1526 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



CAPE GANNET 



Although birds of strong flight, none of the Gannets can rise from the ground. They are helpless on land 



unless they can project themselves from some elevation. 



the most important. To native Australians, the 

 bird is known as the "frog-mouthed owl," a 

 term which, like many colloquial names, is sin- 

 gularly apt. The bird's exact position in sys- 

 tematic zoology is still a matter of some doubt, 

 but by most authorities it is considered to be 

 related closely to the goatsuckers and the gua- 

 charo or oil-bird, and more distantly to the owls. 



In appearance, the frogmouth is a huge night- 

 hawk, the cavernous gape being armed with a 

 strong, horny beak. Appetite and capacity are 

 well co-ordinated, for this weird creature is able 

 to bolt mice and sparrows in numbers that 

 would discourage any other bird of similar size. 



Outside a few groups, white birds are scarce; 

 consequently, the white goshawk, {Leucospisa 

 novae-hollandiae) , is of peculiar interest. Cer- 

 tain other accipitrine birds, such as some of the 

 gyrfalcons, are mainly white, but all carry 

 markings of one sort or another. The white 

 goshawk is truly white. The only bits of color 

 upon it are found in the yellow legs and black 



beak, which serve to intensify the purity of the 

 bird's plumage. 



Such conspicuous coloration in a predaceous 

 bird, by warning intended victims of its ap- 

 proach, might be expected to interfere with its 

 success in life. But the great multitudes of 

 white cockatoos found in Australia make the 

 snowy coat of the goshawk an asset. Small 

 birds are said to view its approach with little 

 concern, doubtless mistaking the marauder for 

 a harmless cockatoo — an avian wolf in a sheep's 

 skin of feathers. 



Few white goshawks have been kept in cap- 

 tivity, and the species may rightly be consid- 

 ered one of the rarest of the birds of prey. 



Australia abounds in brightly-colored parra- 

 keets, many of which are represented in our 

 collection. Probably the most brilliant of all 

 is the red-capped or pileated parrakeet, (Pur- 

 pureicephalus pileatus). It is green above, with 

 red crown, greenish yellow cheeks and rump, 

 and violet breast. This splendid bird is becom- 



