THE SAVANNAH BLACKBIRD 569 



account for tills remarkable habit of the European species, far less to consider as an error 

 what the wisdom of Heaven has imposed as a duty upon the species, I will only remark, 

 that the bird now before us builds its own nest, hatches its own eggs, and rears its own 

 young; and, in conjugal and parental affection, seems nowise behind any of its neighbours 

 of the grove. 



Early in May they begin to pair, when obstinate battles take place among the males. 

 About the tenth of that month they commence building. The nest is usually fixed 

 among the horizontal branches of an apple-tree ; sometimes in a solitary thorn, crab, or 

 cedar, in some retired part of the woods. It is constructed, with little art, and scarcely 

 any concavity, of small sticks and twigs, intermixed with green weeds and blossoms of 

 the common maple. On this almost flat bed, the eggs, usually three or four in number, 

 are placed ; these are of a uniform greenish blue colour, and of a size proportionable to 

 that of the bird. While the female is sitting, the male is generally not far distant, and 

 gives the alarm, by his notes, when any person is approaching. The female sits so close, 

 that you may almost reach her with your hand, and then precipitates herself to the 

 ground, feigning lameness, to draw you away from the spot, fluttering, trailing her wings, 

 and tumbling over, in the manner of the partridge, woodcock, and many other species. 

 Both parents unite in providing food for the young. This consists, for the most part, of 

 caterpillars, particularly such as infest apple-trees. The same insects constitute the chief 

 part of their own sustenance. 



They are accused, and with some justice, of sucking the eggs of other birds, like the 

 crow, the blue jay, and other pillagers. They also occasionally eat various kinds of 

 berries. But, from the circumstance of destroying such numbers of very noxious 

 larvae, they prove themselves the friends of the farmer, and are highly deserving of his 

 protection." 



The general colour of this bird is dark drab with a silken greenish gloss. The quill- 

 feathers of the wings are ruddy cinnamon, and the tail is composed of black feathers 

 tipped with white, with the exception of the two outer feathers, which are of the same 

 green-glossed drab as the back. The whole under surface is pure white. The bill is 

 rather long and curved, and is greyish black above and yellow beneath. The female may 

 be known by the fact that the four central tail-feathers are drab, and the white takes a 

 greyish tinge. Its total length is rather more than a foot. 



THE Anis are all inhabitants of tropical climates, and are found chiefly in forest-lands, 

 being most common in the dense woods of South America. They are by no means 

 large birds, seldom exceeding the dimensions of the common English Blackbird. These 

 birds are known by their compressed and arched beaks, and the decided keel or ridge 

 upon the upper mandible. 



The SAVANNAH BLACKBIRD is acknowledged to be the typical species of these birds, 

 as it exhibits the peculiar form of the beak in a very marked manner. As it is rather a 

 conspicuous bird, it is known by several other names, among which are Razor-billed 

 Blackbird and Great Blackbird. In some places it is called the Black Parrakeet, and in 

 Mexico its native title is Cacalototl. 



The food of the Savannah Blackbird is mostly of an animal nature, and consists 

 chiefly of grasshoppers, locusts, and similar insects, although the bird is very fond of 

 lizards and other small vertebrates, a prey which its peculiar beak is well calculated to 

 secure. Seeds are also said to be eaten by this bird. 



In some cases their .insect-loving nature is directed in a manner very useful to the 

 cattle-owners. In those regions, the cows are greatly troubled with ticks and other 

 parasitic insects, which fasten upon their backs where the poor beasts cannot reach 

 them. The Anis are fortunately very fond of these noxious insects, and perching upon 

 the cow's back, soon rid them of their unpleasant companions. The cows are so well 

 aware of the services rendered to them by these birds, that when they find themselves 

 much annoyed by ticks, they lie down in order to permit the Anis to pursue their 

 avocation without disturbance. Sometimes, according to Brown, in his History of 

 Jamaica, the Anis remind the cows of their reciprocal duties, and if the great quadruped 



