CACATUA OPHTHALMICA, Sclattr. 
Blue-eyed Cockatoo. 
Cacatua diicorpsii (nec Hombr. & Jacq.), Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1862, p. 141, pi. xiv. 
Cacatua ophthalmica, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 188. — Wallace, tom, cit. p. 280. — Sclater, Ann. & 
Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) xy. p. 74 (1865). — Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 184. — Gray, Hand-1. Birds, ii. 
p. 169, no. 8392 (1870). — Id. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (4) v. p. 329 (1870). — Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 
1877, p. 107. — Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, x. p. 25 (1877). — Id. Orn. Papuasia e delle Molucche, 
i. p. 103 (1880). — Sclater, Proc. Zool, Soc. 1880, p. 67. — Id. List of Animals in Zool. Gard.p. 308 (1883), 
Cacatua triton (pt.), Schleg. Nederl. Tijdscbr. v. Dierk, iii. p. 320 (1866), 
Plyctolophus ophthalmicus, Finsch, Papag. i. p. 282 (1867). — Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879, p. 17, 
The White Cockatoos, as Mr. Sclater has shown, may be divided into two very easily distinguished sections. 
The first embraces those species which have a narrow median head-crest with the slender j)oint recurved 
at the extremity, and appearing above the surface of the adjoining feathers when the crest is in a state of 
repose. The second contains those species which have the crest broadened, comprising the greater part 
of the head-feathers, and rising, when erect, into a sphere more or less pyramidal in shape, but showing 
when in a state of repose no recurved point. The present bird belongs to the second of these sections, 
and is most nearly allied to two well-known species — the White-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua cristata of 
Ternate and Halmahera, and the Rose-crested Cockatoo, C. moluccemis of Ceram, having a similar broad 
pendent crest. But it may he easily distinguished from these two species, with which it nearly agrees 
in size, by the delicate lemon-colour of its crest, and by the broad blue naked space round the eye, from 
which latter feature it has received the a])propriate name of ophthalmica. 
In 1862 an example of this fine Cockatoo was first received by the Zoological Society of London. It 
was at once recognized as a species unknown to him by Mr. Sclater, and described and figured in the 
‘ Proceedings.’ But misled, apparently, by the wrong locality attributed to this bird, which was stated to 
have been received from the Solomon Islands, Mr. Sclater unfortunately referred it to Cacatua ducorpsi , 
with which he was not at that period acquainted. In 1864, however, the receipt of authentic specimens 
of the true Cacatua ducorpsi direct from the Solomon group enabled Mr. Sclater to correct his error, and to 
establish this bird in its proper position as a distinct species. Moreover its true locality is now well known 
to us. 
Specimens of this Cockatoo were in the collections made in Duke-of-York Island and the adjacent parts 
of New Ireland and New Britain by Mr. George Brown, C.M.Z.S., in 1877 (see P. Z. S. 1877, p. 107), 
and in the collection made by Mr. Hiibner in the same district in 1878, which was described by Dr. Finsch 
in the Zoological Society’s ‘ Proceedings’ for 1879 (see P. Z. S. 1879, p. 17). Mr. Hiihner notes that the 
native name of this bird in New Britain is “ Moall' Again, in 1880, Mr. George Brown, then resident 
at Duke-of-York Island, forwarded a living pair of this Cockatoo to the Zoological Society’s Gardens, with the 
information that the bird is found in New Britain, but not in New Ireland. 
Our illustration of this Cockatoo has been prepared from a female specimen formerly living in the 
Zoological Society’s Gardens. The colours of the naked parts have been added from an example now living- 
in the same collection. 
[R. B. S.] 
