230 CASSELLS BOOK OK BIRDS. 



wings or other injuries at last compel the untiring combatants to cease their strife. .The same writer 

 describes the Mina's manner of singing as being very amusing : it inflates its chest as though about to 

 make a most tremendous effort, and then gives voice to such a variety of crowing, grunting, and 

 squeaking sounds as cannot fail to astonish its hearer. When in flight the notes of these birds are 

 by no means unpleasing ; but if alarmed their cry rises to a loud, hoarse shriek, the rest of the party 

 usually joining chorus until the uproar becomes general. The nest is constructed with the utmost 

 carelessness, and is, in fact, a mere heap of straw, twigs, rags, or even shreds of paper ; but in 

 spite of the discomfort of the home thus provided for the young, the latter are tended by both parents 

 with great affection. 



The GRAKLES {Gracula) constitute a race of Starlings that have always been regarded with 

 great favour by mankind. These birds are of a moderate size, with thick bodies, and short wings and 

 tails ; the beak, which equals the head in length, is thick, high, and in its transverse section of a square 

 form, the upper mandible is rounded and much vaulted at its roof. The fourth quill of the wings is 

 longer than the rest, and the tail, which is rounded at its tip, is composed of twelve feathers ; the feet 

 are strong, and the head is furnished on each side with two moveable appendages resembling flaps of 

 skin (which are usually brightly coloured) hanging down from behind the eyes. The plumage is soft, 

 and of a satin-like brilliancy. 



THE MUSICAL GRAKLE. 



The Musical Grakle {Gracula musica, or Gracula religiosa) is about ten inches long and 

 eighteen and a half inches in breadth ; the tail measures nearly three inches, and the wing five inches 

 and three-fifths. The plumage of this species is of a uniform rich, deep, purplish black, shaded 

 with green upon the lower part of the back and upper wing-covers ; upon the under surface of the body 

 this beautiful green shimmer is less distinctly visible ; the wings and tail are jet black, the former 

 edged with a white band, formed by a series of patches, with which the first seven primary quills are 

 marked ; the strange fleshy flaps to which we have alluded are of a bright yellow colour, and are 

 appended behind the eyes, passing over the ears, at which part they become considerably dilated. A 

 naked space under the eyes is also of a brilliant yellow. The beak is orange, the feet yellow, and the 

 eyes dark brown. 



Jerdon tells us that these birds principally inhabit the woods of Eastern India, and that they 

 are found in considerable numbers in the Rhat Mountains and other elevated regions, living at an 

 altitude of 3,000 feet above the level of the sea, and only making their appearance in large flocks 

 during the winter ; at other season's of the year they are usually met with in parties of six or seven. 

 These assemblages pass the night together, generally in beds of reeds or bamboo thickets upon the 

 banks of the mountain streamlets. Their food consists of various kinds of fruit and berries, and their 

 visits are therefore greatly dreaded by the proprietors of fields and gardens. The Grakle is lively 

 and active, much resembling the Common Starling in disposition : its song is cheerful and varied, but 

 contains many unpleasing notes; its powers of imitation are so highly developed as to render it a most 

 interesting companion when tamed ; indeed, some of the admirers of this gifted bird declare it to be 

 superior to the Parrot in the art of mimicry, and at the same time entirely without the disagreeable 

 noisy habits that often render the latter intolerable. When caged, the Grakle not only becomes much 

 attached to those who feed it, but soon familiarises itself with all the dogs and cats of the establishment, 

 and will even fly fearlessly about the house in search of food. Our own experience does not allow us 

 to speak in quite such unqualified terms of praise as the writer from whom we quote : we have seen 

 an instance in which one of these birds was so voracious as scarcely to allow itself time to utter a 



