INSESSORES. 85 



while engaged in procuring food, and it was not an unusual cir- 

 cumstance to see hundreds together on the dead branches of 

 the gum-trees in the neighbourhood of water, a plentiful sup- 

 ply of which would appear to be essential to their existence. 



The flight of the Cockatoo-Parrakeet is even and easy, and 

 is capable of being long protracted. When it rises from the 

 ground it flies up into the nearest tree, almost invariably 

 selecting a dead branch, upon which it frequently perches 

 lengthwise. It is by no means a shy bird ; and from the 

 circumstance of its being excellent eating, many are killed for 

 this purpose by persons leading a bush life. 



It breeds in the holes of gum and other trees growing in the 

 neighbourhood of water. The eggs are white, five or six in 

 number, one inch long by three quarters of an inch broad. 



Considerable difference exists in the plumage of the sexes, 

 the tail-feathers of the male being entirely destitute of the 

 transverse bars which adorn those of the other sex. 



The male has the forehead, crest and cheeks lemon yellow ; 

 ear-coverts rich reddish orange ; back of the neck, two centre 

 tail-feathers, and the external margins of the primaries 

 brownish grey ; back, shoulders, all the under surface and 

 outer tail-feathers greyish chocolate brown, the shoulders and 

 flanks being the darkest ; a white mark extends from the 

 shoulders lengthwise down the centre of the wing ; irides dark 

 brown ; bill bluish lead-colour, light on the under side of the 

 lower mandible ; legs and feet bluish grey. 



The female differs from the male in the colour of the face 

 and crest being of a dull olive yellow, the latter becoming still 

 darker at its extremity ; in having the throat greyish brown, 

 and the back lighter than in the male ; the lower part of the 

 abdomen, upper tail-coverts, yellow ; four middle tail-feathers 

 grey, the remainder yellow, the whole transversely and irregu- 

 larly barred with lines of brown, with the exception of the 

 outer web of the outer feather on each side, which is pure 

 vellow. 



