these countries. These birds assemble on dunghills, and such other places, where they find either the larvæ of insects, or perfect insects, especially locusts. They also perch on the backs of cattle, to feed on the parasitic insects which infest them. In default of insects, they attack seeds and fruits.

The Common Martin (Paradise Grakle of Lath., Cassyphus Tristis, Dum., Paradisea Tristis, and Gracula Tristis, Gm. and Lath.,) is the species whose manners have been most studied. Besides hunting flies, scarabæi, &c., it seeks the vermin from the backs of horses, oxen, and pigs, which willingly submit to the operations of their liberators, until they begin to infringe upon the skin; then these carnivorous birds, which accommodate themselves to all kinds of nutriment, will commence to peck the living flesh.

The discharge of fowling-pieces will scarcely drive away the martins, which assemble at the close of day on the trees which are near habitations, and chatter there in a very troublesome manner, though their song is naturally sufficiently varied and agreeable. In the morning they disperse through the country in groups, or by pairs, according to the season. They have two young broods every year, usually composed of four eggs, in nests of a rude construction, which they attach to the leaves of the palm tree, or other trees, and which they even sometimes place in granaries, when they can find the means. Their attachment for their young is so great, that they will pursue their ravisher, striking with the beak, and uttering piercing cries. If they should discover the place where their young ones are situated, they will enter there for the purpose of feeding them.

The young martins are tamed without difficulty; they are easily taught to speak, and when kept in a barn-yard, learn of themselves to counterfeit the cries of hens, cocks, geese, sheep, and other domestic animals. They even accompany their imitations with accents and motions full of grace and gaiety, and which contrast not a little with the epithet tristis, so unaccountably bestowed upon them. It cannot even be derived

from their plumage, the varied tints of which have nothing sad or sombre in their appearance.

These birds, very numerous in India, the Philippines, and probably in the intermediate countries, are of a very gluttonous disposition, and great destroyers of locusts. This last circumstance has rendered them celebrated in the island of Bourbon, to which they were for a long time strangers, but where the governor Poivre caused many pairs to be transported to oppose the locusts, which were desolating the island, into which their eggs had been introduced with plants from Madagascar. The views of this excellent statesman were, in the first instance, crowned with complete success, but as the colonists perceived after a few years that the martins tore up with avidity the grounds which had been newly sown, they imagined it was for the purpose of eating the grain, so, after a formal process, they had them all destroyed. The locusts soon reappeared when their enemies were thus put "hors de combat," and causing fresh devastations, the people began to regret the martins, two pairs of which were introduced eight years after, and placed under the protection of the laws. A fresh destruction of these insects was the result of this second introduction of the martins. But this nutriment beginning to fail, these birds attacked an insect, the larvæ of which made continual war with the cotton-tree grubs, so very injurious to the coffeeplants. They also proceeded to devour the fruits and grains. They even killed the young pigeons in the dove-cots, and became in their turn a scourge, which required the adoption of measures to prevent the too great multiplication of their species.

The Gracula Cristatella of China, which the Baron scarcely regards as a variety of the last, is said to learn to whistle tunes remarkably well, and articulate words. The Chinese rear them in cages, with rice and insects.

There is another bird of this division, which has been made the type of a separate genus by M. Kuhl, under the name of Ptilonorhynchus. It is the Satin Grakle of Dr. Latham.

TIL LAD