_Drawn on Stone by J. & E. Gould from a Drawing by Edw.^d Lear._
_Printed by C. Hullmandel._
]
NYMPHICUS NOVÆ-HOLLANDIÆ, _Wagl._
Cockatoo Parrakeet.
_Psittacus Novæ-Hollandiæ_, Lath., Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 102.—Gmel.
Linn., vol. i. p. 323.
_Crested Parrakeet_, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. i. p. 250.—Ib. Gen. Hist.,
vol. ii. p. 174, No. 88.—Shaw, Zool., vol. viii. p. 452.
_Palæornis Novæ-Hollandiæ_, Lear, Ill. Psitt. Pl. 27.
_Nymphicus Novæ-Hollandiæ_, Wagl., Mon. Psitt. in Abhand, &c., pp. 490
and 522.—Selb., Nat. Lib., vol. vi. Parrots, p. 186, Pl. 30.—G. R.
Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit., p. 66.
_Leptolophus auricomis_, Swains. Zool. Ill. 2nd Ser. Pl. 112.—Ib.
Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 305.
_Calopsitta Guy_, Less., Ill. Zool. vol. iii. 2nd sp., Pl 112.,
female.
The interior portion of the vast continent of Australia may be said to
possess a Fauna almost peculiar to itself, but of which our present
knowledge is extremely limited. New forms therefore of great interest
may be expected when the difficulties which the explorer has to
encounter in his journey towards the centre shall be overcome. The
beautiful and elegant bird forming the subject of the present Plate is
one of its denizens; I have it is true seen it cross the great mountain
ranges and breed on the flats between them and the sea; still this is an
unusual occurrence, and the few there found compared to the thousands
observed on the plains stretching from the interior side of the
mountains, proves that they have as it were overstepped their natural
boundary. Its range is extended over the whole of the southern portion
of Australia, and being strictly a migratory bird, it makes a
simultaneous movement southward to within one hundred miles of the coast
in September, arriving in the York district near Swan River in Western
Australia precisely at the same time that it appears on the Liverpool
Plains in the eastern portion of the country. After breeding and rearing
a numerous progeny, the whole again retire northwards in February and
March, but to what degree of latitude towards the tropics they wend
their way I have not been able satisfactorily to ascertain. I have never
received it from Port Essington, or any other part in the same latitude,
which, however, is no proof that it does not visit that part of the
continent, since it is merely the country near the coast that has yet
been traversed; in all probability it will be found at a little distance
in the interior, wherever there are situations suitable to its habits,
but doubtless at opposite periods to those in which it occurs in New
South Wales. It would appear to be more numerous in the eastern division
of Australia than in the western. During the summer of 1839 it was
breeding in all the apple-tree (_Angophora_) flats on the Upper Hunter,
as well as on all similar districts on the Peel, and other rivers which
flow northwards. After the breeding-season is over it congregates in
immense flocks before taking its departure. I have seen the ground quite
covered by them while engaged in procuring food, and it was not an
unusual circumstance to see hundreds together on the dead branches of
the gum-trees in the neighbourhood of water, a plentiful supply of which
would appear to be essential to its existence; hence we may reasonably
suppose that the interior of the country is not so sterile and
inhospitable as is ordinarily imagined, and that it yet may be made
available for the uses of man. The Harlequin Bronzewing and the Warbling
Grass Parrakeet are also denizens of that part of the country, and
equally unable to exist without water.
The flight of the Cockatoo Parrakeet is even and easy, and is capable of
being long protracted. When roused from the ground it flies up into the
nearest tree, almost invariably selecting a dead branch, upon which it
frequently perches lengthwise. It is by no means a shy bird, so that any
number may be shot: from the circumstance of its being excellent eating
many are annually killed for the purposes of the table. Its form
admirably adapts it for terrestrial progression, hence it is enabled
readily to procure the seeds of the various grasses, upon which it
almost solely subsists.
As a cage-bird this species is particularly interesting, becoming
readily domesticated, playful and amusing. The accompanying Plate is
from a beautiful drawing made by Mr. Lear, from two living birds in the
possession of the Countess of Mountcharles.
Considerable difference exists in the plumage of the sexes, the
tail-feathers of the male being entirely destitute of the transverse
bars which adorn those of the other sex.
It breeds in the holes of gum and other trees growing on the flats and
in the neighbourhood of water. The eggs are white, five or six in
number, one inch long by three quarters of an inch broad.
The male has the forehead, crest and cheeks lemon yellow; ear-coverts
rich reddish orange; back of the neck, two centre tail-feathers, and the
external margins of the primaries brownish grey; back, shoulders, all
the under surface and outer tail-feathers greyish chocolate brown, the
shoulders and flanks being the darkest; a white mark extends from the
shoulders lengthwise down the centre of the wing; irides dark brown;
bill bluish lead-colour, lighter on the under side of the lower
mandible; legs and feet bluish grey.
The female differs from the male in the colour of the face and crest
being of a dull olive yellow, the latter becoming still darker at its
extremity; in having the throat greyish brown, and the back lighter than
in the male; the lower part of the abdomen, upper tail-coverts, yellow;
four middle tail-feathers grey, the remainder yellow, the whole
transversely and irregularly barred with lines of brown, with the
exception of the outer web of the outer feather on each side, which is
pure yellow.
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.
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