no 
PARROTS. 
middle pair are much longer than the others. The male measures about 12^ 
inches, rather more than half of which is taken up by the tail. Its coloration, 
without being very striking, is pleasing. The prevailing hue is dark grey, 
becoming much paler on 
the upper tail-coverts; 
the forehead and cheeks 
are lemon-yellow, while 
the feathers of the crest, 
which cannot be de¬ 
pressed, are yellow" at the 
base and grey above. A 
bright patch of reddish 
orange on the ear-coverts 
occupies the middle of 
the yellow area, and the 
median and greater cov¬ 
erts, as well as a portion 
of the secondaries of the 
wings, are ornamented 
with a broad band of 
white. The female lacks 
the brilliant head-colours 
of her consort. The cock- 
atiel is found all over 
Australia, with the ex¬ 
ception of North-Eastern 
Queensland, and associ¬ 
ates in flocks of con¬ 
siderable size. The 
female lays from five to 
seven, or even nine eggs, 
in the incubation of 
which the male takes a 
full share. Strong in its 
flight, the cockatiel is a 
somewhat restless, and at 
the same time a noisy 
bird. Mr. W. T. Greene 
writes that, “ taken 
when about half-fledged 
from the nest, and brought up by hand, or rather by mouth, the young male 
cockatiel becomes the most charming pet that can be imagined ; in point of fact, 
there is scarcely any accomplishment that he cannot be taught. He will perform all 
manner of little tricks, such as kissing his mistress, pretending to be dead, flying 
out of window, and returning at the word of command; and he will also learn to 
repeat, with great distinctness, not only words, but short sentences, and even to 
