114 GRACULINJE. 



observation to British Birds cannot, however, form a cor- 

 rect idea of this group, as only two species belonging to 

 it occur with us. 



The Graculinse are inferior in size to the Corvinse, 

 which they, however, resemble in many respects. Their 

 body is ovate, compact, moderately stout ; the neck short ; 

 the head of ordinary size, ovato-oblong, rather flattened 

 above. Bill about the length of the head or somewhat 

 shorter, moderately stout or rather slender, nearly straight, 

 somewhat conical, compressed ; upper mandible with its 

 dorsal line a little convex near the end, the ridge very 

 narrow at the base, the nasal sinus very large, the edges 

 sharp, with a slight or obsolete notch close to the slightly 

 decurved tip ; lower mandible with the angle long, the 

 crura rather broad, the dorsal line nearly straight. Man- 

 dibles concave, with a medial prominent line ; tongue sa- 

 gittate, papillate at the base, concave above, horny and 

 thin-edged toward the point, which is narrow and lace- 

 rated ; oesophagus of moderate width, uniform ; proven- 

 triculus oblong; stomach elliptical, its muscular coat thick, 

 the cuticular lining dense and rugous ; intestine of mode- 

 rate length and width ; cceca small, cylindrical, adnate. 

 Eyes of moderate size ; eyelids partially bare, with more 

 or less bare skin behind or around them. Nostrils of mo- 

 derate size, oval, with a horny operculum ; the nasal mem- 

 brane covered with short incurved feathers. Feet of mo- 

 derate length; tarsus compressed, with seven anterior scu- 

 tella, and two posterior plates, forming a thin edge ; toes 

 four, the first stout, about the same length as the second 

 and fourth, which latter is adherent at the base, all with 

 large scutella ; claws rather long, arched, much com- 

 pressed, their sides flat, with an obscure groove. Plu- 

 mage moderately full ; feathers at the base of the bill 

 short, rather stiff, incurved ; wings of moderate length, 

 rather pointed ; first quill extremely short, being scarcely 

 a fifth of the length of the second, the third longest, the 



