THE GREAT BLACK PALM COCKATOO, MtCrOglOSSUS fl/ill nmis, IN CAPTIVITY. 97 



As the accompanying figure shows, there is a solid, anvil-like mass of upper mandible which is 

 corrugated underneath, on which the chisel-like edge of the lower mandible works. The mandibles 

 are exceedingly powerful, and can easily open the strands of a wire clcithes-line, or make indentations 

 in a threepenny piece. This fact necessitated my having a special woven wire cage made for mv bird. 



Mr. McLennan describes the nesting cavities, which are generally in a vertical hollow branch or 

 trunk of a blood wood tree, as having an arrangement of split wood, some inches in depth, and placed 

 crosswise at the bottom. This is evidently a sanitary arrangement to prevent the nesting cavity 

 becoming foul from the oil contained in the nut kernels of the bird's food. If mine is given a piece of 

 wood to bite at, it always splits it along the grain in its whole length, and in pieces about the thickness 

 of a match. 



This bird proves to be one of the most gentle I have ever seen in captivity. It is quite impossible 

 to make it bite, and when annoyed, it merely uses the fine point of the upper mandible in a scratching 

 manner, accompanied by a little sharp dig or peck. It is full of mischief, and delights in any noise, 

 becoming very excited at the passing of a train. A curious characteristic is that when the bird hears 

 us turn a high-geared carborundum sharpening wheel, it immediately hangs head down from the top 

 of its cage, with all its feathers flung widely out or almost reversed, just as it does in a shower of rain 

 or when the spray of the hose is turned on it. This is evidently due to an association of ideas of rain 

 and the sound of it falling on the earth. This habit may always be displayed to visitors at any time. 



The bird has a not unpleasing. high-sounding whistle, when excited or when playing, in addition 

 to some deep base notes almost like those of a raven. The call most often produced is like the words 

 " Cheroo. chereea," produced from the larynx with the mandibles wide open. This call is whistled 

 in times of excitement, the " reea " part being repeated many times in rapid succession. 



The feathers of the crest are almost always erect, and some of the longest cross near the tips, as 

 shown in the illustration. The only time at which the crest is laid in repose is either when the bird 

 is feeding or when quiet at rest. The bird stands on both feet on the perch when sleeping, not with 

 one drawn up as with most perching birds, and the bill is turned round and buried in the feathers in 

 the usual manner. The claws are very strong and sharp pointed, and I have to see that they are 

 suitably clipped before one can take the bird on the finger. 



The bird is very timid of sudden movements of one's hands, especially if they are on either side 

 of it. Frontal movements are less noticed, and I fancy this fact indicates that the visual activity is 

 greater on either side than directly in front. Another peculiarity is the position of the tongue when at 

 rest. Its bulbous black tip is held between the chisel-like edge of the lower mandible and the rect- 

 angular surface of the projecting portion of the upper one in much the same manner as the tongue of 

 some animals, such as horses and cats, is held between the front teeth of both jaws. 



The agility of the bird is remarkable. It can spring or jump with both feet from a verandah 

 rail on to a table, the two being separated by a distance of over two feet. An actual measured jump 

 was 29 inches. When very young the toes were not turned in in walking, and this continued for some 

 time, to be altered later into the characteristic gait of Cockatoos. The whole of the tarsus is used for 

 walking on. and in such a way that a sort of pad or heel is formed at the proximal end. As the illustra 

 tion shows, the bird stands very erect. 



