342 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Crows 



1529.— Thb Starling 

 (Stumus vulgaris). Head and Foot. Stare, 

 English; I'Etourneau commun of the French; 

 Gemeiner Star, Bechstein. 

 The genus Sturniw is the typical form of the 



E resent family. The bill is depressed from the 

 ase as far as the tip, which is slightly inflected 

 and notched. The lateral toes are equal; the 

 middle as long as the tarsus; wings lengthened 

 and pointed. 



The starling is generally spread over Europe, and 

 also inhabits China, the Himalaya, the Cape of 

 Good Hope, and the northern region of Africa. It 

 is common in our islands, and is often kept in con- 

 finement, becoming very familiar, and learning to 

 utter tunes, words, and even sentences. Its natural 

 song is a low sweet warble. 



During the breeding-season the starling lives only 

 in pairs, constructing its nest in the crevices of 

 towers, steeples, old ruins, the cliifs of rocks, and 

 even the deserted nests of the crow. The eggs are 

 pale blue. 



At the conclusion of the breeding-season starlings 

 congregate in immense flocks, which, often inter- 

 mingled with rooks, scatter themselves over the 

 fields in search of food, and mix fearlessly among 

 the grazing cattle, attracted by the insects settling 

 on their hides or creeping about on the ground. 

 On the approach of dusk the scattered multitudes 

 collect into one vast phalanx, wheeling and sweep- 

 ing through the air, and performing the most beau- 

 tiful aerial evolutions, as if obeying definite signals 

 of command, while the assemblage beai-s on to 

 some place of repose. This is generally a thick 

 coppice or extensive reed-bed, and over it the mass 

 wheels in varying figures, now sinking, now rising, 

 now suddenly turning, till at length the horde 

 settles for the night, long keeping up a noisy chat- 

 tering concert. 



In Ireland, according to Mr. W. Thompson, the 

 starling is migratory, their southward movement 

 commencing towards the end of September. In 

 our island this bird is certainly partially migratory, 

 quitting one part of the country for another : and 

 we may readily conclude that many flocks leave 

 our shores for a more southern residence. 



The starling undergoes several changes of plu- 

 mage before acquiring the permanent dress. The 

 young during the first autumn are of a uniform 

 ashy brown. In October they assume a plumage 

 of black, with bronze, violet, and g.'een reflections 

 on each feather, except the quill and tail feathers, 

 being tipped with a spot of yellowish white. This 

 condition of plumage lasts till the third year, when 

 the bill becomes yellow, and the throat and chest 

 covered with loose lanceolate feathers, of a rich 

 black with purple and golden-green reflections. 

 The head and under parts are of this hue also. The 

 back is greenish-black, with small triangular spots 

 of reddish vfhite. This is the permanent style of 

 plumage. 



Family BUPHAGID^ (PIQUE-BCEUFS). 



This family, the affinities of which are not very 

 clear, though in some points we trace a similarity 

 to the SturnidsE, contains only one genus, embracing 

 a limited number of species. The bill is strong, 

 large, obtuse, and nearly quadrangular; the lower 

 mandible is stronger than the upper, and both are 

 swollen towards the point. The wings are mode- 

 rate ; the toes are furnished with hooked com- 

 pressed claws. We believe that only two species 

 are known, both natives of Africa, including Mada- 

 gascar. 



These birds live on the parasitic insects infesting 

 the hides of quadrupeds, and on the larvae hatched 

 under the skin of the larger ruminants, as camels, 

 oxen, and the heavy antelopes. Fixed on their 

 back by means of " his cramp-irons of claws," the 

 Pique-boeuf digs and squeezes out by his forceps of 

 a beak the larvae that lil beneath the festering skin, 

 to the patient's real, benefit, who patiently submits 

 to the operation. 



The Buphaga Africana is distributed through 

 Southern Africa, and found also at Senegal. 

 1530. — The Rkd-billed PiQOK-BCErF 



(Buphar/a erythrorhyncha). This species is a native 

 of Northern Africa, and has been brought also from 

 Madagascar. The upper parts, neck, and throat 

 are ash-brown glazed with bluish; the lower parts 

 are of a yellowish rust-colour ; the bill is coral-red. 

 Length seven inches : about a third less than the 

 B. Africana. 



Family CORVIDiE (CROWS). 



This family contains an extensive series of birds, 

 characterized by a strong conical bill more or less 

 compressed at the sides, and often with llie ridge 

 of the upper mandible arched. The nostrils are 

 covered with stiff or bristly feathers directed for- 

 wards, and sometimes with a close velvet-like tuft. 



The CorvidtB are to a great extent omnivorous; 

 they are bold, cunning, and inquisitive, and are 

 easily tamed : some are proverbial for their imita- 

 tive faculties and habits of pilfering. The instinct 

 of acquisitiveness, whatever the organ may be, is 

 greatly developed; all are acquainted with the 

 thievish propensities of the magpie and its fondness 

 for glittering objects. 



There are, however, placed provisionally by 

 many naturalists within the pale of this family, 

 several genera, which, it must be acknowledged, 

 have but a remote affinity to the true Corvidse, and 

 ought perhap rather to be collected in one or more 

 distinct family groups, than assigned to any yet 

 established. We allude to the genera Eulabes 

 (Mino-birds), Barita (Piping Crows), Myophonus, 

 Ptilonorhynchus, &c., of which we have pictorial 

 examples. 



1531.— Thb Ming-Bird 

 {Eulabes Tndlais, Cuvier). Gracula religiosa, Lin- 

 naeus. The genus Eulabes is distinguished by a 

 stout compressed beak, deep at the base. The 

 nostrils are round ; the head is ornamented with 

 two loose hanging folds of naked skin. In habits 

 and manners these birds resemble the starlings, 

 frequenting temples and buildings. According to 

 Cuvier, they have some alliance with the Rollers ; 

 but we think, with Mr. G. R. Cray, that they form 

 a group within the circle of the Corvidae. 



The Mino-bird, Boo and Mencho of the Javanese, 

 Teeong of the Sumatrans, is a native of India and 

 the Indian Islands, where it is highly valued 

 for its powers of imitation, easily learning to re- 

 peat not only words, but whole phrases, and that 

 with surprising distinctness. Marsden indeed says 

 that it has the faculty of imitating human speech 

 in greater perfection than any other of the feathered 

 tribe : and Bontius, who calls it Pica seu Sturnus 

 Indicus, celebrates it in the following Latin lines — 



" Psittacus, Eois qiiamvis tibi missus ab oris 

 Jussa loquar ; vincit me Sturnus garrulus Indus." 



In captivity this bird is lively, confident, and 

 docile, and bears our climate well. Its colour is a 

 deep velvety black, with a white mark on the base 

 of the quill-feathers. The bill and feet are yellow, 

 the occipital wattles and a naked space below each 

 eye bright orange-colour. The feathers of the 

 forehead and around the base of the beak are short 

 and velvety. Size that of a thrush : insects and 

 fruits constitute its food. 



1532. — The Java Mino-Bird 



(Eulabes Javanvs, Cuv.). In general form and 

 habits this species agrees with the preceding, but 

 is destitute of the white bar on the wing, and has 

 the beak more crooked at the tip, without the trace 

 of a notch ; the naked space on the cheeks is more 

 contracted, and runs into the occipital wattles. 



1533.— The Piping Crow 



(Barita Tihicen). The genus Barita, assigned by 

 Cuvier to the Shrikes, but regarded by Vigors as 

 one of the Corvidae, has the bill hard, long, and 

 powerful, convex above, slightly hooked at the tip, 

 near which both mandibles are notched. Nostrils 

 lateral ; legs stout. The birds of this genus may 

 be appropriately termed Shrike-Crows: they form 

 the genus Cracticusof Vieillot. 



The Piping Crow is common in New South Wales, 

 inhabiting the Blue Mountains in small flocks, and 

 as Caley informs us, on the authority of the natives, 

 building in trees, its nest consisting of sticks lined 

 with grass. It is said to make a loud whistling 

 noise when perched high on the trees early in the 

 morning, and not to be migratory. In captivity it 

 is very amusing, from its powers of mimicry ; it 

 imitates the voices of men and animals, and easily 

 learns to whistle tunes, its notes being clear and 

 powerful. 



This species is less than the common crow in 

 size ; tVie back of the neck, the back and shoulders , 

 and the bases of the wing-coverts are greyish-white ; 

 there is some pure white at the base of the tail ; 

 the rest of the plumage is deep black ; legs dusky ; 

 bill bluish at the base and black at the tip. 



1534. — The Yellow-Billeo Myophone 



{Myophonus flavirostris). The birds of this genus 

 are all Oriental. They are characterized by a large 

 strong bill, furnished at the gape with some bristles 

 and feathers turned forwards; the wings are rounded ; 

 the nasal depression is membianous and suboval ; 

 the tail rounded. It is very questionable whether 

 this genus really belongs to the Corvidae. 



Mr. Gould, who has figured and described two 

 species in his 'Century,' viz., M. Horsfieldii and 

 M. Temminckii, observes that with respect to their 

 habits little can be said with any certainty, but 

 from their lengthened tarsi and general stiiicture 

 they apparently depend in a great measure for their 

 subsistence upon worms, insects, and larvae ; the 



manners of M. Temminckii on the ground are said 

 to resemble those of our common blackbird. 



The Yellow-billed Myophone is a native of Java : 

 its plumage is of a deep blue-black with a splendid 

 metallic lustre ; the bill is of a rich yellow ; the 

 feet are black. 



1535.— The Satis-Bird 

 (Ptilonorhynchus sericeus, Kuhl, Gould. See.). Satin 

 Grakle of Latham ; Kitta holosericea, Temminck. 



This splendid bird must be enumerated among 

 those of which the true situation in the natural 

 arrangement of birds is doubtful. The bill is short,' 

 thick, convex, compressed on the sides, with the 

 nostrils, by the silky feathers of the forehead, and a 

 row of small bristles ; the wings are pointed ; the 

 legs and feet robust. 



The male is of a rich brilliant-blackish blue ; the 

 quills aud tail-feathers dead-black ; a double row of 

 silky and velvety bluish-black feathers at the base of 

 the beak: length thirteen inches. In the female the 

 upper parts are of an olive-green ; the quills and 

 tail-feathers of a red-brown ; the wing-coverts varied 

 with brown and dusky olive ; the under parts green- 

 ish, barred with black ; the front of the neck marked 

 with whitish horizontal spots bordered with black 

 dashes. 



The Satin-bird frequents the cedar-brushes and 

 dense thickets of New South Wales, to which dis- 

 trict it appears to be confined: in its habits it is shy 

 and recluse, and few males are to be seen in their 

 brilliant plumage, which is not attained until the 

 third year; flocks of young birds, however, resem- 

 bling the female in plumage, are occasionally to be 

 seen on the skirts of the brush, but the adult birds 

 are not to be observed without care and .persever- 

 ance. This is one of the bower-building birds, con- 

 structing a bower, or run, by means of two short 

 parallel hedges composed of twigs interlaced toge- 

 ther, so artfully arranged that the inner aspect of each 

 artificial hedge is smooth, offering no impediment to 

 the passage of the birds, while the outside is rough 

 with the projecting ends and bifurcations of the twigs. 

 The floor of this run, or short avenue, consists of 

 sticks strewn with shells and bones, and the bower 

 itself is ornamented with the brilliant feathers of 

 various parrakeets. Here the birds play, and sport- 

 ively pursue each other, perpetually traversing the 

 avenue. This, however, is not their nest, which is 

 so artfully concealed that it has not been discovered 

 even by the sharp-eyed natives. 



The Satin-bird utters two difterent strains ; one of 

 rich and melodious notes, the other a harsh cry in- 

 dicative of alarm or anger. See Gould's ' Birds of 

 Australia,' in which the habits of this bird and an 

 allied species (Chlamydera nuchalis) are fully de- 

 tailed. 



1536.— The Raven 



(CoTvus'Corax, Linn.), Head and Foot. Le Corbeau 

 of the French; Kolkrabe of the Germans. The 

 genus Corvus, containing the r.aven, rook, crow, jack- 

 daw, &c., presents us with the typical forms of the 

 present family ; and is widely spread, some of the 

 species being found in every quarter of the globe. 

 The bill is strong, conical, oultrated, straight at the 

 base, but bending slightly at the tip ; the nostrils 

 are covered by stiff reflected bristly feathers. 



The raven is common over the whole of Europe 

 and a great portion of Asia : few birds have ob- 

 tained a greater share of notoriety. Among the 

 Romans it was a bird of augury, and its flight, its 

 hoarse croak, and actions, were regarded as the 

 presages of good or evil. It was the military 

 standard of the Danes, an omen indeed of approach- 

 ing desolation ; and adopted, perhaps, in compli- 

 ance with popular superstition, which rendered the 

 bird itself an object of dread — the forehoder of ca- 

 lamity, disease, and death. Thus in ' Macbeth,' 



*' Tlie raven himself is hoarse 

 Tliat croaks the fetal entrance of Duncan 

 Under my battlements." 



The raven is a bold, hardy, powerful bird, of omni- 

 vorous habits, feeding on carrion, and attacking 

 ducks, chickens, and small quadrupeds, which its 

 strong pointed beak enables it to despatch with a 

 few strokes. It even assaults young lambs and 

 sickly sheep, picking out their eyes, and leaving 

 them to a miserable lingering death. In addition 

 to these, eggs, grain, grubs, reptiles, and shelled 

 mollusks are among the articles of its bill of fare. 

 It sometimes visits the seashore in search of putrid 

 fish and animal exuviae. 



The favourite resorts of this bird are bold moun- 

 tain precipices, where, in some inaccessible ledge — 

 or, as we have seen, on the branches of some 

 stunted yew-tree, starting as it were out of the rifts 

 of the tremendous precipice — it builds its nest, 

 occupying the same spot for a long succession of 

 years. In districts where the character of the 

 scenei-y is different, it makes its nest in tall trees, 

 which it annually visits for the same purpose. The 

 nest is composed of sticks and lined with wool. 

 The eggs, from five to seven in number, are of a 



