.MiCHor;LO.ssu.s. 5T 



///// lihii-li : Ifys null ff I, hlnrk : " in^ imriil i^liliriurn : c/ift/cs jialf dull crimsdii, hurili red irith pah- 

 il''tU>iv " (G'ould). TuUd. }eniit}i .Hi-.') iiichrs, /viin/ !■'/, lad 11, hdl ^, tarsux IL'i. 



Adult fkmalk — Tin' se.ivi< m-i' id\k<', in jiluDincjc. 



Dix/rdnifi, III. —Cape Vork Peninsula, New (juinea, Aru Islands. 



/T^III'2 (iieat Palm Cockatoo is an inhabitant of the northern portion of tlie Cape York 

 JL Peninsuhx, the Papuan and the Aru Islands. Although characterised by Gnielin in 

 17S8, it was not added to the Australian A\i-fauna until H.M.S. " Kattle-snake " visited Cape 

 Vork in 1S47, when Macgillivray succeeded in obtaining specimens. In addition to its entirely 

 sable plumage and elongated crest plumes, its bare cheeks and widely set apart powerful 

 mandibles will enable one at a glance to easily recognise this species from any other of the Black 

 Cockatoos found in Australia. There are specimens in the Australian Museum Collection 

 obtained at Cape Vork by the late Mr. Alex. Morton and other collectors, and where this species 

 was also procured by the Chevert E.xpedition in i'"^75; also specimens from Port Moresby, 

 New Guinea, collected by Mr. Kendal Broadbent. 



Mr. H. Greensill liarnard, of Bimbi, Uuaringa, (Queensland, writes me as follows: — "During 

 my collecting trip on Cape Vork Peninsula in i8c)6, I observed several M!Ci'of;!ossiis atcmmiis, but 

 unfortunately 1 was not successful m obtaininj; their eggs, .\lthougli I found se\'eral nests, on 

 my ascending the tree the birds always deserted them, the nests not being ready for eggs. 'J'hey 

 were in upright hollow spouts, from eighteen inches to two feet in depth, and at the bottom of 

 the spout was a layer of green sticks about half an inch in diameter, and from two inches to 

 three inches in length, with a depth of o\er four inches. The sticks in one instance were of 

 scrub timber, and these must have been brought from over a quarter of a mile away. The birds 

 bring these sticks in lengths of about twehe to fourteen indies, several of which were found in 

 the holes partly bitten through.' 



Mr. G. A. Keartland, of \ictjria, who has rendered me much assistance both in specimens 

 and notes, kindly sent me an egg of this species, together with the following note : — "I succeeded 

 in getting another egg of the Great Palm Cockatoo, which 1 am sending you. It was obtaied 

 almost accidentally in the early part of March, iSqS, on the Cape York Peninsula. Mr. Harry 

 Wilson was travelling with stock, and as he rode on ahead to select a camp he disturbed a Great 

 Palm Cockatoo from a high charred hollow stump. As there was plenty of good feed and 

 water there, he selected it for his camping ground. When the cook arrived with the ration 

 cart, he obtained an axe and soon made an opening in the side of the stump, and found the 

 nesting-place, consisting of some twigs, about si.\ feet from the ground, on which was lyin,i; the 

 accompanying egg, and which he found, when blowing it, was partly incubated." 



The egg referred to above is o\al in form, fairly rough shelled, minutely pitted, and having 

 a few small limy excrescences scattered over the surface; it is dull white and the shell slightly 

 lustrous, and measures : — Length 2-i5 x 1-58 inches. Another egg in iMr. Joseph Gabriel's 

 collection, also obtained on the Cape \'ork Peninsula, measures : — Lengtii 2-07 x 1-52 inches. 

 Another egg in Mr. Keartland's collection, taken at the same place, measures : — Length 2-2 x 

 i-6i inches. The pittings on the surface of the shell of this specimen are so minute that they 

 are not visible, unless examined with a lens. 



Immature birds have a smaller bill, and the feathers of the lower breast and abdomen 

 margined at the top, and crossed with three narrow pale greenish-yellow cross-bands. Wing 

 14 inches. 



