92 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



herald of rain, for it then flies very near to the earth and keeps up 

 a continuous screeching as it slowly proceeds through the thick 

 forests to the lowlands. Not only during actual rainy weather does 

 it fly low and screech continuously, but also, at times when to an 

 ordinary individual no rain seems imminent, it instinctively seems 

 to know that a change is pending, and the wet almost invariably 

 comes within the next twenty-four hours. Usually during 

 stormy weather the highlands are deserted for the low. Occasion- 

 ally during rough weather I have seen small flocks pass over 

 Launceston low down. 



When flying in flocks it straggles a great deal, sometimes form- 

 ing a " Chinamen's procession." It is naturally a noisy bird, but 

 when a large flock gets together on a good feeding ground the din 

 is deafening. The fat white grubs to be found beneath the bark 

 of eucalypt and other trees form its favourite diet. It is a sight 

 worth watching to see a large flock at work on the bark of, say, 

 stringy gums. In a few minutes the trees have the appearance of 

 having been well worked with strong rakes. The bark hangs in 

 long shreds and strips everywhere ; pieces are even bitten out of 

 the limbs in search of the succulent morsel. Honeysuckle {Bank- 

 sia) cones are also in some request. The strong outside covering 

 presents no difficulties to the powerful bill of the Black Cockatoo. 



*GANG-GANG COCKATOO 

 (Callocephalon galeatum, Lath). 



Male. — General colour slate-grey; crown of the head, crest, and 

 cheeks scarlet; upper and under surfaces, shoulders, and wing 

 coverts narrowly margined with greyish-white, somewhat indis- 

 tinct on under surface; bill horn colour; legs and feet black. 

 Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 340; bill, 31; wing, 250; tail, 135. 



Female. — General colour slate-grey; crest grey; quills and tail 

 feathers barred with light grey; feathers of under surface mar- 

 gined with sulphur-yellow and dull red; under tail coverts barred 

 with dull yellow. 



Young. — Males. — " Like the females, but with dull red narrow 

 bars on the pileum ; back, uropygium, and upper tail feathers, wing 

 coverts, scapulars, and secondaries with sulphur-yellow bars " (B. 

 M. Cat.) 



Nest. — Within a hole in a tall forest tree. 



Eggs. — " Clutch four to five; round oval in shape; texture of 

 shell somewhat coarse; surface without gloss; colour pure white. 

 Dimensions in inches: — 1.31 x 1.08. According to Le Souef — (1) 

 1.28 X .92, (2) 1.25 x 94 " (A. J. Campbell). 



Breeding Season. — In all probabihty similar to that of the other 

 species. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania (?), King Island, New 

 South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. 



