BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. 895 



337. Barbadocs and Savannah Black-eirds. 



Thefe birds may be fpoken of together, as they naturally aiTociatei 

 and, although of a ditfjrent fpecies, yet their food and manner of 

 life being alike, they are infeparable allies. The former is called in 

 North America the maize thief, or purple jackdaw. They have lome 

 refemblance to the daw of Europe, and are great devouiers of corn 

 and fruits ; but they are very ferviceable, at the fame time, in devour- 

 ing thofe worms which prey on the corn, before it is ripe ; they are 

 likewife extremely fond of the ticks, which infefl; cattle, horfes, and 

 fheep. Thefe quadrupeds, as if fenfible of their benefador?, very 

 patiently fuffer them to hop about their bodies, either when grazin|j, 

 or lyin^^ down ; the induftrious birds (called for this reafon tick-eatersj 

 pick off all within their reach, and gulp them down with amazing 

 vivacity. In February, and feveral of the fucceeding months, they 

 affemble in large flocks, towards evening, among the mangrove trees 

 on the coaft, to f^end the night together. Immediately after their 

 meeting, the whole fliore is enlivened with the delightful harmony of 

 their orchellra. Their note is fomcwhat like the creakino of an inn- 

 keeper's fign in a high wind, or the handle of a grind-ftone ; at odier 

 times it more refembles the gentle fqueak which may be formed by 

 means of a comb and paper. They vary frequently both the key 

 and the tone, making altogether a very whimfical kind of concert, 

 or medley of queer founds, which have more of rediativo than air in 

 them; and, after all, may poffibly be nothing more than a mufical 

 confabulation on the fubjedt of thtlr preceding adventures. A wild- 

 pigeon fometimes mingles his pipe with thefe birds, by way of German 

 flute, amongft a numerous band of violins. 



In regard to their general charader, 1 have no doubt, but the fervice 

 they render to the young corn, by deftroyiiig the worm, and to cattle, 

 by devouring the tick, compenfates very fully for the little fhare of 

 the ripe grain they are able to purloin. In fome of the North Ame- 

 rican provinces thefe birds were profcribed by the Icgiflature, and re- 

 wards granted for killing them ; but fince their number has been thin- 

 ned almoft: to extirpation, the inhabitants have difcovered, that the 

 corn-worm, which they ufed to feed upon, has committed infinitely 

 worfe ravages. 



258. Sing- 



