192 CRACKLES. 



quite in such abundance, and like our Rooks and Crows, 

 are suspected of doing mischief, by picking out the 

 new-sown grain ; but as we shall soon see when we 

 come to treat of our Crows, the charge is a good deal 

 exaggerated. 



It happened some years ago, that one of the French 

 islands, in the East Indies, was overrun with locusts, to 

 such a degree, that there was every appearance of the 

 crops suffering severely. The governor, a sensible and 



observing man, and well 

 acquainted with the habits 

 of the Grackles, imported 

 a number of them from 

 the Continent, as they 

 never bred upon, or visit- 

 ed the island. The con- 

 sequence was, that the 

 locusts rapidly dimin- 

 Head of Gracula Heligiosa. ished in number ; but 

 the people, seeing the birds busied in thrusting their 

 bills into the new-sown fields, fancied they could be only 

 occupied in picking out the grain, and accordingly they 

 made war upon the poor Grackles, and destroyed them 

 all, and forthwith the locusts reappeared in full force. 

 The fact is, the Grackles, like our Rooks and Crows, are 

 great destroyers of grubs and insects, though at the 

 same time it cannot be denied, that they may occasionally 

 commit partial depredations on the farmer's property. 



Some birds of the Grackle genus have a singular 

 appendage to the head, composed of a naked skin or 

 wattle, which gives them a very odd appearance, as 

 shown in the above figure. 



Of the|Paradise-birds we know but little, for they are 

 almost entirely confined to New Guinea, and a few neigh- 

 bouring islands in the Indian seas, inhabited by wild 

 tribes, with whom travellers have but little communica- 

 tion. These people catch the Paradise-birds and dry 

 their. skins, which they barter with ships passing along 



