Peittacus aterrimus, Gml.

Alecto Cockatoo, Great Palm Cockatoo (Ger., Schwarzer Russelpapagei, Ararakakadu, schwarzer Ararakakadu; Fr., Cacatois Alecto, Microglosse ou Arara noir a trompe; Dut., Ara Kakketoe) - Description.

A living specimen of this bird presents a rare and peculiar appearance. Dr. Finsch states that it greatly resembles the macaws, and yet is decidedly a cockatoo. It is deep black all over the body, with a faint green tinge; the whole plumage is filled with a fine dust-like powdery down, which makes its appearance almost grey. The crest is described in the generic review; the beak is black, the ridge and sides a faint bluish-black; the featherless skin under the eyes, and near the beak, is of a dark orange colour, inclining to blood-red, with lighter flesh-coloured veins; the feet and claws black. The two sexes are said to be alike in outward appearance, save that the hen has a shorter beak. In size it is rather larger than a raven (length, 26 3/4in. to 311/2in.; wings, 15 in, to 16 1/2in.; tail,10in. to ll 3/4in.).

It is indigenous to the north of Australia, and the neighbouring islands of the Malay Archipelago. Van der Meulen was the first to describe this bird in 1707, and was followed by Edwards, in 1764. Gmelin, in 1788, furnished the first drawing of it, and gave it its scientific name. Wallace supplies information as to its life in freedom. Its cry is a protracted, shrill, but plaintive, piping. It lives in low wooded districts, where it is found in couples or in small families; its flight is slow and noiseless; its food, seeds, together with the kernels of the canary-nut tree, the hard shells of which it is able to open with its powerful beak. Dr. 0. von Martens observed it in captivity in Bahia: "A droll fellow, which sits there stiffly, with a red face, powerful beak, and a constantly erected feathery crest. On the approach of a stranger, as well as from pleasure, it utters rattling cries." According to other travellers, it lives in the tops of high trees, whether growing in woods or apart. It is cheerful and agile, and speeds on its way with powerful strokes of the wing. The couples are very shy. The young are frequently taken from the nest and brought up by hand, yet they seldom come to Europe. In the year 1860 Mr. Wester-man, Director of the Zoological Gardens in Amsterdam, had a Macaw Cockatoo, which had been fed with canary-nuts on the voyage, and was with difficulty accustomed to oats, etc, on which, however, he afterwards throve. Dr. Max Schmidt speaks of the great strength of its beak; it bit a porcelain vessel to pieces, for example, and even made a hole in a cast iron pan. It eats seeds, and the mealy part of maize, and likes raw meat, but must have its food thoroughly bruised and crushed. Its voice reminds one of the creaking of a door, and travellers describe it as particularly jarring. It should be fed according to the directions given on p. 29, but it is also fond of nuts and fruit. It has been occasionally offered for sale of late years, by the great dealers. Mr. A. E. Blaauw conjectures that the purely black birds, with bright red cheeks, shorter crest, and shorter beak, are the old males; and the lighter birds, with long beaks, which had remained unchanged after being in captivity for two years, are the hens. Dr. Platen imported three splendid specimens of this species, which were very tame, and spoke some words.

To the amateur this bird is of little importance, as it can only be regarded as a curiosity for zoological collections, or for fanciers.