Australia, the Molucca and Philippine Islands and New Guinea are the great nurseries of the members of this genus. They incubate in holes of trees or in rocks, and lay two eggs.
There are evidently several varieties or races of this species in Australia, each possessing a modification in the form of the bill doubtless given for some specific purpose; the Van Diemen’s Land bird is the largest, and has the upper mandible attenuated, while the Port Essington bird is altogether smaller, and has a much more arched bill.
This species ranges over all the southern portions of Australia between the 20th and 30th degrees of S. latitude. I have never seen a specimen from the north, and I believe it does not inhabit that part of the country; its true habitat appears to be the interior, for it is never found near the coast.
363. Cacatua sanguinea, _Gould_ Vol. V. Pl. 3.
This species has been found on the north coast, and was observed by Captain Sturt at the Depôt in Central Australia; we may hence infer that its range extends over all the intermediate country.
This fine bird, which is strictly Australian, is distributed over all parts of the interior of the country, and is as abundant in the north as it is in the south; it was also observed by Captain Sturt at the Depôt.
The specimens from the north are of a larger size and have the orbits more denuded than those from the south.
The two species forming the genus _Licmetis_ are not only confined to Australia, but, so far as we yet know, to the southern portions of that continent; one inhabits the western and the other the eastern part of the country. Their singularly formed bill being admirably adapted for procuring their food on the ground, they are more terrestrial in their habits than the other members of the family.
365. Licmetis nasicus Vol. V. Pl. 5. 366. Licmetis pastinator, _Gould_.
_Licmetis pastinator_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 175.
Lores scarlet; general plumage white; the base of the feathers of the head and front of the neck scarlet, showing through and giving those parts a stained appearance; the basal half of the inner webs of the primaries, the inner webs of all the other feathers of the wing, and the inner webs of the tail-feathers beautiful brimstone-yellow; naked space round the eye greenish blue; irides light brown; bill white; feet dull olive-grey.