Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-16
Birds Nesting in Australia.


Birds Nesting in Australia.
Owing to the great height and size
that the eucalyptus trees attain in
Australia, birds nesting is often d
hazardous pursuit, writes a Youths
Companion contributor.
Most Of the eucalyptus are one hun
dred feet high; many Of them are one
hundred and fifty or two hundred feet
high, and a few soar up to a height
of three hundred feet and more. 1t
is not uncommon to find the first
branch forty or fifty feet from the
ground: and the boles Of the trees
are 50 thick that man cannot clasp
them. 1t is in these high, massive
trees that mos, of the Australian
birds nest.
The commonest cage birds in Aus
tralia are the great sulphur-crested
cockatoo and the rosella parrot.
The cockatoo is superb bird. His
plumage is q snowy white, with i
crest that when raised in anger or
alarm. discloses succession Of lovely
yellow feathers. He is a fine talker
and becomes exceedingly tame. There
are plenty Of cockatoos-I have seen
fiocks that have contained at least
ten thousand birds-but almost al ;
ways they nest in avery tall eucalyp-
tCS.
The nest is either In a hollow
branch or in a hollow Of the bole, and
it is usually from forty to hundred
feet from the ground. The usual
M of r1oEt1incc &c ThaYa
no outward sign of the nest, and so
the hunter has to watch the old birds.
That requires good deal of skill,
for the cockatoos. although usually
very noisy. leave their nests in abso-
lutte silence. One common trick Of
the nest hunters is to strike the boie
of a promising tree with an axe, when
the alarmed old birds will often fly
out.
Most nest hunters carry a long.
strong rope, a tomahawk. and some
spikes. Two usually work together.
They take the young birds from the
are able to fly. If the nest is not
very far up, they throw the rope delft
ly over the lowest branch. Then
they make a loop at one end, into
which the climber puts one foot. His
mate then hauls on the other end of
the rope until he reaches the branch.
Once on the branch, the climber dis
cards the rope and uses his tomahawk.
He may have to cut stepato get up
to the nest; and often the nest is so
far down in the hollow that he has to
make a second opening. q
1 saw climber spend three hours
one day in cutting his way into
nest. When he-g the two young
cockatoos, he examined them and
called out. They are. strong enough
to fly a little, so I'll 1st them drop.
Look outy" He lappcaed one bird
into the air. To hiDFastontshment ami
disgust it spread its wings, tapped
them vigorously, and few away into
the heart Of the forest. We never
saw it again. 1t is hardly necessary
to add that he sent the other young
one down in a different fashion.
For climbing very tall trees, the
nest hunter uses the spikes. He
a tomahawk. 1t is amazing to see
how few spikes an expert climber
uses. He drives them in only far
enough to support his weight, and as
far apart as he can reach. That Is
SO that he may have no trouble In
pulling the spikes out as he comes
down. If the tree is green, the climb
er sometimes goes up by means Of
notches that he cuts in the bark.
Here again he manages with mini
mum effort. He climbs in his socks,
and as he uses only his big toe, he
can get along with very small notch
es. The best climbers are very sure
footed. I know one who, when we'll
up a tree. walks along the branches
without any support. even at heigh.
Of sixty or eighty feet from the
ground.
Parrots, especially the brilliantly
colored red-breasted rosella, are very
popular cage birds. In the country
districts Of Australia, at least every
third house has either a cockatoo or q
rosella for pet. The rosella nests
in the hollows Of trees. but as a rule
the nest is low and easily got at. I
have often seen them in the hollo VS.
Of small trees close enough to the
ground to be reached from the back
Of horse. The rosella rear prolific
families; six and seven are usual.
and eight and nine are not uncom-
mon.
Rats, Mice and Fires.
Rats. mice and matches have long been