ROSEBREASTED COCKATOO. (GALAH.) 
bird as had, unknown to Kuhl, been described by Vieillot. It was later 
figured by Vieillot himself in the “ Galerie des Oiseaux ” when he gave it 
another name Cacatua rosea. Such an unmistakable form did not receive 
any more specific names. Immediately travellers pushed inland it was 
frequently met with, and Gould recorded that in the 1840’s it had become 
the common cage bird among the Australian Cockatoos. 
Gould records a letter from Sturt to the effect that “ The Rose-breasted 
Cockatoo is a bird of the low country entirely, and limited in the extent of its 
habitat, never being found in any great number on the banks of the Darling, 
or rising higher than 600 feet above the level of the sea. It feeds on Salsolac , 
and occupies those vast plains which lie immediately to the westward of the 
Blue Mountains. It has a peculiar flight, and the whole flock turning together 
show the rose-colour of the under surface with pretty effect.” The same 
observation was made by Elsey : “ The country round the Gulf seems to be 
the favourite resort of this species ; it there feeds on the broad open plains in 
flocks of from fifty to two hundred. Nothing can exceed the beauty of their 
appearance as they wheel about over these plains in the light of an early 
sun.” Gould added that he had seen this sight and many observers have 
since remarked upon it. 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ Eolophus r. roseicapillus is a 
common bird in most of the inland districts of South Australia and we found 
it in great numbers in several localities in the heart of the Macdonnell Ranges. 
They present a beautiful sight when several hundreds are seen moving over 
the ground in quest of seeds, and when they rise together, showing the 
beautiful rose breasts, it is a sight never to be forgotten.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby’s notes read : “ At Yanco Glen near Broken H ill a few 
years back, I saw large numbers, the flocks having about fifty birds in a flock. 
They have a habit of turning in their flight simultaneously, making a glorious 
mass of colour in the bright sunshine. Some years ago a flock of thirteen 
was seen by myself in the suburbs of Adelaide several times, and last month 
(May, 1916) I found there were a good many that had taken up their permanent 
home at Buckland Park, twenty miles North of Adelaide, attracted there by 
the thistle seeds.” 
Mr. Christian, writing from Victoria states : 44 Very noisy bird, and 
common here. It seems to prefer the drier districts as I see here larger flocks 
than I have ever seen in the moister south. A flock I saw in 1906 I estimated 
to be about 400 strong. They were in a large gumtree and the whole flock 
kept rising out of the tree making a vast pink, screeching cloud of birds. I 
find them more often in the open plain than in the timber, as in the former 
place they get plenty to eat in the saffron thistle seeds ; it thus does an 
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