118 Zoology. 



dividing the capsules, as is the tongue, which is small and 

 pointed, and of a hard cartilaginous substance, for picking out the 

 seeds. In some of their stomachs I found the capsule or peri- 

 carpium whole, which they not unfrequently swallow without 

 waiting to pick out the seeds. I have also found in their 

 stomachs the wings and legs of some kinds of beetles, but in a 

 quantity that bore no proportion to the capsule and seed already 

 spoken of. The bill (whose upper mandible is very pointed and 

 round or bent at the extremity lapping over the under) and legs 

 are of a lead colour, the former rather inclining to a brown ; the 

 toes are placed two forward and two behind, the two hind ones 

 oj^ening so as to admit the two before to be placed between 

 them when the [bird] is sitting or perched on a limb or branch of 

 a tree not too large for the toes to grasp or go round. The 

 bird from which this drawing is taken was a female with a 

 very distinct ovarium, but the eggs not formed. It measures 

 from the tip of the bill to the white extremity of the tail 2 feet, 

 and from the tip to tip of each wing exactly the same. The tail 

 (which it sometimes displays like a fan) is not very short of the 

 length of the body, and gives it in flight or sitting a very 

 majestic appearance; the legs are rather short for the size of 

 the bird (whole body is the size of a Crow), and partakes much 

 of the Parrot kind. The natives know very little about its 

 habits, haunts, etc., etc. However, they consider its appearance 

 an indication of wind and blowing weather, and that its frightful 

 scream is through fear, as it is not a bird of very active or quick 

 flight. Nothing in nature can be more fiery or fierce than the 

 uncommon clearness of the pupil eye. I had a wounded one 

 two days alive, but could not get it to eat ; it bit everything 

 that approached it very severely." 



Latham has transferred this note into his account of the 

 Channel-bill in his " General History " (vol. ii., p. 300, pi. 32), 

 but he attributes the story of the wounded bird to " Mr. White." 



No. 58. Black-faced Crow, Lath., Gen. Syn., Suppl. ii., p. 11G. 

 Corvus melanops, Lath., Ind. Orn., Suppl., p. 24. 

 Graucalus melanops, Sharpe, Cat. B., iv., p. 30. 



Watling's note is as follows : "Natural size. This is a bird 

 of prey ; the native name Kai-a-lora. ,J This figure is the type of 

 the species. 



No. 59. Velvet-faced Crow, Latham [MS.] ; id., Gen. Hist. 

 B., iii., p. 35 (1822). 



Apparently taken from a specimen of Edoliisoma tenuirostre 



