74 Zoological Society. 



sary to give a new name to the Cockatoo which I have heretofore 

 erroneously called Ducorpsii, and figured under that name in the 

 'Proceedings' for 1862. I propose, therefore, to call it Cacatua 

 ophthalmica, as its most distinguishing characteristic when living is 

 the blue naked skin which surrounds the eye, and renders it at 

 first sight distinguishable from every other bird of the genus. 



Before giving the specific characters of this new species, I may 

 remark that the White Cockatoos, of the genus Cacatua, may be 

 divided into two very easily distinguished sections. The first em- 

 braces those species which have a narrow medial head-crest, with the 

 slender point recurved at the extremity, and appearing above the 

 surface of the adjoining feathers when the crest is in a state of repose. 

 The second contains those species which have the crest broadened 

 and comprising the greater part of the head-feathers, rising when 

 erect into a sphere more or less pyramidal in shape, but showing 

 when in a state of repose no recurved point. The following diagnoses 

 may assist in determining the species : — 



Sect. A. Crista angustata ad apicem recurva. 



„ . ,., . , a f 1. qalerita, ex Australia. 



Majores candidae, crista flava | 2 {^ e ' x Noy Guinea et Molucc> 



Minores candidae, crista aurantiaca... 3. citrinocristata, ex Timor. 



{4. sulphurea, ex Timor, Flores, Lombock 

 et Celebes. 

 5. aquatorialis, ex Nov. Guin. et Molucc. 

 Major, crista tricolore 6. Leadbeateri, ex Australia. 



Sect. B. Crista lata incumlente. 



Candida major; crista alba 7. cristata, ex Ternate. 



crista rubra 8. moluccensis, ex Ceram, Batchian et 



Ternate. 



crista limonacea ... 9. ophthalmica, ex ins. Salomon, 

 minor; crista alba, intus li- 



monaceo tincta ... 10. Ducorpsii, ex ins. Salomon, 



genis rubro tinctis.. 11. sanguinea, ex Australia. 



crisso rubro 12. Philippinarum, ex ins. Philipp. 



Rosacea 13. roseicapilla, ex Australia. 



The new species may be shortly characterized as follows : — 



Cacatua ophthalmica, sp. nov. 



Cacatua Ducorpsii, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1862, p. 141, pi. xiv. 



Alba : crista? plumis elongatis, intus pallide limonaceis : subala- 

 ribus et caudce tectricibus inferioribus limonaceo tinctis : rostro 

 et pedibus nigris : annulo oculari in ave viva cceruleo : cras- 

 sitie vix minore quam in Cacatua cristata. 



Hab. In ins. Salomon. 



In conclusion I may remark that the Society's living series of 

 Cockatoos contains examples of nine out of the thirteen known species, 

 the deficiencies being only four, namely, C. triton, C. sulphurea, 

 C. sanguinea, and C. Philippinarum. 



