THE SULPHUR-CRESTED COCKATOO. 
399 
forward to tlie fullest extent, and repeatedly spread and closed like tke fan of an angry 
Spanish lady, every feather standing on end and his eyes sparkling with fury, while he 
volleyed forth the sounds which had so startled us. The cause of this excitement was to be 
found in the persons of two children, who had come to look at the bird, and who by some 
means had excited his ire. He always objected to children, probably with good reason, and 
being naturally irritable from the effect of moulting, his temper was aroused by the presence 
of the objects of his dislike. 
The plumage of this species is white with a very slight roseate tinge, and the crest 
is white. 
The species of Cockatoo which is most common is the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. It 
may readily be distinguished from the preceding bird by the bright yellow color of its crest 
and its more pointed form. 
This bird is an inhabitant of different parts of Australia, and is especially common in 
Yan Diemen’s Land, where it may be found in flocks of a thousand in number. Owing to 
the ease with which it is obtained, it is frequently brought to England, and is held in much 
estimation as a pet. 
A Cockatoo which I have lately seen, a young bird, displays admirably many peculiarities 
of the Cockatoo nature. 
As yet it is not a very accomplished linguist, although it can repeat many words with 
much fidelity. It certainly has some notion of the meaning attached to certain words, as it 
can distinguish between the various members of the family, and when they enter the room will 
frequently utter their name. Sometimes it will act in the same manner when they leave 
the room. It can laugh merrily, but in rather too loud a tone for sensitive ears, and promises 
well for further accomplishments. Like others of the parrot tribe, it rejoices greatly in 
exercising its sharp beak, and is very fond of biting to pieces every bit of wood that may 
come in its way. 
Empty cotton-reels are favorite toys, and it watches the gradual diminution of the thread 
with great interest, knowing that it is sure to have the wooden reel after the thread has been 
used. When the reel is placed on the outside of the cage the bird descends from its perch, 
pushes one of its feet through the wires and with extended toes feels in every direction for 
its toy. When the position of the coveted article is found, the bird grasps it with its feet, 
draws it through the wires, and bites it to pieces. Many times it has been known to split a 
reel with a single bite. Sometimes its owners give it one of those flat wooden discs on which 
silk-ribbon has been wound, and in such cases it always takes care to turn the disc edgeways 
b*efore attempting to bring it through the wires. 
So powerful is its beak that it can break up the shell of a periwinkle, or even a whelk, 
and with its curved beak peck out the inhabitant. In a similar manner it will crack nuts to 
pieces, and extract the kernel ; but seems to do so merely for the pleasure of exercising its 
beak, as it generally allows the kernel to fall on the floor and contents itself with breaking the 
shell into many little pieces. 
When I saw it, the plumage was in very fine order, and the crest with its double fan 
of bright yellow feathers had a remarkably fine effect as the bird ruffled up its plumage, 
erected the crest, and began bowing and crying “ Pretty Cocky ! ” in a very excited state of 
mind. 
Although its beak is so powerful, it can climb up the hands or face of any one whom it 
knows without doing any damage, whereas another Cockatoo of my acquaintance once inflicted 
unwitting but painful damage on my finger, as it lowered itself from my hand to its perch. I 
suppose that the bird found the substance of the finger yielding under the pressure of its 
beak, and fearful lest it should fall, gripped the finger in hope of saving itself, thereby inflict- 
ing a rather severe wound, and bruising the surrounding parts to such an extent that the 
whole finger swelled greatly, and for nearly a week could not be used. 
The Cockatoo seems to court notice even more than the parrot, and will employ various 
ingenious manoeuvres in order to attract attention to its perfections. They are mostly good- 
