BANKSIAN COCKATOO. 
here : they feed on the seeds of a species of eucalyptus which has large 
crops of big seed. The seed vessels are as big as the ball of a large man’s 
thumb.” 
Hall {Emu, Vol. II., p. 61, 1902) gives J. P. Rogers’ note from the Fitzroy 
River, North-west Australia. “ To-day (8/5/00) I watched certain individual 
birds feeding upon the seed-pods of a species of acacia. One cracks the 
fruits on a branch, eats the seed, and nipping off the branch allows it to fall 
to the ground. Mr. Gould says this is pure mischief, but I am inclined to 
think it is to prevent going over the same area a second time. Nearly every 
twig with a bitten pod is chipped oh. However, this does not always apply 
to the trees upon which they feed, because some are dropped to the ground 
which bear neither fruit nor grub. That seems like mischief. When feeding 
upon the chestnut tree, branches as thick as a man’s little finger are bitten 
through without any apparent effort. A branch when severed is held in the 
bill, then passed to the foot, when the berries are picked. If the branch with 
the berries upon it is close to the bird’s present perch, the fruits are picked 
without a severance of the branch. To bite off the branch seems to me to 
save over much reaching. On a moonlight night this species flies about 
uttering its usual cry, but so far I have not heard it on a dark night.” 
Kilgour, relating his experiences during a trip to the Ord River, North- 
west Australia ( Emu , Vol. IV., 1904) notes : “ p. 40. The next stage was 
to Nick’s Creek, where all night we could hear the sound of an immense flock 
of Great-billed Cockatoos, p. 42. At Nick’s Creek I camped in the middle of 
the flock of Great-billed Cockatoos mentioned previously. The noise was 
indescribable. The birds were feeding on the fruit of the ‘ pear ’ tree and also 
on some plant growing between the sugar grass, but what it was I was unable 
to find out. The ground under the trees was strewn with branchlets that 
had been nipped off with their immense bills.” 
Stalker’s note [Emu, Vol. IX., p. 67, 1909) reads : “ Native name 
‘ Cundina.’ These birds come over (Alexandra, N.T.) in flocks of from 
three to twelve after rain.” 
G. F. Hill ( Emu , Vol. X., p. 269, 1911) gave measurements of birds 
collected at Kimberley District, North-west Australia, as follows : “ 5 
wing 395-434, tarsus 28-33, bill 65-70, tail 280-300 mm. ; 3 $?, wing 383-416, 
tarsus 28-30, bill 65-69, tail 280-288 mm. The first arrivals reached Napier, 
Broome Bay, on 4/2/10, and were in the district in large flocks at the end of 
July. During these months their food appeared to consist entirely of seeds 
of grevilleas.” 
Macgillivray notes: [Emu, Vol. XIII., p. 156, 1914) : “A black Cockatoo 
frequently noted on the Gulf rivers seems to be referable to this species. 
Ill 
