CAPE TOWN PALM COCKATOO. 
There is no mention of restriction in this place, but simply usage of 
alecto (Less.) for a smaller form without any discussion whatever. I make 
note of this, as later Ogilvie-Grant cited this as absolute fixation, which is 
very inaccurate. 
In the Journ. fur Ornith., 1913 (Oct.), p. 600, Stresemann also accepted 
Rothschild and Hartert’s data without investigation, recording Solenoglossus 
aterrimus alecto (Less.) from Misol, giving as references : ‘ [Psittacus aterrimus 
Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I., p. 330 (1788— ‘ Nova Hollandia ’)]. Eurhynchus 
alecto Lesson, Compl. Buff. IX., p. 200 (1837— Waigeu, Banda und Ceram: 
patr. restr. Waigeu).” As the range of S. a. alecto (Less.) he recorded : 
“ Misol, Salawatti, Waigeu, Gemien, Aru-Insch ” without giving any 
measurements. I note Stresemann does not include this species in his 
Birds of Ceram , though that is one of the localities mentioned by Lesson. 
In the Nov. Zool. , Vol. XVIII., p. 261, Jan., 1912, I proposed Solenoglossus 
aterrimus macgillivrayi subsp. nov., with the diagnosis : “ Differs from 
S. a. aterrimus in its larger size (wing 358 mm.) and in lacking the slaty-grey 
coloration of the crest, and is a brighter black above generally.” Cape York, 
Australia. Note. — Psittacus aterrimus Gmelin, Syst. Nat., p. 330, 1788, is 
founded on Edwards’ Gleanings Nat. Hist. VII., p. 229 (1764) ; and though 
Gmelin gives as habitat “In Nova Hollandia,” there can be little doubt that 
no specimen had at that time reached Europe from Cape York, its only 
Australian locality. Edwards states that it came from the East Indies, and 
recent authors have quoted New Guinea as the main habitat of P. aterrimus. 
As it would appear that there are several subspecies confused under that 
species name, I select as the type locality of Gmelin’s P. aterrimus Salwatty, 
a locality where the species commonly occurs, and one from which it might 
have been brought to Europe in the latter eighteenth century. 
Ogilvie-Grant’ s criticism which appeared in the Ibis , Jubilee SuppL, 
No. 2, Dec. 1915, pp. 241-2, reads : 
“Messrs. Rothschild and Hartert (1913) recognise three subspecies of 
Black Cockatoos, viz. : — 
“1. ‘A very large form.’ Mainland of New Guinea. 
“ 2. ‘ An intermediate and blacker race.’ Cape York. 
“3. ‘A smaller one.’ Western Papuan Islands. 
“ These conclusions are borne out by the fairly large series now in the 
British Museum, as the following wing-measurements will show : 
“ Solenoglossus aterrimus (Gmel.) [Type-locality, New Holland = Cape 
York]. 
87 
