166 GRAKLE. 



Is common near Calcutta, but never made use of there for combat. 

 It is one of those birds, which are used when invoking the name of 

 God, a custom which those of India have borrowed from the 

 Hindoos. 



M. Levaillant found it only in the Grand Namaqua, within the 

 Cape of Good Hope. 



Dr. Buchanan adds, that it is commonly called at Calcutta, 

 Doil, by the Bengalese ; in Persia, Dahool or Dahale, and there 

 kept only for its song. It makes an artless nest of sticks and hair 

 on the branches of trees; the eggs pale greenish blue, with brown 

 spots, most numerous at the large end. 



A. — Length seven inches. Bill stout, black, with a few short 

 hairs at the base ; head and neck black, descending before on the 

 breast ; the rest of the under parts, back, wing coverts, upper tail 

 coverts, and two middle tail feathers, fine light greyish blue ; quills 

 and tail black ; the two outer feathers of the latter white at the ends; 

 deepest on the exterior one; wings reaching half way on the tail ; 

 legs black. Said to be a male. 



Found at Cawnpore in India, in June. Gen. Hardwicke. 



One of these was scarcely seven inches long ; bill seven-eighths 

 of an inch, made like that of the Thrush, with a slight notch at the 

 tip; head, neck, and back black; chin, neck before, and breast 

 dusky black, or deep ash-colour ; wings wholly deep rusty brown, 

 with a streak of white down the middle, more than half an inch 

 broad ; belly and vent white ; tail rounded, the four middle feathers 

 black, the others wholly white ; legs pale brown. 



In the collection of Lord Stanley, and appears to be a yoirag 

 bird. 



We think right to retain it here, on the authority of Linnaeus, 

 but from the bill it certainly has every appearance of the Thrush. 



