18 LESSER LEM0N-0RE8TEB COCKATOO. 
was singularly fortunate in the individual he possessed; but perhaps 
it was we that were unfortunate^ for Mr. Wiener corroborates the 
account of this bird given by Dr. Enss, and in his charming^ but too 
brief, book on Foreign Birds, writes, "This Cockatoo (the Lesser 
Lemon- Crest) becomes very tame and affectionate, is quite hardy, but 
not as good a talker as the Eose-crested and Greater White-crested 
Cockatoos [Psittacus Moluccensis and Psittacus l&ucoloplms) , although 
a much better linguist than the Australian Cockatoos.^^ 
Bechstein also wrote of this bird: — “It comes from the same country 
as the Great White Cockatoo, to which it yields neither in elegance, 
intelligence, docility, nor mildness. It is fond of caresses, and returns 
them with pleasure ; all its motions are equally full of grace, delicacy, 
and beauty.” 
After that wo feel that we are quite out of court, and must reverse 
our judgment, mei’ely remarking that birds have their several idiosyn- 
crasies, and people do not half enough consider this; although there 
is, of course, a certain character running through every species, thus 
Cockatoos will be easily tamed, while Platycerei are shy; but, apart 
from that, individuals differ immensely, and, as we have said, we 
appear to have been exceptionally unfortunate in our experience with 
several species, and think we must try again at the first opportnnity. 
Writing of this bird, which he names the “Citron-crested Cockatoo”, 
Mr. W. C. Gedney says: these birds are much more docile and less 
excitable than their relations, the Great White Cockatoo”--by which 
latter Mr. Gedney means the Australian Lemon-Crested Cockatoo 
(Psittacus galeritus). 
Very little is kiiown concerning these birds in their wild state, 
except that, like all the rest of the family, they breed in the holes 
of trees, where the female lays two or three white eggs on the bare 
wood, and has, usually, two broods in the season: we are not aware 
that they have ever bred in captivity, but we see no reason why they, 
as well as many of their congeners, should not do so, if placed in 
suitable quarters, with appropriate surroundings; whether it would be 
worth anyone^s while to make the attempt, except as a matter of 
curiosity, is another question — wo think not. Jardine, however, says: 
“In captivity the female sometimes produces eggs, and we have now 
specimens by us which were laid by one at rather peculiar periods, 
namely: the 21st. of June, 21st. of Soptembei’, and 21st. of December; 
but whether this resulted from the peculiar economy of the bird, as 
acted upon by the seasons, or was the effect of the confinement, we 
are unable to determine.’’’ 
The fact of the bird laying every three months on the same day 
