The general plumage brownish black, glossed with green, particularly on
the head; feathers of the body, both above and beneath, narrowly
margined with brown; ear-coverts dull wax-yellow; all but the two
central tail-feathers crossed in the centre by a broad band, equal to
half their length, of brimstone-yellow, thickly freckled with irregular
zigzag markings of brownish black; the external web of the outer primary
on each side, and the margin of the external web of the other banded
feathers, brownish black; bill black in some and white in others, the
latter being probably young birds; eyes blackish brown; feet mealy
blackish brown; orbits in some black, in others pinkish red, and in
others whitish.
The figure is about two-thirds of the natural size.
[Illustration:
CALYTORHYNCHUS XANTHONOTUS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
CALYPTORHYNCHUS XANTHONOTUS, _Gould_.
Yellow-eared Black Cockatoo.
_Calyptorhynchus xanthonotus_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V.
p. 151; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.
The great stronghold of this species is Van Diemen’s Land, but I have
also seen specimens from Flinders’ Island and South Australia, in all of
which countries it is the representative of the _Calyptorhynchus
funereus_ of New South Wales. It is very plentifully dispersed over all
parts of Van Diemen’s Land, where it evinces a preference for the
thickly wooded and mountainous districts; and is always to be observed
in the gulleys under Mount Wellington, particularly in the neighbourhood
of New Town. In fine weather it takes a higher range, but descends to
the lower part of the country on the approach of rain, when it becomes
excessively noisy, and utters as it flies a very peculiar whining cry.
Its flight, from the enormous size of its wings, appears to be heavy and
laborious, and while performing this action it presents a very
remarkable appearance, its short neck, rounded head, and long wings and
tail giving it a very singular contour. It is generally to be observed
in companies of from four to ten in number, but occasionally in pairs
only. I found it very shy and difficult of approach, which may perhaps
be attributed to its being wantonly shot wherever it may be met with.
Its principal food is a large kind of caterpillar, which it obtains from
the wattle- and gum-trees, and in procuring which it displays the
greatest activity and perseverance, scooping off the bark and cutting
through the thickest branch until it arrives at the object of its
search; it is in fact surprising to see what enormous excavations it
makes in the larger branches, and how expertly it cuts across the
smaller ones: besides these large caterpillars, it also feeds upon the
larvæ of several kinds of coleopterous insects, and occasionally, but
not generally, on the seeds of the Banksias and berries; chrysalides
were also found in the stomachs of some that were dissected.
I found it exceedingly difficult to obtain any particulars respecting
the nidification of this bird, in consequence of its resorting for the
performance of this duty to the most retired and inaccessible parts of
the forests. Lieut. Breton, R.N., having informed me that a pair were
breeding in a tree on the estate of Mr. Wettenhall, I requested him to
use his influence with that gentleman to have their eggs procured for
me, and on the 2nd of February 1839, I received a note from him in which
he says:—
“In compliance with your request, I wrote to Mr. Wettenhall upon the
subject of the Black Cockatoo’s nest, and he forthwith directed his
shepherd to fell the tree in which the bird had established itself. It
was situated in a gulley or bottom, and was about four feet and a half
in diameter. The hole was from ninety to one hundred feet from the
ground, two feet in depth, and made quite smooth, the heart of the tree
being decayed. There was no appearance whatever of a nest. The tree was
broken in pieces by the fall, and the contents of the hole or nest
destroyed; the fragments, however, were sought for with the greatest
care, and all that could be found are sent you. It may perhaps be as
well to state, that both while the tree was being felled and for a short
time afterwards, a Hawk kept attacking the Cockatoo, which flew in
circles round the tree before it fell, uttering its loudest and most
mournful notes, and at times turning upon the Hawk, until at length it
flew off.”
The eggs are white, from two to four in number, and one inch and eight
lines long by one inch and four lines broad.
The bird varies considerably in size and weight, some specimens weighing
as much as one pound and ten ounces, while others weighed no more than
one pound and three ounces.
The sexes, which differ but little from each other, may be thus
described:—
Crown of the head, cheeks, throat, upper and under surface brownish
black; feathers of the breast obscurely tipped with dull olive;
ear-coverts yellow; two centre tail-feathers deep blackish brown, the
remainder black at the base and tips, the central portion being in some
specimens uniform light lemon-yellow, and in others the same colour
blotched with spots and markings of brown; bill in some specimens white,
in others blackish brown; feet greyish brown; orbits in some black, in
others pink; irides nearly black.