Cassell's book of birds; vol. 1Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Science
Cassell's book of birds; vol. 1
Brehm, Alfred Edmund
Birds
whilst the Nose Cockatoo on the contrary pronounces the two first
syllables hurriedly, and lays a strong emphasis on the last. The facility
with which this parrot can move its beak in any direction is very
remarkable, and no other species that we are acquainted with has such
suppleness and command of the joints of its jaws. The beak of the Nose
Cockatoo is, indeed, the most extraordinary pair of pincers that ever
was constructed. In justice to this bird, we must add to the foregoing
remarks that it may occasionally be made very tame, and not only
learns to speak, but is able to apply its language very intelligently.
There is one in the Zoological Gardens at Antwerp that is an universal
favourite with the visitors, with whom it converses freely, greeting its
acquaintances as soon as they appear, without the slightest ill-humour or
sullenness.
THE NESTOR COCKATOO.
The NESTOR COCKATOO (_Nestor productus_) represents a very remarkable
tribe of parrots, recognisable by their extraordinarily elongated beak
and sickle-shaped upper mandible, which projects far beyond the lower.
The tail is of middle size, the points of the tail-feathers being in some
places denuded of their web, and the wings, when closed, reach nearly to
the middle of the tail. The tarsus is decidedly higher, and the plumage
harsher and more imbricated than in other Cockatoos. In our specimen it
is much variegated, the upper part of the body is brown, the head and
back of the neck mottled with grey, each of the feathers covering these
parts being bordered with a darker shade. The under part of the body
and tail-covers are of a deep red; the breast, throat, and cheeks, are
yellow, the latter having a reddish tint; the tail-feathers are orange at
the root, and striped with brown: the inner web of the quills is dark red
and brown; the bare place round the eyes, the legs, and the cere, are of
an olive brown; the beak is brown; and the eye a very dark brown. Both
sexes are similarly coloured, but the young are of a dark olive brown on
the breast, instead of being adorned with the red and gold that decks
their parents.
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