Lord Tavistock—The Breeding of the Gang-Gang Cockatoo 259


proved a bird of good intentions, for he left the hen’s plumage alone ;

in time grew a new suit himself ; and even got as far as going into the

nest and pairing, though no eggs were laid that year.


After many months the cock regained the use of his wings, and when

spring came round again, he and his mate began to indulge in hostile

demonstrations and bad language towards human intruders, though

they did not venture actually to attack. The hen had been friendly

towards me while she was a spinster and would come up and display

if spoken to, but now her heart was elsewhere and surly snarls were all

that I received. Gang-Gangs are quaint birds in that a mated pair,

though really most devoted, love to engage in mock disputes accom¬

panied by much bad language —real bad language, the same that is

directed against an enemy. There is also much pretence of biting

although not a feather is ever damaged. Strange to say a single young

cock at present in my possession uses the same abusive language when

playing with a branch which at present has to do duty for a wife ! This

year the cock Gang-Gang of the pair began to take an interest in the

nest—a hollow tree trunk placed in the flight and filled with peat and

decayed wood—in April, but it was not until 20th May that the

pair were obviously taking turns in sitting.


We did not examine the nest and very little was heard of the young

which, unlike young Roseates and Leadbeaters, make only a very sub¬

dued noise when hungry or when being fed.


Early in August a young hen was seen looking out and on the 7th

she emerged—a lovely big bird, much like her mother save that she had

a darker head and some white on the culmen and tip of the upper

mandible. Her appearance annoyed X, who two days later apparently

set about her, with the result that the following morning we found

her very lame and with a fractured wing—injuries from which she is

now slowly recovering. Her parents show great affection for her and

do not neglect her because of her misfortune. About this time a second

head appeared at the nest-entrance and in due course a young cock

emerged who so far has escaped X’s attentions. He resembles his

mother in colour, showing the same greenish tint on the wing and the

same breast markings, but his crest and the centre of the crown of the

head as far as the beak, are red.



