96 CAI,OPSITTACIN\«. 



Adult female. — Rfro'inhh'S t/ir mil", hut is ihdlfr in iiIhuki'I'' ■ Juml mid crisi brmrii ii-imlicil 

 iritli yel.hur, e.iXfid on tlw apical jtorf urn of tin- latter : i nr-conrf^ duU uriiiii/i-yi d ; luiri'r Imrk, miiip, 

 find upper tnil-coverts grei/, icit/i narroii' traiisri'ry yilhunlsli-irhile liaiuh ; cfn/rnl /lair nf tail- 

 ffiillip.rs similiu', biU llie rross hands moi'e irregular and almost jnire ivlnte, the mji pair on eitlier 

 side hiackisli-broivn n-aslird n-ith iji'cij on fln^'ir milrr n-i hs nitd crossed n-illi irreynUir, liroh'i'n, ip Ihin-isli. 

 baiitls, the yelloiv increasini/ in extent lou-ards the outirniosl feat/nr on eit/ier si'/e, wliichluis the outer 

 n'rb yelloiv and tin- inner one bamled and freckled inth block, except at tin' lip ; tin' inner irebs ofqiiitis 

 n'ith four or lire iiellDn-iiilnn-hite spots or liars, smaller on the miler mns : loirer porlian oj tlie abdomen 

 dnil i/rei/is/i-broirn crossed ndlli i/elloirish bars, f/n under Ind-cm-irls dislincth/ dnrher, especialli/ mi 

 tJie longer ones, and iritli siniilnr i/ellon-ish crnssbars. 



Disfrdintion. — North-western Australia, Northern Territory of South Australia, Queensland, 

 New South Wales, X'ictoria, South Australia, Central Australia, Western Australia. 



/"I^IIE well-l'inown Cockatoo, or New Holland I'arrakeet, the "Cockateel" of aviculturists, 

 _L and the "(Uiarrion" of country residents, is distributed u\er the greater portion of the 

 Australian continent, and is an inhabitant at one season or another of all the States. It is 

 needless to recapitulate here the numerous collectors, or observers, who have recorded it in 

 different parts of the continent, but with the exception of North-eastern (Queensland, the sea- 

 board of New South Wales and South-eastern N'ictoria, it occurs nearly everywhere. 



I met with this species on the Namoi River in considerable numbers in November, i8c^6, 

 and on the Mehi and Gwydir Rivers in November, 1897, and many were obtained when 

 coming to drink, for they are nearly always to be found in the vicinity of water. At Coonamble, 

 and Woodside, sixteen miles t" the north, near the Castlereagh River, they were again comnion 

 in November, 1905, and although nesting at the time small tloclcs could always be found feasting 

 on the wheat when stacked, usually upriglit in sheaves, and many birds were shot therefrom. 

 Ample opportunities were aflorded of watching the male relieve the female in the duties of 

 incubation by a pair of birds breeding in a large hollow spout of a Gum tree close to the verandah, 

 both birds after they had fed and had drunk at a tank close by returned to the tree, one entering 

 the hollow and the other sitting on the tree enlivening its mate with its low but almost incessant 

 warbling note. They are in great request as cage birds, many being exported annually to 

 Europe and elsewhere. If procured young they soon become proficient whistlers and talkers, 

 and they breed freely in an aviary if provided with the means of doing so — a hollow log. In 

 Western Australia Mr. Carter records them breeding from |uly to September ; in Eastern 

 Australia it is usually a month or more later, although I have noted young birds exposed for 

 sale in the streets of Sydney, recently taken from their nesting-place, on the ist July. On the 

 yth August, 1909, I saw young Ca(atna roscicapillii, Calopsdtacn^ novir-liollandiir and I'latyccrciis 

 cximius in a basket being offered for sale at the Australian Museum gates. Young Cockatoo- 

 Parrakeets, recently taken from their nesting-places, were also common in the Sydney Markets 

 during March, 191 1. They bear confinement remarkably well, and soon become apt whistlers. 

 One of these birds left in our possession for some time would whistle in a continuous strain for ten 

 or more minutes. When first we beard it, we thought it proceeded from some boy in the street, 

 but found afterwards that he used to hear his mistress sing about the house, and he imitated her 

 notes. During the time the melody lasted it would be accompanied with a swaying of the body 

 and turning of the head. .\t other times he would for an hour together utter his monotonous 

 "wood-notes wild," until we placed a mirror before him, when not a sound would be heard from him. 



To Central and Southern New South Wales it is usually a migratory species, arriving in 

 August or September, remaining to breed, and departing again about February. The time of 

 its appearance is, however, greatly regulated by the season : altera period of drougiit it has been 

 known to breed in May and June. 



