PASSERINE. CONIROSTRES. 273 



to him, the bird contrives to catch in his beak with 

 great celerity ; it will eat insects in a living state, but 

 will not touch them when dead. 



" I observed the bird, previously to eating a grass- 

 hopper, given him in an entire or unmutilated state, 

 place the insect upon the perch, keep it firmly fixed 

 with the claws, and, divesting it of the legs, wings, 

 &c., devour it, with the head always placed first. 



" The sounds uttered by this bird are very peculiar ; 

 that which appears to be a note of congratulation 

 resembles somewhat the cawing of a raven, but 

 changes to a varied scale in musical gradations, as 

 he, hi, ho, haw, repeated rapidly and frequently, as 

 lively and playfully he hops round and along his 

 perch, descending to the second perch to be admired, 

 and to congratulate the stranger who has made a visit 

 to inspect him ; he frequently raises his voice, send- 

 ing forth notes of such power as to be heard at a 

 long distance, and as it would scarcely be supposed 

 so delicate a bird could utter : these notes are whock, 

 whock, whock, whock, uttered in a barking tone, the 

 last being given in a low note as a conclusion. 



" A drawing of the bird, of the natural size, was 

 made by a Chinese artist. This was taken one morn- 

 ing to the original, who paid a compliment to the 

 artist by considering it one of his own species. The 

 bird advanced stedfastly to the picture, uttering at 

 the same time its cawing congratulatory notes ; it 

 did not appear excited by rage, but pecked gently 

 at the representation, jumping about the perch, 

 knocking its mandibles together with a clattering 



N 5 



