5o8 NESTS AND EGGS OE AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



ObnervafionK. — The Groat-billed Black Cockatoo is a northern 

 species. All the specimens that came under Gould's notice were col- 

 lected in the Port Dai-win District, probably by Gilberti. 



Amongst the mountains and hills near our camp at Cardwell were 

 some of these fine Cockatoos, at least, wo took thorn to be the variety 

 at present under consideration. They were oxccedinEflv shy, and we 

 only procured a pair. The male wa« an exceedingly handsome bird, 

 fully twenty-two inches in length, with a beautiful broad band of 

 scarlet across the tail feathers. Tlie female difFon-d in having a few 

 light-coloured .spots over her dusky plumage, with a mixture of yellow 

 in the scarlet band of the tail. 



When exploring in the far north, Mr. O'Donnell flushed a Black 

 Cockatoo from its nest in a low hollow tree. The bird was, most 

 probably, this Great-billed species. 



During the Calvert Expedition, early in November (1896), young 

 birds were taken by the natives from the spouts of the eucalypts on 

 the Margaret River. 



477. C.VLYPTORHYNCHUS STELLATI'S, Waglcr. (399) 



C. nnso, Gould. 



RED TAILED COCKATOO. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. g. 



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



Premoiis Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Birds of Australia (US48) , 

 also Handbook, vol. ii., p. 17 (1865) ; North : Aves, Report 

 Horn Scientific Expedition, p. 59 {i8q6). 



Gengrn-phiraJ DiMrihutinn. — West, North-west, and Central Aus- 

 tralia, and probably Northern Territory. 



Nest. — A hole, where the eggs are deposited on the soft decayed 

 wood within, of a tall tree in forest or by stream. 



Eggs.. — Clutch, one usually, two occasionally; oval or inclined to an 

 elUpso in fonn ; texture of shell coarse ; surface has faint trace of 

 gloss; colour, pure white. Dimensions in inches of typical examples: 

 (1) 2-06 X 1-44, (2) 2-05 x 1-42 ; but a fine series in Mr. G. A. Keartland's 

 collection varies from 2'16 x 1-.57 to 1-82 x 1-32. 



Ohservafion.1. — Tliis fine Cockatoo is the Red-tailed species of the 

 great western and interior territory. I had opportunities of seeing 

 these sombre-coloured birds at home in the forests of karri and jaiTah, 

 in fact, I saw a bird emerge from .a nesting hole of a locally so-called 

 red gum. How I wished I could climb the tree and thrust my hand 

 into tho hole for an egg ! But to reach the spot was beyond my 

 ability, and there were no natives near. 



The eggs Gilbert collected for Gould wore taken by a native from a 

 hole in a ver\' high gum-tree, in the la.st week of October. 



