

SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO.— C'«ca(iia gahHta. 



When I saw it, tlie plumage was in very fine order, and the crest with its double fan 

 of bright yeUow feathers had a remarkably fine effect as the bird ruflled up its plumage, 

 erected the crest, and began bowing and crying " Pretty Cocky ! " in a veiy excited state 

 of mind. 



Although its beak is so powerful, it can climb up the hands or ftice of any one whom 

 it knows without doing any damage, wliereas another Cockatoo of my acquaintance once 

 inflicted unwitting but painful damage on my finger, as it lowered itself from my hand to 

 its perch. I suppose that the bird found the substance of the finger yielding under the 

 pressure of its beak, and fearful lest it should fall, grijjped the finger in hope of saving 

 itself, thereby inflicting a rather severe wound, and bruising the surrounding parts to such 

 an extent that the whole finger swelled greatly, and for nearly a week could not be used. 



The Cockatoo seems to com-t notice even more than the parrot, and will employ 

 various ingenious manceuvres in order to attract attention to its jicrfections. They are 

 mostly gpod-tcmpered birds, seldom trying to bite unless they have been teased, and even 

 in that case they generally give fair notice of their belligerent intentions by yelling 

 loudly with anger, and spreading their yellow crests in defiance of their enemy. 



