RAVENS. 



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the neighbourhood of towns and villages in preference to more wooded districts. A tree is usually 

 selected as their sleeping-place, and from this point they fly over the country in small parties in 

 search of food, stealing occasionally even into the huts of the natives, in order to obtain cooked 

 rice, of which they are very fond ; some follow the flocks and herds, and seize the grasshoppers as 

 they rise from the grass when disturbed by the cattle, others seek subsistence by plundering the gardens 

 and orchards in their vicinity. When upon the ground the Mina walks with ease, constantly bowing 

 its head as it goes, and occasionally springing to a considerable distance ; its flight is heavy, direct, 

 and tolerably rapid, and its notes rich and varied. So little fear is exhibited by these birds that 

 they build almost exclusively in the vicinity of houses, or even in temporary cages that are 





THE MUSICAL grakle (Gracula musica). 



hung out for their accommodation. In Mosuri, where this species is only a summer visitor, it usually 

 prefers making its nest within a hollow tree. Like the Starling, it easily acquires the art of speaking, 

 and of imitating a variety of sounds. The Mina has been dedicated by the Indians to their god 

 Ram, and is usually represented as perched upon his hand. Major Norgate has given a full 

 description of this interesting bird, from which our space will only allow us to extract the following 

 account of its quarrelsome propensities — regular pitched battles, he tells us, are of constant occurrence 

 amongst these pugnacious little creatures ; the two combatants, who usually belong to different flocks, 

 coming to the ground, in order the better to carry on their struggle, which is maintained by clawing, 

 beating with the wings, and rolling round each other, screaming loudly as the combat waxes hot ; only 

 for a very brief space, however, is the fight confined to these two champions of the rival parties ; 

 one after another the rest come down and mingle in the fray, which often rages so fiercely that broken 



