[ 160 ] 
*The Greater Cockatoo. 
T HERE is a greater and a letter Bird of this Kind ; the Greater (here to be deferr- 
ed) is of the Bignefs of a Raven ; the Letter not bigger than a common Pigeon. 
The Bill is very large and flrong ; it hath a Skin covering the Bafe of the upper 
Mandible, wherein are ‘ placed the Noftrils ; the fame Skin goes round the Angles 
of the Mouth. The whole Bill, with the Skin at its Bafe, is of a blueiOi Black. 
The Head is gryat in Proportion to the Body ; the Eyes are of a dark Colour, encom- 
patted with a bare Skin of a light Afh-Colour. The white Feathers that cover the 
Head, are v^ry long and loofe, efpecially thofe on the Top of the Head, which the 
Bird can either eredt into a Creft, or let fall on the Hinder-part of the Neck. The 
Bird when anger’d raifes not only his Creft, but the Feathers on the Sides of his 
Head, in which Adi all the under Part of the Feathers of the Crett are difeovered to 
be of a fine Scarlet, which oppofed to the white Feathers of the Bird {how very 
agreeably. When the Creft is let fall, the Red on the under Sides of the Feathers 
refiedl through them, and change the White on the Outfide of the Creft, to a 
Bloffom-Colour. The whole Plumage of the Bird may be called White, though it 
is tindtured with other Colours in fame Parts ; on the Back it hath a faint Tindture of 
Cream-Colour; on the Head and Breaft a little Cloud of Rofe ; the Covert- 
Feathers within Side of the Wings, and the under Side of the Tail, are tindtured 
with a bright Yellow. The Tail is fhort, having the Feathers of equal Length, 
hardly exceeding the Length of the Wings; the Legs and Feet are of a Lead-Colour;, 
the Toes are difpofed two forwards and two backwards, as in other Parrots. 
This Bird was brought from the Eaft-Indies. I drew it from a Bird fhewn in Bar- 
tholomew-Fairy London . — The letter Cockatoo differs very little from the Greater, ex- 
cept in Magnitude, and in having the Creft Yellow, and turning up at the End 
when it is let fall on the Neck ; the Colour and Shape of its other Parts agree pretty 
nearly with the Greater. AJbin has figur’d the Letter in his Hifiory oj Birds, FoL III. 
P. ] 2. The Hen of the greater Sort, as I fuppofe, I faw at the late Dr. Plumptre' s ; 
it was of a dirtier White, and without the red Colour in the Creft. I faw alfo at 
Copt-Hally i n EffeXy the Seat of Conyers, Efq; an exceeding fine Cock-Bird, of 
the greater Kind. Both Sorts are Natives of the Eaft-Indies. I fhall here prefent the 
Reader with a fhort Extradl from Cburchil’s ColleBion of Vi yages, Vol. I. P.45, from- 
JSavaratte's Voyages written in Spanijh, “ At AJacaJJ'ar (in the Eajl-Indies) there are 
“ a great many of a Sort of Birds they call Cacatua ; they are all White, fome bigger 
“ than Hens; their Beak like a Parrot’s; they are eafily made tame, and talk. 
“ When they ftand upon their Guard they are very fightly, for they fpread a Tuft of 
“ Feathers that is on their Heads, and look moft lovely. [1 fuppofe he means by 
“ fhowing the fine red Colour when the white Feathers are fpread.] The Portia 
“ giteze carry them to China,, and thofe People give good Rates for them.” I do not 
find that we have yet any Figure, or Defcription of this Bird. 
The 
