TINKLING GRAKLE. 221 



tions of the pulp, and swallowing them. But the 

 stomach of this very specimen, which I shot in the 

 act, was full of comminuted insects. As it was in 

 the midst of very dry weather, the object may 

 have been the quenching of its thirst. Robinson 

 in describing the Corato, {Agave heratto) notices a 

 fondness of this bird for its nectar, which may per- 

 haps be similarly explained. He says of this mag- 

 nificent plant, (MSS. I. 76.) " the flowering stem 

 begins to rise about Christmas, and in the be- 

 ginning of March, the flowers open. The Mock- 

 ing-birds are fond of the honey found at the base 

 of this flower; the Barbadoes Blackbirds are also 

 fond of it, and between these birds happen great 

 dissensions and bickerings. If the Blackbirds, 

 which are naturally very loquacious, would fare 

 well, and hold their tongues, they might feed un- 

 molested. But their incessant chattering attracts 

 the attention of the Mock-birds, who having at 

 that time young ones, and being doubly jealous, 

 assault the Blackbirds with great fierceness and 

 vigour, soon obliging them to quit the plant, and 

 hide tnemselves among the trees and bushes." 



Of two which I shot in January, the stomach of 

 one presented a singular appearance, being stufied 

 with green herbage, like very fine grass, chopped 

 excessively small. I had noticed several cater- 

 pillars among the mass, but it was not until I 

 dispersed it in water, that I discovered it to con- 

 sist of the contents of the caterpillars' stomachs, 

 expressed by the muscular action of the gizzard. 

 There were no less than nineteen caterpillars, all 



