PLATE XVI 
CALYPTORHYNCHUS BAUDINII. ( vu.) 
BA TJ DIN'S CO CKA TO O. Genus : Calyptorhynchus. 
FAMILIARLY known as the White-tailed Black Cockatoo, this bird presents few variations in appearance or 
disposition from Calyptorhynchus Funereus or Calyptorhynchus Xanthonotus. Its slow laboured flight is 
sufficient warrant for its restricted habitat, though, within that limit, it is generally distributed over the 
whole of the western part of Western Australia, particularly in the neighbourhood of Swan River. Further east 
the increasingly sterile nature of the country militates against the ready growth and productiveness of the 
Eucalypti and Banksice, whose seeds are its principal food ; this explains, why the bird has not spread itself over 
the continent. 
Of a retiring disposition, it loves the quiet of a dense forest, where it may climb unmolested among 
gum-trees and honeysuckles in search of the larva 1 of moths and beetles which it extracts from the bark ; or it 
hops along the ground picking up fallen seeds — thus it is both arboral and terrestrial in its habits. Remarkable 
as being the smallest Cockatoo of any known member of the genus Calyptorhynchus yet found in Western 
Australia, it has also a distinctive feature in the white marking of the tail feathers. 
While flying this bird utters a note similar in sound to the name bestowed upon it by the native blacks, 
*' Oo-laak." Immediately it perches on a tree the note is exchanged for a harsh croak, which is kept up all the 
time it is feeding. 
Among this family the breeding season extends over October, November and December, when the pairs 
retire to the most secluded parts of the forest, and choose a very high white gum-tree {Eucalyptus redunca), 
where they easily find a hole or hollow knot in which to lay their eggs, usually two in number and perfectly 
white, measuring one inch nine lines long by one inch four and a-half lines broad. 
As the beauty of a Cockatoo consists in the gorgeousness of its plumage rather than in its form, it is a 
foregone conclusion that this particular species can lay little claim to admiration on that score, while the small, 
stiff flat crest, the spiteful eye and generally cruel contour of the head add considerably to its imattraetiveness. 
The plumage of both sexes is a rusty black, with faint yellow markings on neck and breast ; and a 
pear-shaped tuft of yellowish-white feathers behind the eye ; the long oval tail is entirely white, framed in a 
narrow fringe of black. The only difference in the female is that the yellow colouring is much more 
accentuated, as it outlines the whole plumage ; the feet are brown and scaly ; the beak is bone colour. 
Habitat : Western Australia. 
