TINKLING GRAKLE. 225 



near the end of horizontal limbs, at a consider- 

 able elevation. 



Mr. Hill informs me, on the authority of a friend 

 from Barbadoes, that in that island a strange cus- 

 tom prevails among the children, of collecting these 

 birds about Shrove Tuesday in every year, and 

 bringing them into the towns, where they then 

 play with them, and feed them with cockroaches. 

 The origin or the object of this annual amusement 

 my friend's informant could not explain, having 

 left that island when himself a child. The same 

 gentleman has observed the Tinklings in Jamaica 

 go to the lime trees, and descending beneath the 

 trees pick up in their beaks the fallen fruits; then 

 rising to a twig, each would take its lime in one 

 foot, and gently rub it over its side beneath the 

 wing, transfer it to the other foot, and rub the 

 other side in the same way: the object here being 

 doubtless the fine aromatic odour of the oil of 

 the bruised rind communicated to the feathers. 

 The observer has watched this proceeding by the 

 hour together. 



