THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
Crossing ” Behn River 145 miles from Wyndham. The birds are fairly 
numerous all the way up, but no large flocks seen to date. Derby, Feb. 28, 
1911. Many small flocks seen between Point Torment and Derby. Point 
Torment, April 21, 1911. During the past few weeks (from March 1st) these 
birds have been seen intermittently, but I have not always made a note of 
seeing them. ... At Marngle Creek this species was very rare : a few were 
seen in the same locality on several occasions, so apparently they were the 
same birds.” 
I quote the following notes from the Austr. Mus. Spec. Cat. , No. I., 
Vol. III.: Mr. Robert Grant’s observations read: “ I found the Cockatoo- 
Parrakeets plentiful at Narromine, New South Wales, in November, 1883. 
They were usually met with in pairs all along the Macquarie River, but some- 
times in the early morning they would assemble in flocks of about thirty or 
forty, and when on the wing their evolutions were carried out with such 
precision, it gave one the impression that each bird knew its place and kept 
a certain distance from its mate. They never flew very high, sometimes 
almost sweeping the ground, when they would give one of their graceful side 
turns, exhibiting their beautiful white shoulders which were further relieved 
by the dark green foliage of a belt of pine trees in the near distance.” Dr. W. 
Macgillivray wrote : “ Calopsittacus novcehollandice is not with us (at Broken 
Hill, Western New South Wales) during the winter, but arrives irregularly 
in the spring, both as to time and the numbers in which they come. In 1903 
and 1904 very few put in an appearance. In 1905 they were very numerous, 
arriving during the last week in September, and during the next two months 
nests were to be found at short intervals all along the creeks. In 1906 they 
arrived very early, being noted during the last week in July. Whereas 
Barnard’s Parrakeet and the Many coloured Grass Parrakeet usually choose 
a nesting hollow they can just squeeze into, the Cockatoo Parrakeet almost 
invariably selects one commodious enough to admit a Cockatoo or even a 
larger bird. I have found nests at all elevations, sometimes as low as two feet 
from the ground. The sexes take it in turn to sit on the eggs, differing in this 
again from the Many coloured and Barnard’s Parrakeet. Five eggs is the 
usual number, and these are placed on the decayed wood and earthy matter, 
usually found in nesting hollows. In the Cloncurry District, Northern Queens- 
land, these birds occur at times in immense numbers, and nest during October 
and November, sometimes earlier. . . . On our journey out along the creeks 
North of Broken Hill we met the advance guard of the southern flight of 
Calopsittacus novcehollandice early in September ; they became more plentiful 
as we proceeded north, pairs dropping off all along the route where suitable 
hollows for breeding purposes were met with. When we got to Wyallah 
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