THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
this view, especially when we consider the great range of individual variation. 
Also the birds from the Trobriand Islands have been separated by Dr. Finsch 
as Cacatua trobriandi, but he writes to me that now he considers this name 
only a synonym of C. triton. The specimen procured during the voyage of 
the ‘ Alert,’ mentioned below, seems to belong to C. triton , but I suspect that 
it has been imported into Hammond Island (Torres Straits).” 
In the Novitates Zoologicae, Vol. III., p. 246, 1896, Rothschild and Hartert 
catalogued “ Cacatua triton trobriandi (?). A female from Fergusson Island, 
has the wing only 263 mm. ( = 10*4 in.) which is decidedly less than the length 
of the wing of C. triton Dr. Finsch, in his interesting book Samoafahrten , 
p. 208, says that the natives in the Trobriand Islands brought to him ‘ lebende 
Exemplare einer eigenen kleinen Kakaduart mit gelber Haube, Cacatua 
trobriandi Finsch.’ No description .... has ever appeared. Most likely 
the Fergusson Island cockatoo belongs to the same form as that from Trobriand. 
It is still smaller than those from the Western Papuan Islands, Salwatti, 
Mysol, etc., the wing measuring only 267 mm., while Mysol specimens have the 
wing 280 mm. long, and the wings of those from Dutch New Guinea in Mr. 
Rothschild’s Museum measure 320 to 330 mm. The bills differ in proportion. 
It seems to me, and I have no doubt that a large series with exact localities 
stated will prove beyond doubt, that the birds from the Western Papuan 
Islands form a well-marked subspecies, C. triton macrolopha Rosenb., and 
that the birds from Fergusson, Normanby and Trobriand Islands are separable 
as another subspecies, to which the name trobriandi might be attached. E.H.” 
In the Nov. Zool., Vol. VIII., p. 78, 1901, they recognised three sub- 
species of Cacatua triton writing under the typical form : “ Cacatua triton 
triton. The only White Cockatoo we know from New Guinea proper is the 
typical triton .” Then followed a list of localities and the further observation : 
“ All these birds agree in being very large, with powerful beaks and long wings. 
It is most peculiar to find typical triton on the South-east Islands. C. galerita 
of Australia differs at first sight from triton by the more pointed, strongly laterally 
incurved, and more recurved feathers of the crest. This is a much better 
character to distinguish dried skins by, than the colour of the naked skin round 
the eyes, which vanishes when the bird dies. 
“Cacatua triton macrolopha (Rosenb.). Four adult birds from Mysol and 
three from Aru agree with each other, and differ from typical triton in being 
smaller, the wings being at least an inch shorter, the bills less powerful. This 
form, which inhabits also Salwatty and Waigin, must certainly be recognized, 
although Count Salvadori and other authorities have denied its validity. 
“ Cacatua triton trobriandi (Finsch). Athough this form is somewhat larger 
than C. t. 7 nacrolopha, it is so much smaller than typical triton that it must rank 
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