438 STURNHXE OR STARLINGS. BIRDS OF PARADISE. 



Britain, usually known by the name of the Red-legged Crow ; 

 it is not a common Bird, being chiefly confined to some parts of 

 the western coast of England and Scotland ; in its food and 

 general habits it resembles the ordinary Corvidae. Other species, 

 inhabiting the Continent of Europe, resort to inland mountain 

 ranges, rather than to the shore ; and feed chiefly on insects, 

 berries, &c. 



395. In the family STCRNID^E, or Starlings, the bill is 

 usually lengthened, conical, and slender : many of the Birds of 

 this group resemble Crows in miniature ; and in their internal 

 structure and general habits, they differ but little from the last 

 family. They feed rather upon worms, larvae, insects, and fruits, 

 than upon carrion ; and are very serviceable to quadrupeds, by 

 relieving them from the attacks of insects that infest them. They 

 are for the most part very docile, and may be taught to sing, 

 and even to speak with great distinctness ; though they have 

 little or no song of their own. To this family belongs the 

 Australian Bower Bird, whose remarkable habits will be noticed 

 hereafter; and also the Grakle of the Indian Archipelago, which 

 is so useful in restraining the multiplication of the Locust (p. 12). 



396. In the family PARADISEID^, or Birds of Paradise, the 

 bill is lengthened and more slender ; hence these Birds have been 

 placed by some in the Tenuirostral group. They are believed to 

 subsist chiefly upon fruits ; but insects also form part of their 

 diet. Little is known, however, of their habits ; for they are 

 confined to New Guinea and the neighbouring islands, which 

 have as yet been very little explored by Naturalists. They 

 were formerly supposed to have no feet ; though their feet are 

 in fact rather strong and large. This strange error originated in 

 the circumstance, that the natives collect them to make ornaments 

 of their remarkable plumes ; and generally cut off the wings and 

 feet, to prevent those rigid parts from injuring the delicate 

 feathers. These plumes, which are of very different form and 

 aspect in the different species, usually consist of certain feathers 

 of the shoulder-tufts, or from the tail ; which are immensely 

 prolonged backwards, and are very thinly barbed, or even 

 entirely destitute of barbs. Their use is entirely unknown to us. 



