CALYPTOEHYNCHUS LEACHII. 



(Leaclis Cockatoo.) 



Male — G-eneral plumage, black, with greenisli reflections ; head, crest, and neck, lighter, partaking of a yellowish brown tint ; two central 

 tail feathers and the bases and tips of the lateral feathers, deep black ; central portions of the latter, bright scarlet. 



Eemale — Head and crest, blackish brown, each feather tinged with yellow at the tip ; cheeks and ear coverts, yellow, tinged 

 with orange, and partly overlapped by other feathers of a blackish brown tint, proceeding from beneath the eye ; back and wings, brownish 

 black, glossed with green ; chest and abdomen, the same, but duller ; the two middle tail feathers, black ; the remainder, orange scarlet in 

 the middle, and black at their bases and extremities — the scarlet portion crossed by a series of irregular black bands, wdiich vary somewhat 

 in form in each feather ; bill, bluish horn color ; eyes, dark brown ; feet, mealy grey. The young female has the neck of a uniform greyish 

 brown, slightly spotted wdth buff. 



Length, 20 inches ; wing, 14 ; tail, 10 ; tarsus, f. 



This, which may be regarded as the least of the Australian black cockatoos, is found in Queensland, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, and South Australia. It frequents ridges and forest country, especially where the oak (casuarina) abounds, on the hard nuts of which 

 tree it principally subsists, breaking the same with the greatest ease with its powerful bill. It is generally met with in small companies of 

 from four to six, and is less shy than others of the same genus. On one being wounded, its companions fly around screeching, and fall an 

 easy prey to the sportsman. The note is not very loud, but discordant, and often leads to its discovery. All attempts have hitherto failed to 

 render this bird familiar to confinement, as it speedily languishes and dies. 



