powers ; whereas the larger species, the Eed-crested and 

 Lead beater's Cockatoo, which certainly display an interesting 

 and attractive manner, render themselves altogether unbearable 

 in a room by their ear-piercing cries, which very few of them 

 ever entirely leave off. In spite of many who speak enthusi- 

 astically of Cockatoos as cage birds, I on this account 

 emphatically recommend that they should be kept only in large 

 parks or spacious courts, or at least in anterooms, where they can- 

 not greatly annoy either their owners or the neighbourhood by 

 their screaming. I am convinced that by far the greater 

 number of amateurs who have had the opportunity of being 

 acquainted with the habits of Cockatoos would agree in my 

 opinion." 



Mr. A. E. Brehm, however, speaking of the highly gifted 

 intellect of the Cockatoo, says that it can put several words 

 together so as to make sense, and apply whole sentences to 

 suitable occasions ; and that it is impossible not to recognise in 

 it a high degree of understanding. 



From other descriptions, especially those of Mr. Fiedler, 

 University bookseller, of Agram, and Mr. A. E. Blaauw, of 

 Amsterdam, as well as from my own experience, I find that the 

 Cockatoo is certainly much more highly gifted than many other 

 parrots, but, as regards speaking, assuredly not in the same 

 degree as the Grey Parrot, and the more notable speakers among 

 the Amazons. There are Cockatoos which learn to speak 



