220 PASSERES. — STURNID/E. 



more, flew up on the cow's back and commenced an 

 investigation there. Just at this moment some- 

 thing alarmed her, and both mother and son flew 

 to a distant tree. It was at the same time, and 

 in the same pasture, that I observed a number of 

 these birds collected in a large bastard-cedar that 

 overhung a shallow pool; to which one and ano- 

 ther were continually descending, and bathing with 

 great apparent enjoyment; after which each flew 

 to a sunny part of the tree, and fluttered and 

 pecked, and ruffled its plumage, that it might 

 dry smoothly and equally. 



Mr. Hill has observed at Fort Dauphin, on the 

 north side of St. Domingo, the Tinkling feeding in 

 flocks of two hundred or more. The low grounds 

 around the harbour, consisting of many shallow 

 marly hollows are overflowed by the tide, after the 

 prevalence of strong north winds, reducing them 

 to marshes. Many marine mollusca, &c. congre- 

 gating in these hollows, are left, by the water eva- 

 porating, to putrefy: the vicinity is hence very 

 unhealthy, but hither the Tinklings resort in large 

 flocks to feed on the decaying animal matters, 

 with which the mud is filled. And in Jamaica, 

 my friend has witnessed flocks of these birds equal- 

 ly numerous, winging their way, in March, towards 

 Passage Fort, an embouchure subject to a similar 

 inundation, on which they appeared to descend. 



The food of our Grakle I believe to consist 

 almost, if not quite exclusively, of insects, worms, 

 &c. Yet I have seen one in March eating a 

 Seville orange on the tree, tugging out large por- 



