190 The Queensland Naturalist. Vol. I. 
strange goings on of a Corella Cockatoo {Licmetis nasica), 
that had been domesticated, for the recital of which the 
writer is beholden to Mr. E. B. Kellaway, of Brisbane. 
Now, about two years ago (the statement was made 
on 15th October, 1910), a Corella visited a fowl-yard con- 
nected with, a certain tenement at Kangaroo Point, and 
took up its quarters there. It had the appearance of a 
“ caged bird,” but no one knew whence it came. To be 
more particular, it made friends with one of the hens there. 
Thus not only did it resort to its presence, but when this 
hen went to roost, Corella would perch and settle alongside 
it. Again, when the hen got broody and was sitting, it 
would with little intermission keep beside it. Moreover, 
it fed with the other fowls of the yard, partaking of what- 
ever was oifered to them. But after some time the hen 
took sick and in due course died. Corella thereupon dis- 
u.ppeared for a while, but after many days visited the fowl 
yard where it formerly dwelt. Xo longer, hoAvever, was 
it bent on consorting with a gallinaceous bird, but, however, 
soon commenced to display an opposite habit almost as 
remarkable as the former one. In fact it manifested a 
wonderful 'pmchant for eggs. At first this Avas evinced in 
the foAAd yard in which it was already a familiar denizen, 
and eggs of the constituents of this alone claimed its atten- 
tion. Perched on some coign of vantage, where it Avas 
not always observed, no sooner Avould a hen cackle to an- 
nounce her joy, than it AA^ould SAVOop doAAm to the nest, 
stick its long beak into the delicate object, fly oh for a greater 
or less distance, and then feast on Avhatever of the contents 
were remaining. 
Latterly it extended similar attention to other fowl 
runs, including the one attached to Mr. KellaAvay’s OAvn 
house, and this afforded a full opportunity of observing 
its habits. He found that to ingratiate itself Avith the 
prolific hen it Avould imitate the cackling that this gave 
utterance to before depriving it of its prize, and so bold 
Avas it that Mrs. KellaAvay had seen it more than once fly 
right inside the fowl-house and take the egg just deposited. 
It not only evinced this remarkable cupidity, but a degree 
of cunning Avas exercised in its display. Thus, on one 
occasion, Mr. KellaAvay heard a neighbour’s hen cackling. 
MeanAvhile Corella Avas perched on the ridge of a house at 
no great distance. Like a haAvk it soon SAVOoped doAvn, 
and hovering over the fowl yard, circled around and again 
perched. This manoeuvre was evidently occasioned by 
the fact of a man w^orking in the yard Avhere the foAvls ran, 
and Avho was not visible from its look-out. For it now 
perched on the top of a fence, hidden by a tree that inter- 
vened between it and him, and here awaited its opportunity. 
And soon Avhen the man had disappeared, having finished 
