1. MTCROGLOSSV/S. 105 



Schleg. Dierent. p. 84 (18G4); Bernst. Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. 



xxvii. p. 298 (1864) ; id. Ned. Tijdschr. Dierk. ii. p. 328 (1865). 

 Microglossa alecto, Sclat. Journ. Pr. Linn. Sue. ii. p. 166, sp. 123 



(1858); Sclat. P Z. S. 1861, p. 365; Parker, P. Z. S. 1865, 



p. 235 ; Sclat. List Vert. An. 8th ed. p. 315 (1883). 

 Cacatua alecto, Schleg. Journ. f. Qra.1861, p. 380. 

 Mieroglossus aterrimus, Finscli, Papag. i. p. 370 (part.) (1867). 

 Microglossum aterriuium, Schley. Mm. P.-B. Psittaci, Revue, p. 07 



(part.) (1874). 



Adult male. Slaty black, powdered with grey, when alive ; fore- 

 head and lores deep velvety blank; a long crest of narrow feathers 

 on the head ; wings and tail with green reflexions ; naked cheeks 

 pale red, bordered with pale yellow, the two colours gradually 

 blending into each other: bill and feet black; irides dark brown. 

 Total length from 31 to 29 inches, wing about 15, tail about 1<», 

 bill 4-2, tarsus 1-1. 



Adult female. Smaller than the male. 



Young. Differs from the adult bird in having the abdomen, the 

 under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts with narrow yellowish 

 bands, and the tip of the upper mandible more or less whitish. 



Hah. Papuan Islands and North Australia — New Guinea, 

 Waigiou, Ghemien, Sorong, Salwatty, Mysol, Jobi, Aru Islands, 

 and Cape York. 



The birds from the Aru Islands are much smaller than those from 

 New Guinea ; still the smallest specimen I have ever seen was from 

 Waigiou— total length 25-7 inches, wing 12-8, tail 9-5, bill 2-7 *. 



* Teiuminck (Coup d'CEil, iii. p. 405) says that the Papuans from Triton 

 Bay told Dr. Solomon Miiller of a black Cockatoo larger than Microglossia 

 aterrimus, and with much longer tail, living in the interior of Xew Guinea; 

 also Von Eosenberg (Journ. f. Orn. 1862, p. 04) heard from the natives near 

 Karusa river, on the west coast of New Guinea, of a very large Cockatoo with 

 long tail and feathered cheeks, living in the Interior. 



