548 CLASS AVES. 



from their plumage, the varied tints of which have nothing sad 

 or sombre in their appearance. 



These birds, very numerous in India, the Philippines, and 

 probably in the intermediate countries, are of a very glutton- 

 ous disposition, and great destroyers of locusts. This last cir- 

 cumstance has rendered them celebrated in the island of 

 Bourbon, to which they were for a long time strangers, but 

 where the governor Poivre caused many pairs to be transported 

 to oppose the locusts, which were desolating the island, into 

 which their eggs had been introduced with plants from Mada- 

 gascar. The views of this excellent statesman were, in the 

 first instance, crowned with complete success, but as the colo- 

 nists perceived after a few years that the martins tore up with 

 avidity the grounds which had been newly sown, they imagined 

 it was for the purpose of eating the grain, so, after a formal 

 process, they had them all destroyed. The locusts soon re- 

 appeared when their enemies were thus put *' hors de combat,"" 

 and causing fresh devastations, the people began to regret the 

 martins, two pairs of which were introduced eight years after, 

 and placed vmder the protection of the laws. A fresh destruc- 

 tion of these insects was the result of this second introduction 

 of the martins. But this nutriment beginning to fail, these 

 birds attacked an insect, the larvae of which made continual 

 war with the cotton- tree grubs, so very injurious to the coffee- 

 plants. They also proceeded to devour the fruits and grains. 

 They even killed the young pigeons in the dove-cots, and 

 became in their turn a scourge, which required the adoption of 

 measures to prevent the too great multiplication of their species. 



The Gracula Cristatella of China, which the Baron scarcely 

 regards as a variety of the last, is said to learn to whistle tunes 

 remarkably well, and articulate words. The Chinese rear 

 them in cages, with rice and insects. 



There is another bird of this division, which has been made 

 the type of a separate genus by M. Kuhl, under the name of 

 Ptilonorhynchus. It is the Satin Grakle of Dr. Latham. 



