Arrival of Rare Foreign Birds. 243


The Great Black Cockatoo {Microglossa aterrimus) of which

Mr. Goodfellow has brought home one specimen, is a most ex-

traordinary bird with an enormous bill, well adapted for breaking

hard nuts, upon which it largely subsists in a wild state. The

lower part of the face is bare of feathers and the skin bright red.

The bird is wonderfully tame and gentle and delights in being

petted.


Of the Lories and Lorikeets the space at my disposal will

only permit of the briefest notice being given.


The Black Lory (Chalcopsittacus ater), three specimens, all

in good condition and extraordinarily tame and gentle. Only

one specimen has been previously imported (cf. Vol. III. N.S.


P- H7-)


One specimen of Eos fuscata from New Guinea, extremely

rare, and imported now for the first time.


One specimen of Eos cyanogenys, equally rare, also from

New Guinea.


One pair of Eos semilarvata from Obi, a small island off the

north west of New Guinea. There is no specimen of this in the

British Museum and its habitat was hitherto unknown.


Two pairs of Black-throated Lorikeets (7richogiossus uigri-

gidaris) from the Aru Islands {cf. Vol. IV. N.S. p. 21).


Three specimens of the Greeu-uaped Lorikeet (71 cya?io-

gravwms) from Western New Guinea.


A fine specimen of the Racket-tailed Parrot (Prionoturus

plahirus) of which species a coloured plate appeared in our

Magazine (Vol. I. N.S. p. 345).


There is one other pair of Lorikeets at present unidentified,

which will probably prove to be rare, and one or two species of

Bulbuls and Starlings of which space will not allow me to speak.

I am much indebted to Mrs. Johnstone for allowing me an oppor-

tunity of seeing this unique collection.


D. Seth- Smith



