PASSERINiE. 275 



lengthened out into a tuft. It is of great use in warm climates, 

 by destroying Grasshoppers. (1) 



Another species, Faradisaea tristis, Gm.j Gracula tristis, Lath, 

 and Shaw; Gracula gryllivora, Daud. Enl. 219, has become cel- 

 ebrated for similar services rendered to the Isle of France. It 

 feeds, however, on every thing, builds on the Palms, and is very 

 docile. Its size is that of a Thrush; brown, blackish about the 

 head,' a spot near the tip of the wing; the lower part of the abdo- 

 men and the tips of the lateral tail quills are white. (2) 



(1) Since my first edition was published, I have satisfied myself of the certainty 

 of the generic affinity of this species with the Gracula, Cuv. 



(2) It is difficult to imagine how Linnseus was induced to make it a Bird of Para- 

 dise. To this genus also belong the Gracula aistatella, Enl. 507" and Edw. 19, 

 which can hardly be considered a variety of the common one; the Pai-te lambeaux, 

 Vaill. Afr. pi. xciii, and xciv, which is the Gr. carunculata, Gm., or the Gr. larvata, 

 Shaw, or the Stumus gallinaceus, Daud.; the Martin brame, Turdus pagodarum, 

 Vaill. Afr., 95, and Vieill. Gal. 148. The first T. malabaricus, the T. ginginianus, 

 the T. dominicanus, Enl. 627, 2; the Martin grisde Fer, Vaill. Afr, 95, 1, and the 

 Stumus sericeus, Gm. also belong to it, as well as some new species. I also refer 

 to it, conjecturally, the Turdus ochrocephalus, Lath. {Stum, ceylanicus, Gm.) 

 Brown, 111., xxii. 



N.B. We cannot ascertain what type was taken by Linnaeus and his followers 

 for their genus Gracula. Linnaeus first formed it in his tenth edition of seven very 

 discordant species, viz. l,religiosa, Eulabes, C.;2, fetida, whichlsuspect to bethe 

 Colnu, that is to say allied to Ampelis; 3, harita, and 4, quiscala, which belong to 

 Cassicus; 5, cristatella, which is a Gracula, Cuv.; 6, saularis, or rather solans, wliich 

 is a straight-beaked Shrike, and the same bird as T. mindanensis, Enl. 627, 1; 

 finally, 7, Mthis, which is a Thrush. 



In the 12th ed. he added the Gracula calva, and placed the common gpracula, Cuv. 

 among the birds of Paradise. 



Gmelin, in imitation of Pallas, added a xanthomus (Gr. longirostra.).* He also 

 placed there the porte-lambeaux (Gr. carunculata), still leaving the common one 

 among the Birds of Paradise; finally, he placed there the Gr. cayennensis, which 

 is a Creeper. M. Latham has transferred to it the Gr. tristis, the Col. nu {Gr. nuda) 

 and one of my Philedons (Gr. icterops).-\ Daudin has placed some species after 

 the said Gracula which in fact resemble it, and two of which Gmelin had left among 

 the Thrushes ( Turdus pagodarum and malabaricus). Finally, Shaw has put the 

 finishing touch to the matter, by transferring to the genus in question three Saritse, 

 (his Gr. strepera, varia and tibicen,) and adding to them the Talapiot, which is a 

 Creeper or a Nuthatch {Ch-. picoides). Genera, thus formed, certainly excuse the 

 ill humour of the enemies of systems, if they do not justify it. See the Mem. of M. 

 Lichtenstein, Acad, of Berhn, 1817. 



* I do not know the Gracula stumina of Pallas. 



{ Neither do I know the Grac. melanocephala and viridis of Latham; but I suspect 

 they also belong to my Philedons. 



