THE GOLIATH ARATOO. 



397 



large, sharply curved, and having its cutting edges two-toothed, while the lower mandible is 

 comparatively small, and only furnished with a single tooth. 



It is a native of New Guinea and the neighboring islands, and is not a very common bird, 

 although specimens may be found in several museums. The peculiar formation of the tongue 

 and beak would lead the ob- 

 server to suppose that its habits 

 in ust be different from those of 

 ordinary Cockatoos ; but as lit- 

 tle or nothing is known of its 

 mode of life in a wild state, 

 the precise use of these organs 

 is rather problematical. 



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In size, this bird is one of 

 the largest of the Parrot tribe, 

 being equal to and in some 

 cases exceeding that of the 

 great macaws, although the 

 absence of the long tail renders 

 it a less conspicuous bird. The 

 general color of this species is 

 deep black, with a greenish 

 gloss, caused chiefly by the 

 large amount of whitish powder 

 which is secreted in certain 

 imperfect quills, and thence 

 scattered among the feathers, 

 giving them a kind of " bloom," 

 like that of the plum or grape. 



This substance is found 

 very largely in most of the Par- 

 rot tribe, and I well remember 

 getting my coat powdered like 

 that of a miller from playing 

 with a great white Cockatoo. 

 Many other birds, such as the 

 vultures, possess this curious 



powdery substance, whose office is rather doubtful. The powder is produced from the forma- 

 tive substance of the quill, which, instead of being developed into shaft and web, as in the 

 case of the perfect quills, dries up and is then thrown off in a dusty form. The imperfect 

 quill-feathers can generally be seen intermixed with the rest of the plumage when the Cockatoo 

 bends down its head or plumes itself, and the white substance may be seen in the open ends 

 of the imperfect quills, or lying thickly about them. In the case of the vultures it is thought 

 to be given for the purpose of keeping their skin and plumage undefiled by the putrid animal 

 substances on which those unclean and useful birds feed, but as it is found in equal plenty on 

 the Cockatoos, than whom no cleaner feeding or more fastidious birds exist, it is evident that 

 it must serve some purpose that is common to these two dissimilar species. Very little 

 structure is found in this dust when placed under the microscope, but with the aid of the 

 polarizer I have made out several well-marked hexagonal cells. 



The green-black hue extends over the whole of the plumage, but around the eye is a large 

 naked space of skin, red in color, and covered with wrinkles. The head is ornamented with a 

 large and curiously formed crest, which is composed of a number of single feathers, each being 

 long, narrow, and the web rather scanty. The color of the crest is rather grayer than the 

 remainder of the plumage, probably on account of its less massive construction, and its free- 

 dom from the white powdery dust which has just been described. In general the crest lies 



GOLIATH AKATOO - Micmgloxxus a/errimui. 



