1^6 Macgillivray, Notes on Some N . Queensland Birds. [isf"t"„ 



again inspected on the ist September, when it was found to be aboiit 

 half-grown, with all its feathers encased in sheaths from i to 2 inches 

 in length, giving it the appearance of a porcupine. This young bird 

 was taken from the nest on the i8th September, 191 1. The feathers 

 were then just breaking out of their sheaths, half of them being clear ; 

 cheeks white, with a faint yellowish tint. On the ist October the 

 feathers were almost free of sheathing, of a beautiful glossy black, 

 breast and abdomen barred, and cheeks beginning to assume a 

 pinkish tinge. 



Another young bird was first found in its hollow on the 13th August, 

 191 1 ; it was then about 10 days old. On the 2nd of September it 

 was a little larger than the other bird when inspected on the ist, and 

 the feathers were a little longer, but still encased in sheaths. This 

 bird was taken from the nest on the ist October, when it was nearly 

 fully fledged, and in Mr. M'Lennan's opinion would have left the nest 

 in about another 10 or 12 days The feathers were black, without 

 gloss ; lower breast barred with yellowish ; abdomen and a few feathers 

 under the wing barred with narrow bars of sulphur-yellow, two or 

 three bars to each feather ; cheeks pinkish-red ; upper mandible, basal 

 half blackish-brown, terminal half whitish ; lower mandible whitish, 

 with brown streaks at the base ; legs and feet greyish-black. Both 

 birds did well on crushed boiled maize. These two birds were reared 

 until May on crushed corn and wheat, when they took it whole ; 

 they were very fond of peanuts. They were sent aw?y to Sydney 

 in perfect health, and arrived safely, but one sickened and died not 

 long after its arrival ; the other is still alive and well, in the possession 

 of Dr. D'Ombrain, who has made many interesting notes on the 

 manners of his pet. 



On several occasions parties of from five to seven of these birds 

 were noted at play in a big tea or other tree in an open pocket, going 

 through a whole series of evolutions and antics. Sometimes a pair 

 would take up a position on a spout, and the others would all try to 

 displace them by flying at them from all sides, and this would often 

 be kept up for more than half an hour. 



Tn the open forest these birds were found to feed principally upon 

 the very hard nut or stone of the nonda plum or weeba-tree, and in 

 the scrub on another very hard nut which had no local name. 



Calyptorhynchus macrorhynchus. Great-billed Cockatoo. — A black 

 Cockatoo frequently noted on the Gulf rivers seems to be referable 

 to this species. The iris is dark brown, bill dull leaden colour, legs 

 black. The gizzard contained seeds. 



Cacatua queenslandica. Little White Cockatoo.— This bird was 

 also fairly common on the Gulf rivers. One nest was examined on 

 the Leichhai'dt River on i8th June, 1910, and found to contain two 

 newly-hatched young. At Cape York this species is also common, 

 nesting in the early spring months in trees growing in the open 

 pockets. The earliest record of a nest containing eggs was on the 

 9th August, 191 1. This nest was in a hollow in a Moreton Bay ash 

 in which a pair of Owls (A^". peninsiilaris) had reared a brood in the 

 previous season. In all, about thirty nests were noted in 

 August and the early part of September. One note, made on the 

 7th September, 191 1, gives an idea of the difficulties the birds 

 have to contend with in rearing their young : — " Had a look at nest 

 of White Cockatoo that contained one egg on 27th August. The 

 egg was still there, so also was an 8 -foot carpet snake. The Cockatoo 



