THE COCKATOOS. 169 
are grain-eaters, very easy to keep, and many are im- 
ported into Calcutta, where they are usually chained or 
caged. An aviary would have to be very strong to hold 
them, as they have most powerful beaks, which they are 
always burning to use. As, therefore, they are rather 
out of the scope of the present work, I shall confine my 
remarks to the only small and long-tailed’ member of the 
family which bears much the same relation to the big 
Cockatoos as the Parakeets do to the big short-tailed 
Parrots. 
THE CockatTiEL (Nymphicus nove-hollandie).* The 
general shape, size and colours of this bird may be gathered 
from the figure (Fig. 2) on Plate VII. The spot on the 
cheek is bright orange-red, and is present in both sexes. 
But the female differs from the male, which is the sex 
figured, in having the rest of the head olive instead of 
yellow, and in having the side feathers of the tail barred 
with black and yellow, instead of plain black as in the 
cock. She is thus very easily distinguishable, and the 
young of both sexes resemble her at first. 
The form of the Cockatiel is particularly slender and 
graceful, and this is well shown by its very close and neat- 
looking plumage. It is, as might be expected from its 
long wings, a strong and graceful flier, and more active 
on the ground than most Parrots, being a ground-feeder in 
its native country, Australia. There it is often called the 
’’ on account of the red patch on the cheeks, like 
a clown’s decorations. The name ‘‘Joey’’ is also 
applied to the Rosella, presumably because, like the 
Biblical Joseph, it has a coat of many colours. 
““Joey 
