PARROTS. 5 1 



up with its beak, at least, so we imagine, as the bill is often found covered with earth, and, indeed, we 

 can well believe that so remarkable an instrument may be employed for this purpose. According to 

 some naturalists it sucks nectar, although its tongue does not, like that of the Lory, end in a tuft, but 

 has only a nail-like horny plate at the tip, closely resembling the nail upon a human finger. The 

 hard nuts that other parrots enjoy are avoided by the Nestor, whose beak is not strong enough to 

 break the shell. Gould saw one of these birds in the possession of Major Andrews, in Sydney; it 

 was a cheerful, lively companion, and seemed fully inclined to attract the attention of strangers. Its 

 habits differed considerably from those of other parrots, and its owner did not keep it in a cage, but 

 allowed it to fly about the entrance-hall. We are told of another tame Nestor that it had a great 

 fondness for green food, and would pick the leaves of lettuce and other juicy plants. The voice of 

 this bird has a harsh, quavering, snarling sound, much reminding us of the barking of a dog. As 

 regards its propagation, we only know that it is said to lay four eggs in some hole in a tree. 



THE EAGLE COCKATOO. 

 The Eagle Cockatoo (Dasyptilus Peqaetii) belongs to the same division as the last- 

 named species, and is remarkable for its shape and plumage, reminding us, in some respects, of 

 the birds of prey. Nothing positive can be said as to its native land ; Gould tells us that it lives 

 on the island of Formosa, where no other parrots are known, but it would rather appear to be an 

 inhabitant of New Guinea or Salawatti ; indeed, Rosenberg speaks decidedly as to the first-named 

 island being its home. The Eagle Cockatoo is about twenty inches long, ten of which are included 

 in the tail ; the wings are ten and a half inches in length. This species is recognised by its beak, 

 the upper portion of which does not rise so high above the lower mandible as in the Nestor ; and 

 by the plumage of the head, consisting of a few stiff bristles and slender upright feathers, with very 

 stiff hard shafts. The cheeks and cheek-stripes appear almost bare, the wings and tail are shaped 

 like those of the last-mentioned bird, though the tail is somewhat longer and more rounded. The 

 plumage is of a brilliant black, shading into grey on the throat, head, and breast, the feathers on 

 these parts being sprinkled with pale brown. The wing-covers along the carpus, the first wing-covers 

 of the secondary quills, the under wing-covers, the five first feathers of the secondary quills on their 

 outer web, the feathers of the axilla, belly, and rump, are of a beautiful scarlet, which is somewhat 

 darker on the under tail-covers ; the upper tail-covers are edged with dark red, the beak is black, 

 and the feet dark brown. Notwithstanding the extreme rarity of this creature, we have been able 

 to take our description from a living bird which was for some time in the Earl of Derby's celebrated 

 collection. 



In New Guinea and the neighbouring islands, viz., Salawatti, Misool, and Waigui, we find several 

 kinds of parrots that are included among the Cockatoos, although their resemblance to these birds is 

 merely superficial. These are the Long-billed Parrots (Microglossia) of Le Vaillant — very large 

 birds of a dark colour. Their resemblance to the Cockatoos consists principally in their short square 

 tail, and the plume upon the head, although the latter is of quite a different shape to that of the 

 true Cockatoo. Their naked cheeks, and enormous upper mandible, remind us of the Araras. The 

 shape of the tongue is quite peculiar ; this organ is of medium length, fleshy, but no broader than it 

 is thick, the upper surface is hollow and flattened at the tip ; this strangely-shaped tongue can be 

 protruded, and employed as a spoon to convey food into the mouth, the edges being very flexible, 

 and capable of being bent towards each other. The other distinguishing characteristics of the 

 Long-billed Parrots are the naked tarsi (which are bare as far as the heel-joints) and die short flat 

 soles of the feet. 



