THE ROSE COCKATOO, 



4 



(^ HE Rose Cockatoo, as may be 

 seen, is a remarkably hand- 

 some bird. The species is 

 gregarious, and they are very 

 numerous in South Australia, where 

 they frequent woods and feed on seeds, 

 fruits, and larvae of insects. Their 

 note is harsh and unmusical. The 

 young ones tame readily and some 

 species show remarkable intelligence. 

 They associate in flocks of from one 

 hundred to one thousand and do great 

 damage to newly planted grain, for 

 which reason they are mercilessly 

 destroyed by farmers. Two eggs only, 

 of a pure white color, are laid in the 

 holes of decayed trees or in the fissures 

 of rocks, according to the nature of 

 the locality in which they live. 



This is a rather large bird, equalling 

 a common fowl in dimensions, and 

 assuming a much larger form when it 

 ruffles up its feathers while under the 

 influence of anger. Many of these 

 birds are fine talkers, and their voice 

 is peculiarly full and loud. 



An authentic anecdote is told of a 

 Cockatoo which was quite celebrated 

 for its powers of conversation ; but as 

 he was moulting at the time, his voice 

 was temporarily silenced, and he sat in 

 a very disconsolate manner on his 

 perch, looking as if he had fallen into 

 a puddle and not had time to arrange his 

 plumage. All the breast and fore-parts 

 of the body were quite bare of feathers 

 and even the beautiful crest had a 

 sodden and woe-begone look. By dint, 

 however, of talking to the bird and 

 rubbing his head, he was induced to 



say a few words, which were given in 

 a voice as full and rounded as that of 

 a strong voiced man accustomed to 

 talk to deaf people. Presently the 

 spectators were startled with a deafen- 

 ing laugh, not unlike that of the 

 hyena, but even louder and more weird- 

 like. On turning around, they saw 

 the Cockatoo suddenly transformed 

 into a totally different bird, his whole 

 frame literally blazing with excite- 

 ment, his crest flung forward to the 

 fullest extent, and repeatedly spread 

 and closed like the fan of an angry 

 Spanish lady, every feather standing 

 on end and his eyes sparkling with 

 fury while he volleyed forth the 

 sounds which had so startled them. 

 The cause of this excitement was the 

 presence of two children who had come 

 to look at the bird, and whom he 

 recognized as having formerly excited 

 his ire. He always objected to chil- 

 dren, and being naturally irritable from 

 the effect of moulting his temper 

 became uncontrollable. 



The Cockatoo is not gifted with 

 the wonderful imitating powers of the 

 true Parrot, and on account of its deaf- 

 ening cries is not an agreeable inhab- 

 itant of the house. It is in a state of 

 nature that the birds are most inter- 

 esting. They are not shy or wary, are 

 very vociferous, and, like the common 

 Parrots, rise up in bodies toward sunset 

 and fly two-and-two to their resting 

 places. It is a superb sight to see 

 thousands of these beautiful creatures 

 flying overhead, low enough to permit 

 a full view of their feathered mantles. 



30 



