THE COCKATOOS. 161 



CHAP. LX.— THE COCKATIEL. 

 Psittacus Nov£e-Hollandis8, Gml. 



Crested Ground Parraheet, Crested Grass Parrakeet, Cockatoo 

 Parrakeet, Coccatile, Coccateel, Joey (Ger., Nymfensittich, 

 Nymfenlcakadu, hlos Nymfe, Korella, Kahadille, Falkenkakadu, 

 Keilschwanzkakadu, Neuholldndischer Keilschivanzkakatu ; Fr., 

 Callopsitte, Perruche callopsitte, Nymphique; Dut., Wigstaart' 

 Kakketoe of Kakatilje) — Description. 



As a common object of the bird market, the Cockatiel could 

 hardly present any interest to the reader but that it has 

 lately been observed that some of them learn to speak a 

 few words. It is a pretty but odd-looking bird, and is of value 

 to the fancier because it is peaceable in the aviary and breeds 

 without difficulty. Otherwise it is extremely stupid, and may 

 become wearisome by reason of its continued monotonous cry. 



The Cockatiel was described and named by Gmelin in the 

 year 1788. The male bird is of a bright light-yellow on 

 the crest, front of the head, lores, cheeks, chin feathers, and 

 upper part of the throat ; near the ear there is a yellowish-red 

 spot ; the upper part of the body is of a brownish ashen-grey ; 

 the hinder part of the back and the upper coverts of the tail are 

 light ashen.grey ; the wings blackish-grey, with very broad 

 white longitudinal stripes, underneath brownish - grey ; the 

 central feathers of the tail light-grey, the rest dark-grey, 

 underneath all black ; all the under parts of the body 

 lighter than the upper, a pale brownish ashen-grey ; the 

 under coverts of the tail a lighter and purer grey (the shading of 

 the plumage varies from almost pure ashen-grey to an olive- 

 greenish grey-brown) ; the beak horn-grey, brown at the base, 

 the cere grey ; eyes dark-brown ; grey circle round the eyes ; 

 feet light ashen-grey ; claws black. The female has a small 

 yellow spot on the forehead ; the top of the head and the crest 

 greyish-yellow ; front part of the cheeks ashen-grey ; a dark 

 orange-yellow spot at the ear ; chin feathers greyish-yellow ; 

 the hinder part of the back and the rump ashen-grey, finely 

 veined with yellow ; all the rest of the upper part of the body 

 a brownish ashen-grey ; the broad longitudinal stripes on th© 

 wings are not pure white, but yellowish ; the upper coverts of 

 the tail are grey, veined with yellow ; the under parts of the 

 body are wholly of a lighter pale yellowish-grey; the tail 



M 



