176 , GRACKLE. 



and like our Books and Crows, are suspected of doing mis- 

 chief, by picking out the new-sown grain ; but as we shall 

 soon see when we come to treat of our crows, the charge is a 

 good deal exaggerated. 



It happened some years ago, that one of the French 

 islands, in the East Indies, was overrun with locusts, to such 

 a degree, that there was every appearance of the crops 

 suffering severely. The governor, a sensible and observing 



man, and well acquainted 

 with the habits of the Grac- 

 kles, imported a number of 

 them from the Continent, 

 as they never bred upon, 

 or visited the island. The 

 consequence was, that the 

 locusts rapidly diminished 

 in number ; but the people, 



seeing the birds busied in 



Head oi Gracula Religiosa. ,. ... , , . . 



thrusting their bills into 



the new-sown fields, fancied they could be only occupied in 

 picking out the grain, and accordingly they made war upon 

 the poor Grackles, and destroyed them all, and forthwith the 

 locusts reappeared in full force. The fact is, the Grackles, 

 like our Eooks and Crows, are great destroyers of grubs and 

 insects, though at the same time it cannot be denied, that 

 they may occasionally commit partial depredations on the 

 farmer's property. 



Some birds of the Grackle genus have a singular appendage 

 to the head, composed of a naked skin or wattle, which 

 gives them a very odd appearance, as shown in the above 

 figure. 



Of the Paradise-birds we know but little, for they are 

 almost entirely confined to New Guinea, and a few neigh- 

 bouring islands in the Indian seas, inhabited by wild tribes, 

 with whom travellers have but little communication. These 

 people catch the Paradise-birds and dry their skins, which 

 they barter with ships passing along the coast. It was for 

 a long time believed, by ignorant persons, that they had 



