ACROSS THE PLAINS 



177 



branches. One tree was in the possession of seven 

 pairs of birds, and had another hollow been available 

 it would surely have been used by an eighth couple. 

 In the majority of cases, the Cockatoos' nests contained 

 young birds, grotesque little objects, naked or with 



YOUNG COCKATOO - PARROT 



sprouting feathers. A nest of the Yellow Parrot 

 [Platycercus flaveolus] contained four eggs. This 

 splendid bird is rather rare in the district. Several 

 pairs of Cockatoo-Parrots [Calopsitta novse-hollandise] 

 were observed, and a nest was discovered, but it was 

 in an inaccessible position within the "mouth" of a 

 hollow stem, high above the water. Through the 

 glasses I watched the birds feeding their offspring. 



