202 AVES. 



very short over the rump]. They are liirds of Africa and India, wlilch eliiiih somewhat in the manner of 

 Parrots, live in troops, and even breed in society, constructing numerous nests in the same hushes ; 

 lastly, lliey sleep suspended to a branch, with the head downward, many of them together, and subsist 

 on fruits [the buds of trees, and tender sprouts of vegetables. 



These very curinus liirds are closely allied by affinity to the Plantain-caters and Tiuiracos, and have no especial 

 clifiractL-r of tlie P'l-ssn-'nue. Tliey sail fruni bush to bush in a lon^; row one ar'ter another, ali2;htin^ always near 

 tlie orroMiKi, anil cUiMilieriii:; to the topmost twiff with the assistance of the beak and lon,^ stifi' tail, picking off tiie 

 l.iuds or berries ; ami >ln not pass to tlic next until the whole tlock are ready, when they again sail in the same 

 rc;i:iilar s^l(■(■'■^^^;on. Tlivy nrt very riiiscliicvuii.s in ^fii'^^l^is i'l the Cape colony, devouring the young plants of 

 vegetables as fust as Ibey spring up; ami are there known by the term Mui/js-roffel, or " Mouse-bird:" their cry 

 is nmnotnnous, (liaving but one pair of vocal muscles,) and in the largest species closely resembles the bleating of 

 a lamb. Tliey constifr,te the ordinary food of si-vur.-il s,pcies of Birds of Prey, and have remarkably heavy, massive 

 bodii^'S, fijr their apparent siic, the plumage lying Hat and close]. 



Here al'O should be placed 



Tiir OxPF.CKiCRS {Bi'phaga, Brisson), — 

 A small genus, whciTin the beak, of medium length, is first c\]indrical, both mandibles bulging 

 towards the eiul, wliieli terminates obtusely. They employ it to compress tlie skin of cattle, in order 

 to force out the larvae of (Estndce lodged within it, upon which they feed. [The claws arc accordingly 

 extraordinarily sharp, to enable them to cling while so occupied. 



Two siiccii.'s ,irr nnw kiinun, lioth from South Africa : they strictly pcrtnin to tlic Starling family, and have no 

 sort of relationship \^ ith the lluneyguides (near which some systematists place theuij, being true Pai--;eriiicC.] 



Thk Cassicaxs {Cassicus, Cuv.) — 

 Have a large beak, exactly conical, thick at the base, and singularly sharp at the point ; small round 

 nristrils pierced at its sides ; the commissure of the mandibles forming a broken line, or an angle as in 

 the Starlings. Tiiey are Ameiican birds, with manners approaching those of our Starlings, [at least iii 

 some instances,] frequently construct their nests close together, and sometimes with much art. They 

 subsist on insects and grain, and the numerous flocks of them conimit great ravages in the cultivated 

 districts. 



We subdivide them into 



The Cassicans, properly so called, (Cassicus, as restricted), 

 Mlienrin tlie beak mounts upon the forehead, encroaching circularly on tlie plumage. Tlie largest 

 species are included in this group. 

 [Some are \'ery superior songsters, and rival the IMocking-bird m mimicry.] 



The Bai.timores {Icterus, Cuv.) — 

 Have the beak arcuated throughout its length, and forming only a pointed notch on the forehead. 



[This name is now generally applied to the BaU'imore-hh-ds of North America, with some proximate species from 

 the southern continent. Tliey do not congregate, and build an elegant pensile nest, as do also the iircccding. 

 The males are several years attaining their mature colouring.] 



Ti-iE Trooi'ials; (Xanfhornus, Cuv.) 

 Onlv ditfcr from tlie last in ha\ing the beak straight. 



[Certain of tliesr, Ih'- true Trooin;iis {Atihiins, Swaiuson), have a comparatively short beak, thick at rlie base. 

 Their habits are those of the Starlings, juid they are exceedingly destrLictlve in the maize plantations : they breed 

 in small societies, sometimes on or near the grnun*!, and where opportunities occur, in the interstices of the 

 massive nests of t!u' (tsprey ; it is said that the jimportions of the sexes in these little comnuinities are very irre- 

 gidar, whiidj \\oid(l intimate that they du not paii'* ; a circumstance the less unlikely, from their cIosl- aliiuity 1:0 

 the next, (11- 



The Molothrahs (Moloihi-us, Swainson) ; of which two species are now known, both parasitic in their mode of 

 prcjpagation, depositing their eggs in the nests of other birds, like the Cuckoo of Europe : these certainly do not 

 mate. They are distinguished by a still shoi'tcr hill, and ditVer little in their habits from the Troopials. 



Several other natural subdivisions have been instituted, of which the Uohalinks, or Rtcc-binis, have been ali'cady 

 noticed (p. 199). Tlie Chewinks (P/pilo, Vielllot,) with a I)n1ging sparrow-like bill, pertain to the same group ; 

 and there are others which approximate the Cro\YS, as the divisions Qniscahis, t^coiep/iagus, 8i.c., and even the 

 Larks, as •Slunirlln, Swainson, the members of which have the beak obtusely pointed, like the true Starlings, and 

 are nearly related lo the Bubaliuks]. 



