THK



Hxucultural /Hba^a3ine t


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICU LTURAL SOCIETY.



VOL. VIII. —NO. 5. All rights reserved. MARCH, 1902.



THE GREATER SULPHUR - CRESTED COCKATOO.


( Cacatua galerita).


By the Hon. and Rev. Canon Dutton.


With Notes by Sir C. Lawes.


This bird is one of the commonest parrots in the market,

and can therefore be bought at times at as low a price as 25/- the

pair. Its hardiness enables it to be imported in great numbers;

but there is not the traffic in these birds that there is in Grey

Parrots. And this is because, in spite of its snowy beauty, it is

not nearly so clever a bird (a).


I have had no great experience of them myself, because

they are too noisy and mischievous for pets for the house: the

most attractive that I have come across were noisy ( 6 ). I have

not myself seen or known of one that was a good talker. And I

have been told that they are uncertain in temper (c ); but I

rather incline to think this a libel, and that tlley r are always

affectionate with those they are fond of. They are better suited

for aviaries than for cages. Of all parrots they are the least

sensitive to cold. In fact Mr. Buxton, in his interesting paper

on the parrots he kept at Northrepps, found this insensibility a

positive disadvantage. The Grey Parrots would come in for

shelter in severe weather, he tells us, and the Cockatoos would

not and consequently got their toes frost bitten.


Perhaps the best commentary on the suitability of the

Lemon-crested Cockatoo as a cage-pet would be a visit to the

room downstairs in the Crystal Palace devoted to parrots. The



(a) . At talking certainly, but all round much cleverer.


(b) . All this noisiness is from stupid handling—easily knocked quiet.


( c ) . Bad handling! All Australian birds have nice dispositions. The

males are apt to bite, but not from spite, and a quick blow with the other

hand soon teaches them. The Small Island Cockatoos are very spiteful.



