BIRDS. PIES. Ani. 627 



back of the upper mandible, bent, and almoft oval ; the up- 

 per mandible having an angular projection on its edge at 

 each fide: The noftrils are round and open. 



This genus is named from its habit of feeding on certain infefts : The feet in three of the fpecies 

 are fitted for climbing ; the tongue is flattered laterally and becomes flender at the end. Mr Ray 

 confiders the firft fpecies as congeneric with Parrots. 



r. LefTer Ani, — 1. Crotophaga Ani. l. 



Of a blackifli-violet colour, the edges of the feathers having a coppery green caft. 

 Lath. ind. orn. i. 148. n. 1, 



Crotophagus. Brill", av. iv. 177. t. 18. f. 1. Ger. orn. ii. 53. t. 190. Borowfk. nat. ii. 101. t. 8. — 

 Crotophagus ater. Brown, jam. 474. — Monedula nigra garrula. Sloan, jam. ii. 298. t. 256. f. 1. — 

 Ani. Marcgr. braf. 193. Will. orn. 120. Raj. av. 35. n. 10. and 185. n. 129. — Ani des favanes. 

 Buff. oif. vi. 420. — Leffer Ani. Lath. fyn. i. 360. n. 1. t. 13. — Petit bout-de-petun. PI. enl. n. 

 102. f. 2. — Cacalototl. Raj. av. 168. n. 27. — Razor-billed Blackbird. Catefb. carol, app. t. 3. 



Inhabits the warmer parts of America and the Weft India iflands. — This fpecies, which is about 

 thirteen inches and a half long, is gregarious and builds large nefts, in which five or fix females lay 

 their eggs twice every year, each taking care of her own particular brood, and covering them care- 

 fully with leaves ; the eggs are of a fea green colour, fpotted at each end : It feeds on fruits, feeds, 

 fmall ferpents, lizards, and other reptiles, worms, infefts, particularly grafshoppers, and in the begin- 

 ning of fpring on the Acarus ricinus, a fpecies of Tick, at that time very numerous on the backs of 

 cattle ; the cattle at this feafon lie down to give the Ani an opportunity of picking off the ticks. The 

 general colour is black, with fome violet fhades all over the body, the feathers on the middle of the 

 back and of the wing coverts being flightly edged with dark fhining green ; the tail confifts of ten 

 quills, is wedge-like, and meafures more than half the whole length ; ,the tip of the upper mandible 

 is hooked ; the noftrils are oval ; the tongue is flefhy and whole at the tip ; the legs and feet are 

 black. 



2. Greater Ani. — 2. Crotophaga major. 3. 



Of a blackifh-violet colour, the feathers having green edges; the wing quills being duf- 

 ky green. Lath. ind. orn. i. 148. n. 2. Syn. i. 362. n. 2. 



Crotophagus major. BrifT. av. iv. 180. t. 18. f. 2. — Ani des paletuviers, Boet-de-tabac, Aman- 

 goua. Buff. oif. vi. 423. t. 19. Salern. orn. 73. n. io.-^-Greater Ani. Lath. fyn. i. 362. n. 2. — 

 Grand bout-de-petun. PI. enl. n. 102. f. 1. 



Inhabits the fame countries with the former. — This fpecies meafures eighteen inches long, and is 

 confiderably larger than the former fpecies, which it refembles very much in colour, manners, and 

 mode of life, except that the former inhabits the woods, and this keeps chiefly to the cultivated fields, 

 and the fides of the fea or of fait marfhes : The green edges of the feathers are likewife more re- 

 markable in this than in the former fpecies ; it is readily made tame, but both this and the former 

 fpecies have an unpleafant odour, and their flefh is not eatable. 



