250 BIRDS. 



thers of the head narrow, and lengthened out into a tuft. It is of 

 great use in warm climates, by destroying Grasshoppers*. 



Another species, {Paradiscea tristis, Gm. ; Gracula tristris, Lath, 

 and Shaw; Gracula grylUvora, Daud.) Enl. 219, has become ce- 

 lebrated for similar services rendered to the Isle of France. It 

 feeds, however, on every thing, builds on the Palms, and is very 

 easily tamed and trained. Its size is that of a Thrush; brown, 

 blackish about the head; a spot near the tip of the wing; the 

 lower part of the abdomen and the tips of the lateral tail quills are 

 whitef. 



Manorhina, Vieill. 



The bill much compressed, but little arcuated, and slightly sloped; 

 large nostrils, almost entirely closed by a membrane, which reduces the 

 opening to a narrow slit ; the neck is short. The feathers on the fore- 

 head, which are as soft as those of young birds, grow partly on the 

 nostrils;];. 



* Since my first edition was published, I have satisfied myself of the certainty of 

 the generic affinity of this sjiecies with the Gracula, Cuv. 



-f It is difficult to imagine how Linnaeus was induced to make it a Bird of Para- 

 dise. To this genus also belong the Gracula nislalella, Enl. 507, and Edw. 19, which 

 can hardly be considered a variety of the common one; — the Porte-lambeaux, Vaill. 

 Afr. pi. xciii and xciv, which is the Gr. carunculata, Gm., or the Gr. larvala, Shaw, 

 or the Sttcnius gallinaceus, Daud. ; — the Mart'm-brame, Tardus pagodarum, Vaill. Afr. 

 95, and Vieill. Gal. 148. The first T. malabaricus, the T. ginginianus, the T. doviiiii- 

 canus, Enl. 627, 2; the Martin gris de Fer, Vaill. Afr. 95, 1, and the Sturnits ser/ccus, 

 Gm., also belong to it, as well as some new species. I also refer to it, conjecturally, 

 the Twdus ochrocephaliis, Lath. {Stum, ccylatiicus, Gm.), Brown, 111. xxii. 



N.B. We cannot ascertain what type was taken by Linnseus and his followers for 

 their genus Gracula. Linnaeus first formed it, in his tenth edition, of seven^very 

 discordant species, viz.: 1, religiosa, Eulabes, C; 2,fetida, which I suspect to be 

 the Col nu, that is to say, allied to Ampelis; 3, harita; and 4, quiscula, which belong 

 to Cassicus; 5, cristatella, which is a Gracula, Cuv.; G, smdaris, or rather so/ari*, 

 which is a straight-billed Shrike, and the same bird as T. mindanensis, Enl. 627, 1 ; 

 finally, 7, Atiliis, which is a Thrush. 



In the 12th ed. he added the Goulin gracula calua, and placed the common gracula, 

 Cuv. among the birds of Paradise. 



Gmelin, in imitation of Pallas, added a xanthornus (Gr. longirostra)*. He also 

 placed there the Martin porte-lambeaux {Gr. carunculata), still leaving the common 

 one among the Birds of Paradise; finally, he placed there the Gr. caijenneimis, which 

 is a Creeper. M. Latham has transferred to it the Gr. tristis, the Col nu (Gr. nuda) 

 and one of my Philedons (Gr. icterops)\. Daudin has placed some species after 

 the said Gracula, which in fact resemble it, and two of which Gmelin had left among 

 the Thrushes (Turdus pagodarum and malabaricus). Finally, Shaw has put the 

 finishing touch to the matter, by transferring to the genus in question three Barita, 

 (his Gr. strepera, varia, and fibicen,) and adding to them the Talapiot, which is a 

 Creeper or a Nuthatch (Gr. picoides). Genera, thus formed, certainly excuse, if 

 they do not justify, the ill humour of the enemies of systems. See the Mem. of 

 M. Lichtenstein, Acad, of Berlin, 1817. 



X Manorhina viridis, Vieill. Gal. 149. — Merops albifrons, Shaw. 



* I do not know the Gracula sturnina of Pallas. 



t Neither do I know the Grac. melanocephala and viridis of Latham; but I suspect 

 they also belong to my Philedons. 



