218 GRACKLES. 



the lowest branches, looking as black as if hung in 

 mourning. In India, they assemble in much the 

 same way, though not quite in such abundance, and 

 like our Rooks and Crows, are suspected of doing 

 mischief, 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 Grackles, 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; 



Head of the Gracula P.eligiosa. 



but the people, seeing the birds busied in 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 

 re-appeared in full force. The fact is, the Grackles, 



