GREAT WHITE-CRESTEE COCKATOO. 11 



strange birds that chanced to fly within range of his murderous gun. 



Continuing his remarks about these birds, Buffo n observes: — "Cock- 

 atoos, which may be known by their crest, are not easily taught to 

 speak" (with the exception of Coffin, which was unknown in your day, 

 M. de Buffon) "there is one species which does not speak at all; but 

 this is, in some measure, compensated for by the great facility with 

 which they are tamed; in some parts of India they are even so far 

 domesticated that they will build their nests on the roofs of the houses : 

 this facility of education is owing to their intelligence, which is very 

 superior to that of other Parrots. They listen, understand, and obey; 

 but it is in vain that they make the same efforts to repeat what is said 

 to them; they seem to wish to make up for it by other expressions of 

 feeling and by affectionate caresses. There is a mildness and grace in 

 all their movements which greatly add to their beauty. Though the 

 Cockatoos, like other Parrots, use their bill in ascending and descending, 

 to and from their perch, yet they have not their heavy disagreeable 

 step; on the contrary, they are very active, and hop about very nimbly." 

 , With reference to the above quotation from a work written more than 

 a hundred years ago, we would simply remark that the great French 

 naturalist had, evidently, no personal knowledge of the mode of nidi- 

 fication peculiar to these birds, or he would not have talked about their 

 "building their nests on the roofs of the houses", for Cockatoos build 

 no nest, properly so called, as is very well known, and would be more 

 likely to seek for a location in the chimney, than upon the roof: in 

 fact we have heard of a pair of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, that did 

 actually once attempt such a feat, but came to sad grief among the 

 soot, and signally failed in their praiseworthy endeavours to bring up 

 a young family in such an unsuitable situation. 



The principal food of these noble-looking birds consists of oats, 

 maize, hempseed, biscuits, a piece of apple or carrot, and any green 

 food that may be obtainable, always excepting parsley, which is as 

 prussic acid to the whole race: but lettuce, not too fresh, dandelions, 

 groundsel, etc., are invaluable for keeping them in health. They are 

 free drinkers, and should always have access to a supply of clean fresh 

 water, both for drinking and bathing purposes: not that they are much 

 given to "tubbing", but they glory in a warm summer shower, opening 

 their wings, and spreading out their tails to catch the falling pearls, 

 in default of which they will scatter mouthfuls of water upon their 

 backs. Milk, meat, and dainties of all kinds are not fit for them, and 

 should never be given; a course of such diet soon puts their digestive 

 apparatus out of gear, causes heat of the blood, and irritation of the 

 skin, to allay which the wretched creatures will pluck out all the feathers 



