BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 93 



Observations. — A certain amount of doubt exists as to whether 

 ♦his species has ever really been found here in Tasmania ; but it is 

 moderately plentiful on King Island. 



Even to this day the nesting habits of this Cockatoo have not 

 been fully worked out, much still remaining to be known. 



WHITE COCKATOO 

 (Gacatua galerita, Lath.) 



Male. — Entire plumage white, save for the crest, which is deep 

 sulphur-yellow, and the under wing coverts and under tail coverts, 

 which are tinged with yellow; bill black; legs and feet blackish. 

 Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 630; bill, 49; wing, 370; tail, 250; 

 tarsus, 26. 



Female. — Similar to male. 



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



Eggs.— Clutch two to three; lengthened oval in shape; texture 

 fairly coarse ; surface glossy ; colour white. Dimensions in mm. of 

 odd examples :— (1) 47 x 30, (2) 47.5 x 31. 



Breeding Season. — August to November. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, King Island, and the 

 whole of the mainland. 



Observations. — There are some districts in the island where I 

 have never seen or heard a White Cockatoo, but the Black species 

 has been most plentiful, and viae versa. Sometimes this bird is 

 spoken of as the Great Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. It is hard 

 to say which is the more noisy, this or the Black Cockatoo. If 

 anything C. galerita has the more harsh, discordant screech. There 

 is hardly a prettier sight than to see some forest giant, one perhaps 

 gaunt and leafless, covered with the snowy forms of this species. 

 In some agricultural districts the bird does a great deal of damage 

 to the grain crops, and is in consequence much detested by 

 farmers. Some miles past Cressy I have seen the fields almost white 

 with Cockatoos intent on feeding on and destroying the grain. 

 When they were disturbed the din was terrific. Nearly, if not 

 always, there is a sentinel bird perched on a limb or a fence close 

 by to give warning at the slightest menace of danger. 



EOSB-BEEASTED COCKATOO (Galah) 



{Cacatua roseicapilla, Vieillot). 



Male. — Crown of the head pale rosy -pink; upper surface grey, 

 deepening into brown at the extremity of the quills and becoming 

 nearly white on the rump and upper tail coverts ; neck and all the 

 under surface from below the eyes and smaller under wing coverts 

 rich rosy-red ; under tail coverts grey ; tail grey, darker below ; 

 irides deep rosy-red; bill white; legs and feet dark brown. Dimen- 



