EULABETIDjE. 509 



Family EULABETID^. 



The intrinsic muscles of the syrinx fixed to the ends of the 

 bronchial semi-rings ; the edges of the mandible smooth or the 

 upper one simply notched ; hinder aspect of tarsus lougitudially 

 bilaminated, the laminae entirely smooth ; wing with ten primaries ; 

 tongue non-tubular; nostrils always clear of the line of forehead, 

 the space between the nostrils and the edge of the mandible less 

 than the distance between the nostril and the culmen ; plumage of 

 the nestling streaked ; rictal bristles present ; sexes alike ; rectrices 

 twelve ; first primary small ; one moult in the year. 



The family Eulabetidte, so far as India is concerned, contains 

 only two genera, Eulabes and Calornis. These genera are usually 

 placed among the Sturmdce, but there are such important dif- 

 ferences between the two families, that I deem it necessary to 

 separate them. 



The Eulabetidce are strictly arboreal, have rictal bristles, and 

 lay spotted eggs. The Stumidat, on the other hand, procure a great 

 portion of their food on the ground, have no trace of rictal bristles, 

 and lay spotless eggs. 



In Calornis the young bird is very greatly streaked, but in 

 Eulabes the plumage of the young, so far as specimens of the 

 young at my disposal have enabled me to determine the point, are 

 plain. But I have seen no really young nestling. Probably 

 Eulabes should not be associated with Calornis^ but rather with 

 the subfamily Sibiince of the Crater opodida, 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Fleshy wattles on the head , . . EULABES, p. 500. 



b. No wattles on the head CALORNIS, p. 514. 



Genus EULABES, Cuvier, 1817. 



The genus Eulabes contains the Grackles or Talking-Myuas, four 

 of which are Indian species and well-known familiar cage-birds. 



The Grackles chiefly frequent forests on hills, but are at times 

 found in the plains. They feed entirely on fruit, never descending 

 to the ground. Their natural notes are varied, and they are easily 

 taught to repeat words and sounds. They live on the highest 

 trees, laying their eggs in natural hollows of trees which are 

 merely lined with a few leaves or a little grass. The eggs are 

 generally only two in number, and they are a pale green or blue, 

 spotted and splashed with purple and chocolate-brown. 



