PARROTS. 



53 



take the young birds from the nest, and, when they have reared them, sell them to traders. In 

 captivity they seem to prefer the fruit of the canary tree, the hard shell of which they manage to 

 crack with the utmost facility. One of these so-called Cockatoos, belonging to a resident in 

 Amboyna, was in the habit of flying about all over the town, but always returned home at the proper 

 time to take its meals and to sleep." Von Marten saw a tame parrot of this kind at Mahai. " The 



THE RAVEN COCKATOO {Cahptorhynchus BanksiP). 



Black Cockatoo," he observes, " when perched stiffly with its tail erect, red face, and powerful beak, 

 has the air of an old general, and, owing to its extreme ugliness, makes a forcible impression on all 

 who see it. It is quiet and slow in its movements, but allows strangers to approach, and utters from 

 time to time a disagreeable, harsh, guttural shriek." 



According to Rosenberg, the Large-beaked Parrot is often seen at Amboyna, where it may be 

 bought for about twenty or twenty-five shillings : in Europe these remarkable birds are amongst the 

 greatest curiosities in our collections. Unlike all other parrots with which we are acquainted, the 

 Casmalos uses its peculiarly-formed tongue in a strange manner ; taking its food with its foot, it carries 

 the morsel to its beak, tears it up, and presses the end of the tongue, which is provided with a 



