COCKATOO-PARROT. 
Beach on the eastern side of St. Vincent’s Gulf, especially in the summer time. 
I have also noted them on the River Murray in South Australia, and they are 
also to be found on Yorkes’ Peninsula. Their note is a loud noise somewhat 
of a succession of squeaks sounding like crale-e-ek continued not particularly 
sharp, but with a rather rounded full note. Another note is that of squeek- 
squeek-squeek-squeek-squeek uttered continuously several times over, the 
last three notes being uttered quickly and sounding somewhat like the sharpen- 
ing of a saw : this last call is only uttered while perched, in addition to the 
perching call, while the first-mentioned notes are oftener made as the birds 
fly in straight courses through the air.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby’s notes read : “ While this parrot is not usually met 
with this side (West) of the Adelaide Hills, about six or seven years ago a flock 
of about thirty spent several months of two years in the Blackwood district. 
About the year 1900 a flock of about half-a-dozen circled round and round 
for some time over North Adelaide. Evidently they were flying at a great 
height and were attracted by the cry of a. caged bird ; when first seen they 
were almost out of sight, attention being called to them by their cry. They 
had probably travelled from the River Murray district where they are very 
common ; they were flying in the direction of Yorke’s Peninsula when first 
seen : in which case they would have to cross the Gulf of St. Vincent. This 
is certainly an indication that these birds migrate at times to distant localities. 
At Christmas we usually have seen large numbers of this species evidently 
only recently out of the nest in the large gums along the River Murray, ten 
miles above Mannum, South Australia.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ This was once a numerous bird 
in the late summer on the Adelaide plains visiting us in great numbers, and I 
can remember an old bird catcher netting them in hundreds. They are seldom, 
if ever, seen here now. We met with them in the interior in 1913 coming in 
to drink at the water holes, but they were far from numerous.” 
Mr. E. J. Christian writing from northern Victoria states : 44 The neat 
appearance of this bird is spoilt by its noisy cry. As a rule they come here 
for the summer only and depart in the autumn or late summer, but last year 
(1907) they stayed here all the time, the drought causing them to stay as there 
was nothing for them further North. They seem to prefer the timber to the 
open plain. One often sees a huge flock of them in one tree all sitting very 
close together. In their flights they are very often accompanied by Budgerigars : 
they seem to live strictly on seed.” 
Mr. J. P. Roger’s notes from North-West Australia record : 44 Parry’s 
Creek. March 15, 1909. Many small flocks seen to-day ; are numerous 
now. April 4, 1909. A few pairs seen occasionally. May 13, 1909. 44 Top 
243 
