CALYPTORHYNCHUS BAUDINII, Fig.

Baudin’s Cockatoo.

Calyptorhynchus Baudinu, Vig. in Lear’s Ill. Psitt., pl. 6.

Oo-laak of the Aborigines of the lowland, and

Nogol-yé-nuk of the Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.
White-tailed Black Cockatoo of the Colonists.

 

Tuts species, which is a native of Western Australia, is distinguished from all the other known members of
the group by its smaller size and by the white markings of its tail-feathers. It belongs to that section of the
Black Cockatoos in which a similarity of marking characterizes both sexes, such as Calyptorhynchus funereus
and C. wanthonotus. Like the other members of the genus it frequents the large forests of Lucalypti and the
belts of Banksie, upon the seeds of which it mainly subsists; occasionally it seeks its food on the ground,
when insects, fallen seeds, &c. are equally partaken of; the larvae of moths and other insects are also
extracted by it from the trunks and limbs of such trees as are infested by them.

Its flight is heavy and apparently laboured: when on the wing it frequently utters a note very similar to
its aboriginal name; at other times when perched on the trees it utters a harsh croaking sound, which is
kept up all the time the bird is feeding.

It breeds in the holes of the highest white gum-trees, often in the most dense and retired part of the
forest. The eggs are generally two in number, of a pure white; their average length being one inch and
three-quarters by one inch and three-eighths in breadth. The breeding-season extends over the months of
October, November and December.

Up to the time of writing this account I have never seen specimens from any other part of Australia than
the colony of Swan River, over the whole of which it seems to be equally distributed.

The entire plumage is blackish brown, glossed with green, especially on the forehead ; all the feathers
narrowly tipped with dull white; ear-coverts creamy white; all but the two central tail-feathers crossed by
a broad band, equal to half their length, of cream-white ; the external web of the outer primary and the
margin of the external web of the other banded feathers blackish brown; the shafts black; irides blackish
brown ; bill lead-colour; in some specimens the upper mandible is blackish brown ; legs and feet dull
yellowish grey, tinged with olive.

The figure represents a male about three-fourths of the natural size.