WHITE COCKATOO. 
prevent an approach within gunshot, and one had to be contented to scare 
the birds away without injuring them. My opportunities of observation 
are now certainly limited, but from what I can see and learn they are not 
now to be found in anything like their former numbers. I have not myself 
observed them south of the Derwent River, but a few seasons ago found a 
pair nesting at Glenora, near that river.” 
H. E. Hill in the Emu, Vol. II., p. 165, 1903, giving notes from Geelong 
and Otway Districts, Victoria, observed : “ Cacatua galerita penetrates two 
or three miles into the forest from the north, but in other parts I have only 
seen a single bird — at the Phantom Falls. Occurs abundantly on the plains, 
especially at Dean’s Marsh, where it is in very large numbers. Have only 
seen it near the town in the two following instances : — 7/7/93, flock of 14 at 
Batesford. 12/8/93, flock of several hundreds at Pettavel Road.” 
Batey’s notes on early Victorian Bird-Life {Emu, Vol. VII., p. 11, 1907) 
read : “ An irregular visitant, generally in large flocks. Formerly its diet 
was divers forms of roots, but when tillage commenced and variegated 
thistles appeared it changed. In agricultural regions, where this bird is 
persecuted, self-preservation has become the rule, for on thistled and cultivated 
areas sentries are placed around. These are relieved, one leaving his mates 
to take the place of the sentry, which returns to the mob. About Sunbury 
three or four prospectors would come about for a few days, then go away, 
and before the week was out the main flock appeared. If their roosting 
places are found shots can be had soon after nightfall. The common and 
the variegated thistles were quite unknown in the Sunbury district until the 
latter was noted in 1847 at Mains, now Flemington Bridge ; the former at 
Redstone Hill in 1850.” 
G. F. Hill, on p. 21, concerning recent occurrences in the Ararat District, 
Victoria, added : 44 Numerous throughout the district during winter and 
spring. The principal food appears to be the larvae of a species of longicorn 
beetle which bores into the eucalypts after they have been rung, and small 
tubers which grow in damp localities.” 
H. L. White gave a note in the Emu, Vol. XIII., p. 101, 1913, as follows : 
4 4 These birds {Cacatua galerita) have always been plentiful in the Upper 
Hunter district of New South Wales {vide North’s Nests and Eggs, Vol. III., 
page 79,) but the numbers noted during the late winter have exceeded all 
former records. I never previously noticed the birds in such numbers. 
Luckily, the invasion occurred after the maize crops had been harvested. 
To the south-west, and about a mile from the Bell trees homestead, a very 
sharp-pointed, conical hill rises abruptly from the surrounding country to 
a height of about 1000 feet ; it is clothed on the eastern (or sheep-camping) 
VOL. VI. 
177 
