1524 



THE PERCHING BIRDS 



orange yellow, and the legs and feet citron yellow. The total length of the adult is 

 about ten inches. Young birds have a dull black plumage, and are devoid of 

 wattles. 



lyike its kindred, this bird is either resident in one spot throughout the year, or 

 only locally migratory; it is chiefly confined to the large forests of Western India 

 or Ceylon, but other species inhabit the outer Himalayas. The southern grackle 

 breeds from March to October; generally laying only a pair of eggs, which are 

 deposited in holes in trees. Its food consists entirely of various fruits, which it 

 obtains among the higher branches of its native forests. All the grackles learn to 





SOUTHERN GRACKI.E. 

 (Three-fifths natural size.) 



whistle and talk when in captivity, and as they are excellent mimics they are much 

 prized by the natives of India as cage birds. 



. . .. _ These birds differ from the grackles in having no wattles; their 



Asiatic Glossy . . , . , 



Starlings P luma e 1S highly glossy; the beak is short, with the culmen curved; 



the nostrils are small and round; the wing is long and sharp; and 

 the tail of moderate length, and graduated. Mr. Gates remarks that he is not 

 aware how nearly related these birds are to the African glossy starlings, although 

 there appear to be important differences between some of them. The range of the 



