CAPE TOWN PALM COCKATOO. 
becomes necessary. I have given the facts in connection with the generic 
name and here detail the facts relative to the species names and forms. 
Edwards, in his “ Gleanings of Natural History,” Vol. VII., gave a 
plate 316. On the plate was a figure of the present species with an outline 
sketch of the bill “ Bigness of Life.” The plate is inscribed “ The Great 
Black Cockatoo from the East Indies. After an Original Drawing. George 
Edwards, Sculp., October 15, A.D. 1761.” 
A good description is given on p. 229 and the details added : “ This 
figure was taken from a drawing done from the life, of its natural size, by the 
order of John Gideon Loton, Esq., late Governor in the Island of Ceylon and 
other Dutch settlements in the East Indies. ... I think this bird is figured 
by Petro Schenk, by the name of Corvus Indicus, in a small book of prints 
of birds, drawn from life, published at Amsterdam a.d. 1707 by S. Vanden 
Meulen.” 
Under the title “Le Kakatoes noir,” Buffon simply transcribed Edwards’ 
account, and a couple of years later Latham, in his Gen, Synops. Birds, 
included the Black Cockatoo (p. 260) based upon “ Le Kakatoes noir Buf. ois. 
VI., p. 97, and Great Black Cockatoo, Edw. glean., pi. 316,” writing : “ If we 
may judge by the size of the head which accompanies the drawing of this 
bird in Edwards, it must at least be of the size of the red and blue Maccaw, 
if not bigger. The general colour is black, with a large crest on the head, 
of a colour somewhat more pale than the rest of the plumage ; the bill is 
dusky brown ; the eye dark ; side of the head, from the eyes to the under- 
mandible, bare of feathers, wrinkled, and of a red colour ; the legs brown- 
black. 
This was taken from a drawing done by order of Governor Loten 
at Ceylon. 
In Parkinson’s voyage are mentioned black Cockatoos of a large size, 
having white sjDots between the beak and ear, as well as on each wing, and 
scarlet and orange-coloured feathers on their tails. These were met with 
on the coast of New Holland, in the South Seas. 
Gmelin, in his Sy sterna Natures, p. 330, 1788, latinised this : “ Psittacus 
aterrimus. Ps. niger, crista magna dilutiore, genio rubris nudis. Kakatoes 
noir. Buff. hist. nat. des oif. 6, p. 97. Great Black Cockatoo, Edw. glean., 
t. 316. Black Cockatoo. Lath. syn. 1.1., p. 260, n. 66. Habitat in Nova 
Hollandia, magnitudine Macao. Bostrum obscure fuscum ; pedes ex fusco nigriN 
It is obvious that the superficial Gmelin here added the locality “ Nova 
Hollandia ” from the Lathamian note ex Parkinson. Before, however, 
Gmelin’ s account was published, Latham had corrected his error, for in the 
First Supplement to the General Synopsis of Birds, published in 1787, he had 
VOL. VL 
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