Proceedings. 95 



came; I fired, and fetched down my bird; but my companion, 

 not being aware that the pair had come back, on hearing my 

 shot, put down his gun, and thus missed getting a shot at the 

 second bird. From the ground to the nest, about sixty feet, 

 there was not a branch, and so we were unable to get the 



The Lemon-crested White Cockatoo frequents the Stringy- 

 bark ranges during the breeding season only. The same pair 

 will use the old nest year after year. This bird will travel a 

 great distance after food, which usually consists of grass- 

 seeds, or, better still, the farmer's Wheat, coming home to 

 the nest usually just before dusk. As far as I could judge, 

 very few trips are made in a day. While talking about these 

 Cockatoos, I may mention that, except during the breeding 

 season, they travel about in flocks, choosing, as a rule, open 

 country. A suitable feeding ground being found, one is posted 

 as sentinel, while the rest (about fifty) feed in peace. From 

 this wise policy it is next to impossible to get a shot at them 

 in open country. I have spent hours and hours in their vain 

 pursuit on several consecutive days. Another habit of this 

 strange bird is to fly over any intruder at intervals at a great 

 height in the air, each member of the mob screeching at the 

 top of his voice. On one occasion, while camping on the 

 banks of the Biver Murray, we happened to have taken up 

 our abode near some cliffs, say, 100 ft. high ; these rocks 

 were a safe citadel for the "Cockles"; they mustered about 

 150 strong ; every now and then, after due noisy discussion, 

 a batch of fifty would fly over us in the manner mentioned 

 above. The snowy whiteness of their plumage when in 

 nature almost rivals fresh-driven snow. For quite a long 

 period after going to roost these birds rub, munch, or crunch 

 their two mandibles together ; the united sound of a large 

 mob at roost reminds one of running water ; no doubt this 

 habit is due to the necessity of keej)iug their bills sharp and 

 not too long. In the ranges already mentioned are found 

 Eosellas [Plati/cerciis AdelaidcBi), one of the favourite cage- 

 birds of the colony, being easily taught to speak or whistle a 

 tune. The male, when mature, puts on a handsome coat of 



