Goo NESTS A:\'D ECCS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



In February, 1894, Mr. W. B. Barnard, after a uortliern tour, for- 

 warded luc some interesting field notes, including one referring to this 

 Lorilet, with a skin for identification. Two nests were found in small 

 holes in trees, at a height of about forty feet from the ground ; the 

 eggs were deposited about a foot downward from the entrance. The 

 birds were discovered breeding in the scrub and forest country ahke, 

 from September to November. 



Duiing my own Cardwell camp-out (1885) we prociu-ed skins of the 

 Blue-faced Lorilet. 



FAMILY— CACATUID^ ; COCKATOOS. 

 Sub-family — Cacatuin.*;. 



472. — MiCROGLOssus ATERRiMUS, Gmelin. — (404) 



PALM COCKATOO. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., supp., pi. 6i. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 103. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Ramsay : Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. 

 Wales, vol. viii., p. 27 (1S83I ; Keartland : Victorian Naturalist 

 (1897); Le Souef : Ibis, p. 56 (1898). 



Geographical Distribution. — North Queensland; also New Guinea, 

 Aru Islands, &c. 



Nest. — The hollow branch or bole of a tree. 



Eyys. — Clutch, one usually ; round oval in shape ; texture somewhat 

 coarse, or granulated ; siu'facc has a slight ti'ace of gloss, also a few 

 limy nodules ; colour, white. Dimensions in inches of single examples : 

 (1) 2-16 X 1-58, (2) 2-05 X 1-5. 



Observations. — Tliis giant amongst Cockatoos is found in the palm 

 scrubs of Cape York and adjacent islands. 



The following is an interesting and original note on tliis species 

 from Macgillivray to Gould: — "This very line bird, which is not lui- 

 common in the vicinity of Cape York, was usually found in the densest 

 scrub among the tops of the tallest trees, but was occasionally seen in 

 the open forest land, perched on the largest of the Euciilypti, apparently 

 resting on its passage from one belt of trees or patch of scrub to 

 another. Like the Cii/yjjturlii/iiri, it flies slowly, aiul usually but a 

 short distance. In November, 1849, the period of our la.sl visit to Cape 

 York, it was always found in pairs, very shy, and difliciilt of approadi. 

 Its cry is merely a low short wliistle of a single note, which may be 

 represented by the letters ' hwect-hweet.' The stomach of the first one 



