> > > Another interesting piece of art is a large English portrait
> > with a
> > > sulphur crested cockatoo as a major feature. The interesting
> > thing is
> > > that the portrait was painted pre-1700.
> >
> > I put it down to the same culture that put kookaburras in the African
> > Jungle Jim movies. But maybe not? Any thoughts?
> >
> There are other "yellow-crested" cockatoos in south-east Asia
> (Nusatenggara, Maluku [aka Spice Islands], Philippines) that would
> probably have been traded into Europe before Sulphur-crested Cockatoos
> from Australia.
As Indonesian (Bugis) traders made regular visits to the north of Australia
pre-1700, it is possible that Sulphur-crested Cockatoos were known in
Europe before the 'discovery' of the continent. They are also common
throughout New Guinea & less so on some offshore islands.It is thought that
the Portuguese governor of Maluku landed on Warsai on the Vogelkop
Peninsular in 1526. The first certain landfall was made by a Spaniard on
the north coast in 1528, however, after which the Spanish arrived in search
of gold, &c and maybe wildlife?
Just another thought.
Susan Myers
Email:Susan Myers '
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