THE GRAKLE. 357 



The Grakle( G9 ), loquacious, whose nests will be found 

 The marge of the Osprey's to cluster around ; 



( 29 ) Order, Pue, (Linn.) Grakle the Minor, the Boat- 

 tailed, the Crested, the Purple, &c. 



The genus Gracula, (Linn.) or Grakle, consists of nearly 

 forty species, natives of India and South America, some of them 

 of Europe. They have a thick convex bill, compressed at the 

 sides, with small nostrils, and sharp hooked claws, the middle 

 toe connected at the base with the outer. The following are 

 the chief: — 



The Religiosa, or Minor-Grakle, is violet black, spot on 

 the wings white; hind head with a yellow naked band. Another 

 variety much larger ; both inhabit Asia ; the first is ten inches 

 and half long ; feeds on cherries, grapes, and other fruits : when 

 tamed exceedingly loquacious. 



The Barita, or Boat-tailed Graki.e, is greyish, shoulders 

 blue; quill feathers outside green ; tail rounded and concave 

 when folded, as it is when on the wing ; fiat when spread ; 

 thirteen inches long; feeds on insects and fruits; inhabits 

 America and the West Indies. 



The Quiscala, Purple-Grakle, or Crow-Blackbird, is 

 violet black, tail rounded. Male thirteen and a half, female 

 eleven and a half inches long; sings finely; lays five or six 

 bluish eggs, with black striped spots : nests in great numbers on 

 the same tree; and also sometimes near the Osprey's. See note 

 1, part I., article Hali^eetos. When domesticated, feeds en 

 all kinds of grain. Although very destructive to plantations, 

 it clears them in a considerable degree from noxious insects, on 

 which account the breed has been of late encouraged in the 

 West Indies. It is a native of Mexico, the warm parts of 

 America, and Jamaica. 



The Sturvlna is hoary, black on the crown and back ; between 

 the wings violet black ; tail and wings with a shade of green. 



