VO igi IL ] Stray Feathers. ^3 



more particularly the Cacatuidce (Cockatoos). It has fallen to 

 the lot of a lady (Madame Marzella) to bring under the notice 

 of the public of the Commonwealth the capabilities and intelli- 

 gence of some of the species by an interesting entertainment 

 exhibiting a variety of acrobatic, amusing, and thinking " turns," 

 the White Cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) being the favourites. 

 The other Australian kinds exhibited were the Pink (C. lead- 

 bcateri), Rose-breasted (C. roseicapilld), and the Corella or Long- 

 billed Cockatoos (Licmetis nasicd). The following are some of 

 the acts performed : — Somersaulting, waltzing, spelling names 

 by picking out letters composing a name, rolling body round and 

 round, bicycling, and when a cannon is fired a bird " falls dead," 

 whilst two others put him in a hearse, where he lies " stiff." Two 

 others then act as horses, another as coachman, whilst another 

 acts as footman. All the birds seemed to be only too ready to 

 perform their allotted tasks. The White Cockatoo, however, 

 shows the most intelligence, and is stated to be less stubborn 

 when being " broken in." The Corella comes next, then the Java 

 Cockatoo, followed by the Macaws, which are credited with great 

 stubbornness. In first selecting the most intelligent birds, those 

 that are small and have the feathers closely fitted to their body 

 are chosen, large Cockatoos with loose feathers being rejected. 

 Birds of a nervous temperament make the best performers. The 

 White or Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is a nervous bird. Per- 

 forming birds are very subject to disease, especially diphtheria and 

 eye affections. Some of the smaller Parrots perform well, but, 

 being small, they are not readily seen by audiences, consequently 

 only large birds are used. The length of time taken to get a bird 

 to perform efficiently before an audience is from 6 months to 

 1 5 months for one trick. Undoubtedly it is reason which is the 

 factor that operates whilst the birds perform, for the simple 

 reason that they perform what they have been taught. — A. 

 MATTINGLEY. 



* * . # 



The Wedge-tailed Eagle in North Queensland.— On the 5 th 

 June I found an Eagle's (JJroa'ctus audax) nest containing two 

 eggs, which the old bird was loath to leave. By the platform 

 of the nest was the freshly killed, headless body of a White-fronted 

 Heron (Notophpyx novce -Holland ice) from which the legs and 

 wings had also been removed. It is probable that the male bird 

 feeds its sitting mate during incubation. This is more likely, as, 

 being winter time, the eggs would not bear exposure for any 

 lengthened time. This nest, I may state, is five days earlier 

 than the earliest record in " Nests and Eggs " (Campbell). The 

 stomach of the Heron was crammed with grasshoppers. In the 

 side of the Eagle's nest two Chestnut-eared Finches {Tcenippygia 

 castanotis) had built their own (a favourite resort of these Finches), 

 and were busy feeding their family of four or five naked squabs. 

 Doubtless the little birds felt secure beneath the notice of the 

 "kingly bird," whose proximity at the same time kept off prowling 

 Butcher-Birds and Crows. 



