Part 10

There is no doubt that Mr. Caley is right in the opinion expressed in his notes that this is the Carat of the natives; and he adds that it lays two eggs in the holes of the trees; “does not cut off the branches of trees like the Cal. funereus, but cuts off May-rybor-ro and Mun-mow (the fruit of two species of Persoonia), without however eating them, before they are ripe, to the great injury and vexation of the natives.”

The adult male may at all times be distinguished from the female by the broad band of scarlet on the tail. The females and males during the first year have this part banded with black, as shown in the accompanying Plate.

The old male has the entire plumage glossy greenish black, washed with brown on the head and neck, with a broad band of deep vermilion across the middle of all but the two centre tail-feathers, and the external web of the outer feather on each side; irides very dark brown; orbits mealy black in some, in others pinky; bill dark horn-colour; feet mealy black.

The females and young males differ in having the head and neck browner than in the adult male, and in having the scarlet band on the tail crossed by narrow bands of greenish black.

The figures are nearly the size of life.

CALYPTORHYNCHUS FUNEREUS.

J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

CALYPTORHYNCHUS FUNEREUS. Funereal Cockatoo.

Psittacus funereus, Shaw, Nat. Misc., pl. 186.—Kuhl, Consp. Psitt. in. Nova Acta, etc., vol. x. p. 89.—Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl., vol. i. p. xxii.

Funereal Cockatoo, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ii. p. 202.

Banksian Cockatoo, Lath. Gen. Syn. Suppl., vol. i. p. 91. C.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 477.

Calyptorhynchus funereus, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 271.

Plyctolophus funeralis, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 302.

Wy-la, Aborigines of the Upper Hunter in New South Wales.

Although not the most powerful in its mandibles, the present bird is the largest species of the genus to which it belongs, its large wings and expansive tail being unequalled by those of any other member of the great family of Psittacidæ yet discovered. The true habitat of the Calyptorhynchus funereus is New South Wales, or that portion of the Australian continent forming its south-eastern division. Among other places, I observed it in the neighbourhood of Sydney, at Bong-bong, on Mosquito Island near the mouth of the River Hunter, and on the Liverpool range; and it may be said to be universally distributed over this part of the continent. The thick brushes clothing the mountain sides and bordering the coast-line, the trees of the plains and the more open country are equally frequented by it; at the same time it is nowhere very numerous, but is usually met with associated in small companies of from four to eight in number, except during the breeding season, when it is only to be seen in pairs. Its food is much varied; sometimes the great belts of Banksias are visited, and the seed-covers torn open for the sake of their contents; while at others it searches with avidity for the larvæ of the large caterpillars which are deposited in the wattles and gums. Its flight, as might be expected, is very heavy, flapping and laboured, but it sometimes dives about between the trees in a most rapid and extraordinary manner.

When busily engaged in scooping off the bark in search of its insect food, it may be approached very closely; and if one be shot, the remainder of the company will fly round for a short distance and perch on the neighbouring trees, until the whole are brought down, if you are desirous of so doing.

Its note is very singular,—a kind of whining call, which it is impossible to describe, but which somewhat resembles the syllables Wy-la, whence the native name.

The eggs, which are white and two in number, about one inch and five-eighths long by one inch and three-eighths broad, are deposited on the rotten wood in the hollow branch of a large gum.

Caley mentions that this bird has a habit of cutting off the smaller branches of the apple-trees (Anophoræ), apparently from no other than a mischievous motive.

The sexes are very nearly alike, and may be thus described:—

The general plumage brownish black, glossed with green, particularly on the head; feathers of the body, both above and beneath, narrowly margined with brown; ear-coverts dull wax-yellow; all but the two central tail-feathers crossed in the centre by a broad band, equal to half their length, of brimstone-yellow, thickly freckled with irregular zigzag markings of brownish black; the external web of the outer primary on each side, and the margin of the external web of the other banded feathers, brownish black; bill black in some and white in others, the latter being probably young birds; eyes blackish brown; feet mealy blackish brown; orbits in some black, in others pinkish red, and in others whitish.

The figure is about two-thirds of the natural size.

CALYTORHYNCHUS XANTHONOTUS: Gould.

J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

CALYPTORHYNCHUS XANTHONOTUS, Gould. Yellow-eared Black Cockatoo.

Calyptorhynchus xanthonotus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 151; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.

The great stronghold of this species is Van Diemen’s Land, but I have also seen specimens from Flinders’ Island and South Australia, in all of which countries it is the representative of the Calyptorhynchus funereus of New South Wales. It is very plentifully dispersed over all parts of Van Diemen’s Land, where it evinces a preference for the thickly wooded and mountainous districts; and is always to be observed in the gulleys under Mount Wellington, particularly in the neighbourhood of New Town. In fine weather it takes a higher range, but descends to the lower part of the country on the approach of rain, when it becomes excessively noisy, and utters as it flies a very peculiar whining cry. Its flight, from the enormous size of its wings, appears to be heavy and laborious, and while performing this action it presents a very remarkable appearance, its short neck, rounded head, and long wings and tail giving it a very singular contour. It is generally to be observed in companies of from four to ten in number, but occasionally in pairs only. I found it very shy and difficult of approach, which may perhaps be attributed to its being wantonly shot wherever it may be met with.

Its principal food is a large kind of caterpillar, which it obtains from the wattle- and gum-trees, and in procuring which it displays the greatest activity and perseverance, scooping off the bark and cutting through the thickest branch until it arrives at the object of its search; it is in fact surprising to see what enormous excavations it makes in the larger branches, and how expertly it cuts across the smaller ones: besides these large caterpillars, it also feeds upon the larvæ of several kinds of coleopterous insects, and occasionally, but not generally, on the seeds of the Banksias and berries; chrysalides were also found in the stomachs of some that were dissected.