THE COCKATOOS. 153 



CHAP. LIV.— THE EOSEATE COCKATOO. 



Psittacus roseicapillus, Vll. 



Rose-crested Cockatoo, Rosy Cockatoo (Ger., Rosakakadu, Rosen- 

 rotlier Kakadu, rosafarhner Kakadu, rosafarhner Kakatu ; Fr., 

 Cacatois rosalbin, Cacatois rose; Dut., Rose Kakketoe) — 

 DistinguisJiing Marks — Habitat — As a Cage Bird. 



One of the commonest birds in the market, the Roseate 

 Cockatoo is also one of the greatest favourites. It is of a light 

 rose-colour on the forehead, top of the head, and crest ; the 

 reverse side of the crest feathers is of a dark rose-colour ; the 

 back of the head, throat, cheeks, and all the lower part of the 

 body dark rose-colour ; the back, shoulders, and wings are of 

 dark ashen-grey ; the hinder part of the back, the rump, and 

 the tail coverts, both upper and lower, are of greyish-white ; 

 the tips and the reverse side of the flight feathers blackish- 

 grey ; the tail is light-grey on the top, getting darker towards 

 the tip, and blackish-grey underneath ; the beak greyish white, 

 with a lighter point ; cere and nostrils covered with rose- 

 coloured feathers ; eyes dark brown, black, rose, or blood-red, and 

 a broad white circle round the eye ; the feet are ashen grey, 

 inclining to a brownish flesh-colour, with black scales and claws. 

 It is as large in size as a crow (length, 12in. to 12fin. ; 

 wings, 9|in. to lOJin. ; tail, 4|in. to oiin.). The female has 

 not yet been distinguished with certainty, for the marks pointed 

 out for the purpose are said to be unreliable. Its habitat is the 

 greater part of Australia, with the exception of the West, and 

 in the mountain ranges it is found more than 700ft. above the 

 sea. It was first described and named by Vieillot, in 1818. 

 Gould found it in large numbers in Namoy, to which place it is 

 not indigenous, but is said to have migrated there of late. This 

 traveller, and also Captains Sturt and Elsey, saw it in flocks of 

 from fifty to a hundred. They speak with enthusiasm of the 

 splendid sight afforded by the picturesque flight of numbers of 

 such birds. The young are very frequently stolen from the 

 nest and brought up by the natives, who then take them to 

 Sidney for sale. These travellers often saw them half tame 

 living in the yards of the settlers with the hens and pigeons. 

 Moreover, whole flocks of these cockatoos are caught in large 

 nets during the time of migration ; therefore it is one of the 

 commonest objects of the bird market. 



