its eggs
in the hollows of the large gum-trees of Australia, and feeds largely on
the larvae of insects, in search of which it peels off the bark of
trees, and when thus employed it may be approached closely. The
cockateel (_Calopsittacus novaehollandiae_), the only species in the
family smaller than a pigeon, and with a long pointed tail, is a common
aviary bird, and breeds freely in captivity.

COCKATRICE, a fabulous monster, the existence of which was firmly
believed in throughout ancient and medieval times,--descriptions and
figures of it appearing in the natural history works of such writers as
Pliny and Aldrovandus, those of the latter published so late as the
beginning of the 17th century. Produced from a cock's egg hatched by a
serpent, it was believed to possess the most deadly powers, plants
withering at its touch, and men and animals dying poisoned by its look.
It stood in awe, however, of the cock, the sound of whose crowing
killed it, and consequently travelers were wont to take this bird with
them in travelling over regions supposed to abound in cockatrices. The
weasel alone among mammals was unaffected by the glance of its evil eye,
and attacked it at all times successfully; for when wounded by the
monster's teeth it found a ready remedy in rue--the only plant which the
cockatrice could not wither. This myth reminds one of the real contests
between the weasel-like mungoos of India and the deadly cobra, in which
the latter is generally killed. The term "cockatrice" is employed on
four occasions in the English translation of the Bible, in all of which
it denotes nothing more than an exceedingly venomous reptile; it seems
also to be synonymous with "basilisk," the mythical king of serpents.

COCKBURN, SIR ALEXANDER JAMES EDMUND, 10th Bart. (1802-1880), lord chief
justice of England, was born on the 24th of December 1802, of ancient
Scottish stock. He was the son of Alexander, fourth son of Sir James
Cockburn, 6th baronet, his three uncles, who had successively held the
title, dying without heirs. His father was British envoy extraordinary
and minister plenipotentiary to the state of Columbia, and married
Yolande, daughter of the vicomte de Vignier. Young Alexander was at one
time intended for the diplomatic service, and frequently during the
legal career which he ultimately adopted he was able to make
considerable use of the knowledge of foreign languages, especially
French, with which birth and