_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
CALYPTORHYNCHUS BAUDINII, _Vig._
Baudin’s Cockatoo.
_Calyptorhynchus Baudinii_, Vig. in Lear’s Ill. Psitt., pl. 6.
_Oo-l̏aak_ of the Aborigines of the lowland, and
_Ngol-y̏e-nuk_ of the Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western
Australia.
_White-tailed Black Cockatoo_ of the Colonists.
This species, which is a native of Western Australia, is distinguished
from all the other known members of the group by its smaller size and by
the white markings of its tail-feathers. It belongs to that section of
the Black Cockatoos in which a similarity of marking characterizes both
sexes, such as _Calyptorhynchus funereus_ and _C. xanthonotus_. Like the
other members of the genus it frequents the large forests of _Eucalypti_
and the belts of _Banksiæ_, upon the seeds of which it mainly subsists;
occasionally it seeks its food on the ground, when insects, fallen
seeds, &c. are equally partaken of; the larvæ of moths and other insects
are also extracted by it from the trunks and limbs of such trees as are
infested by them.
Its flight is heavy and apparently laboured: when on the wing it
frequently utters a note very similar to its aboriginal name; at other
times when perched on the trees it utters a harsh croaking sound, which
is kept up all the time the bird is feeding.
It breeds in the holes of the highest white gum-trees, often in the most
dense and retired part of the forest. The eggs are generally two in
number, of a pure white; their average length being one inch and
three-quarters by one inch and three-eighths in breadth. The
breeding-season extends over the months of October, November and
December.
Up to the time of writing this account I have never seen specimens from
any other part of Australia than the colony of Swan River, over the
whole of which it seems to be equally distributed.
The entire plumage is blackish brown, glossed with green, especially on
the forehead; all the feathers narrowly tipped with dull white;
ear-coverts creamy white; all but the two central tail-feathers crossed
by a broad band, equal to half their length, of cream-white; the
external web of the outer primary and the margin of the external web of
the other banded feathers blackish brown; the shafts black; irides
blackish brown; bill lead-colour; in some specimens the upper mandible
is blackish brown; legs and feet dull yellowish grey, tinged with olive.
The figure represents a male about three-fourths of the natural size.
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