-popular JBftttonarg of &m'matctt Mature. 279 



impetuosity : but if the object of its pursuit 

 eludes its first attack, it almost immediately 

 desists, and perches on some bough till new 

 game pi esents itself. The Goshawk is now 

 rare in the British islands, being chiefly re- 

 stricted to the Highlands of Scotland j but it 

 is more abundant in the forest districts of 

 continental Europe, and extends also through 

 the temperate regions of Asia and America. 

 It was formerly used in Europe, in common 

 with the Falcon, Jerfalcon, &c. in the once 

 celebrated royal pastime of falconry ; and it 

 is said to be still used by the emperor of 

 China, in his hunting excursions, when he is 

 usually attended by his grand falconer, and 

 a thousand of inferior rank. Wilson de- 

 scribed the American bird under the name 

 of F. Atricapillus, but at the same time sus- 

 pected that it might prove identical with the 

 European, which has since been confirmed. 



CRACKLE. (Gracula.~) The principal 

 species of this genus of birds are natives 

 of Asia and America ; and they chiefly sub- 

 sist on insects and fruits. 



The INDIAN GRACKLE. (Gracula reJi- 

 giosa.) Edwards describes two varieties of 

 this species, which resemble each other in 

 every respect except in size ; the one being 

 as large as a Magpie, and the other no larger 

 than a Blackbird. They have round plump 

 bodies, short tails, and legs of moderate 

 length ; the head, neck, whole body, wings, 

 and tail, are covered with glossy black fea- 

 thers, shining in different lights with green, 

 blue, and purple lustres : a white spot ap- 

 pears in the middle of the wing ; and the 

 legs and feet are of a deep yellow colour. 

 These birds are found in different parts of 

 India and the Indian islands : they are lively, 

 docile, and learn to speak with as much 

 facility as most of the Parrot tribe. 



The CRESTED GRACKLE (Gracula crts- 

 tutclla} is of a black colour, inclining to a 

 dusky blue ; but the bottoms of some of the 

 first quills are white, which forms a white 

 spot in each wing : though the tail is black, 

 the side feathers are tipped with white : but 

 it is chiefly distinguished for having on the 

 forehead, just at the basis of the bill, a re- 

 markable tuft of feathers, which it can erect 

 at pleasure in form of a crest. It is a native 

 of China. 



The PARADISE GRACKLE. (Gracula 

 tristis.) This species is rather longer than 

 the Blackbird ; its colour chestnut brown, 

 the head and neck black, but the latter 

 tinged with gray : the plumes on the fore 

 part of the head are fine and narrow, and 

 behind each eye is a triangular bare space 

 of a red colour : the abdomen is white ; the 

 tail dark brown, the lateral feathers tipped 

 with white ; the larger quill-feathers dusky, 

 with white bases, forming an oblong white 

 spot on the upper edge of each wing : the 

 bill and legs are yellow. This bird is a 

 native of India and the Philippine islands, 

 is very voracious, and particularly fond of 

 locusts and grasshoppers ; relative to which 

 Buffon relates the following curious anec- 

 dote : The isle of Bourbon, where these 

 birds were unknown, was overrun with 



locusts, which had unfortunately been intro- 

 duced from Madagascar ; their eggs having 

 been imported in the soil with some plants 

 which were brought from that island. In 

 consequence of tliis, the Governor-general 

 and the Intendant deliberated seriously on 

 the means of extirpating the noxious insects; 

 and for that purpose caused several pair of 

 the Indian Paradise Crackle to be introduced 

 into the island. This plan promised to suc- 

 ceed ; but unfortunately some of the colo- 

 nists, observing the birds eagerly thrusting 

 their bills into the earth of the new-sown 

 fields, imagined that they were in quest of 

 the grain, and reported that the birds, in- 

 stead of proving beneficial, would, on the 

 contrary, be highly detrimental to the coun- 

 try. The cause was considered in form. 

 On the part of the birds it was argued, that 

 they raked in the new-ploughed grounds 

 not for the sake of the grain, but the insects j 

 and were tlierefore beneficial. They were, 

 however, proscribed by the council j and in 

 the space of two hours after the sentence 

 was pronounced against them, not a Grackle 

 was to be found in the island. This prompt 

 execution was however followed by a speedy 

 repentance : the locusts gained the ascend- 

 ancy, and the people, who only viewed the 

 present, regretted the loss of the Paradise 

 Crackles. In a few years afterwards a few 

 pair were again introduced : their preserva- 

 tion and breeding were made a state affair : 

 the laws held out protection to them, and 

 the physicians on their part declared their 

 flesh to be unwholesome : the Crackles 

 accordingly multiplied, and the locusts were 

 destroyed. The reader will find, under the 

 word " ROOK," this really important subject 

 discussed at some length, in reference to the 

 habits of that well-known insectivorous and 

 graniyorous bird. 



ORALLY. The fourth order of the class 

 Aves, comprehending the long-legged wading 

 birds. 



GRALLATORES. The fourth order of 

 Birds according to the system of Mr. Vigors, 

 being placed between the Rasores and the 

 Natatores. 



GRAMPUS. (DelpMnus area.) A ceta- 

 ceous animal, from twenty to twenty-five 

 feet long, and of such an extremely fierce 

 and predaceous nature, that it not only de- 

 stroys the porpoise and dolphin, but it is 

 reported that it will even attack whales. 

 The nose is flat, and reverted at the ex- 

 tremity ; and it has thirty teeth in each jaw, 

 those in front being blunt, round, and 

 slender ; the hinder sharp and thick ; and 

 between each there is a space adapted to 

 receive the teeth of the opposite jaw when 

 the mouth is closed. The body is broad and 

 deep ; the back is black, but on each shoulder 

 there is a large white spot ; the sides are 

 marbled with black and white ; and the 

 belly is perfectly white. The back fin some- 

 times measures not less than six feet in 

 length from the base to the tip. The Gram- 

 pus is found in the Mediterranean and 

 Atlantic seas, as well as in both the polar 



BBS 



