G R A K L E. 459 



and a quarter in length ; in fhape like the lad fpecies : the upper 

 part of the head is covered with narrow black feathers, not ill re- 

 fembling thofe of the Bird of Paradife in the fame part : behind 

 the eyes is a triangular bare fpace of a red colour : the throat, 

 neck, and upper part of the breaft, are blackifb, tinged with 

 grey : the lower part of the breaft, the back, rump, fcapulars, 

 upper and under wing, and upper tail coverts, cheftnut brown ■: 

 thighs the fame : belly, fides, and under tail coverts., whitifh ; as 

 is the edge of the wing : prime quills half white half dulky ; fe- 

 condaries brown : tail deep brown ; the fide feathers tipped with 

 white : legs yellow. 



The female is like the male in plumage. Female. 



Inhabits the Philippine IJlands. Place anIs 



It is a various feeder, fcarce any thing coming amifs to it, and, Manners, 

 like the laft, very gluttonous in its appetite 5 is ufeful in its wild 

 ftate, in freeing the backs of oxen from vermin j has been known, 

 when kept in a cage, to fwallow a young rat, more than two 

 inches long, whole, only bruifing it againft the wires to make it 

 foft. Briffon mentions its being very fond of grafshoppers, and 

 Buffon relates a curious anecdote on this head. The inhabitants 

 of the IJle of Bourbon imported a pair of thefe birds, in order to free 

 them from thefe infects, with which they were infefted to a great 

 degree: the attempt fucceeded for a while; but the inhabitants, 

 thinking they were otherwife hurtful, profcribed them by edict, 

 on which the grafshoppers increafed fo faft, that they were obliged 

 to fend for more; which, with their offspring, foon difpatched 

 every graf shopper on the ifland. But thefe birds multiplying very 

 faft, and wanting food, began on other things, fuch as fruits, 

 grapes, dates, and all kinds of grain, and even entered dove-houfes 

 to deftroy the young Pigeons; and are too numerous at this time to 



3 N 2 be 



