142 GREAT SALMON-CRESTED COCKATOO. 



price than it does in Germany, where Dr. Enss quotes the price at 

 from thirty to one hundred and fifty marks; but we never knew of 

 one here that has been offered, except by a private person ignorant 

 of its value, for less than £5 or £6, and more frequently the latter 

 price than the former. 



When excited, or when shrieking for its own amusement, and the 

 torture of sensitive ears, its trnmpet-like note of "tertingue, tertingue", 

 the Moluccan Cockatoo stands on tip-toes, elevates its beautiful crest, 

 spreads its wings, and puffs out every feather on its body; so that it 

 becomes a most alarming-looking object, though one of exceeding 

 beauty. A very tame bird of this species, however, will very seldom 

 shriek, and will trot after its master or mistress all over the house 

 like a pet dog; which sagacious animal it can also compete with as a 

 household guard. 



Not far from where we live is one of these birds, that has been 

 in the possession of the family that own it for quite a number of 

 years. It is kept, for the most part, chained to a stand; which, by 

 the way, is a much better method of keeping a large Cockatoo than 

 confining it in a cage. It is very tame, and a good talker; one of 

 the expressions it most affects being the interrogation, "Who are you? 

 What do you want?'' uttered in the most human-like of tones. It is 

 usually kept in the breakfast-room, which is on the ground floor, and 

 looks out on the common. One night, or rather early one morning, 

 the master and mistress of the house were roused by the shrieks of 

 the Cockatoo, which kept on calling out "Who are you? What do 

 you want?" in the loudest and most excited manner. 



"I am sure, my dear, there are thieves downstairs;" said the lady. 

 "Nonsense!" exclaimed the gentleman, impatiently; "it's the cat more 

 likely." However, as the noise continued, he thought he had better 

 go and see what was the matter, if only for the sake of quieting the 

 bird; and arming himself with some weapon and a light, proceeded 

 downstairs, cautiously, to the breakfast-room, where he found the 

 Cockatoo with every feather literally standing on end from excitemsnt, 

 and the window open ! 



Nothing was missing, however, for the thieves, or thief, had been 

 so thoroughly alarmed by the bird that they, or he, had evidently not 

 even entered the room, but had fled at the first challenge, leaving 

 the sash raised. The gentleman shut and bolted the window, praised 

 his good guard, gave it a tit-bit, and went back to bed, feeling thankful 

 that he was the owner of so sensible and valuable a creature. 



It is to be hoped that at no very distant date, some amateur may 

 have the gratification of seeing a brood of these birds reared in his 



