Peittacus gymnopis, Scl.

Bare-eyed Cockatoo (Ger., Nacktaugen-Kakadu; Fr., Cacatois a yeux nus; Dut., Naaktoog Kakketoe) - Distinguishing Marls - Rarity.

According to the description of Mr. Blaauw, the Bare-eyed Cockatoo is coloured as follows: The forehead is a pale rose colour; the straight, pointed crest is white, but reddish-yellow at the base; the lores are almost blood-red; the cheeks are a dirty yellow; all the rest of the plumage white, having rosecoloured down on the feathers of the head and breast; the quills and tail are sulphur-yellow underneath; the beak is horn-white (not protracted like that of the Nasecus Cockatoos); the eyes dark-brown; a bare circle of blackish-blue is round the eye (above the eye the feathers are movable like eyebrows, so that they sometimes come down to the eyes and only leave visible the bare skin under the eye). This gives the cockatoo an exceedingly good-humoured expression. Size : about the same as the Nasecus Cockatoo; but in shape it resembles the Digging Cockatoo.

It is indigenous to South Australia. It was first made known in the year 1871, by Dr. Sclater, and described from a specimen in the Zoological Gardens, in London.

"When I received the Bare-eyed Cockatoo," writes Mr. Blaauw, "it was very shy, and would allow no one to approach it; but it soon evinced curiosity when I busied myself with the other cockatoos. Then it began to touch my finger with its beak when I held it out to it. In an exceedingly short time it became tame, came flying on to my shoulder when I called it, and let me caress it. It also became accustomed to flying about in the open air, so that by soaring aloft it could always follow me; if it lost sight of me it searched about with complaining cries, and gave loud expression to its delight, and revelled in caresses when it would find me again. Its flight was easy and rapid, in picturesque movements, and with upright crest; it liked to tumble about in a high wind, but, on the other hand, disliked rain. It moves gracefully on the ground, running or jumping, and sometimes, with erected crest, it indulges in a comical little dance. Its natural voice is heard in protracted owl-like cries, which, however, it only utters in the evening and during flight. I consider this species one of the most affectionate and gifted of all the cockatoos."

This description of a bird which is still rare appears to me so interesting that I have given it at full length, the more so that the Bare-eyed Cockatoo, of which there are only two specimens in the London Zoological Gardens, has of late been imported occasionally. Thus, Charles Jamrach offered one for sale in 1877, three in 1881, and J. Abrahams one in 1881.