455 



PARADISE GRAKLE. 



Gracula tristis. G.fusca, capite colloque nigricantibus, area pone 

 oculos triangulari nuda rubra. 



Brown Grakle, with blackish head and neck, and naked trian- 

 gular red space behind each eye. 



Paradisea tristis. P. area nuda pone oculos triangulari, capite 

 colloque fuscis . Lin. Syst. Nat. 



Le Martin. Buff. vis. Fl. Enl, 21 9. 



Paradise Grakle. Lath, syn. 



This species was by Linnasus referred to the 

 genus Paradisea, under the title of Paradisea 

 tristis, on account of the obscurity of its colours 

 in comparison with the rest of that splendid tribe. 

 Its size is rather superior to that of a Blackbird, 

 and its colour chesnut-brown, the head and neck 

 black, but the latter tinged with grey: the plumes 

 on the fore part of the head are fine and narrow, 

 and behind each eye is a moderately large sub- 

 triangular bare space of a red colour, in some 

 specimens possessing nearly the whole space of 

 the cheek: the abdomen is whiter the tail dark 

 brown, the lateral feathers tipped with white: the 

 larger quill-feathers are of a dusky or blackish 

 colour, with white bases, forming an oblong white 

 spot on the upper edge of each wing: the bill is 

 moderatelj/ thick, and yellow, as are likewise the 

 legs. The female is said to resemble the male in 

 colours. 



This bird is a native of India and the Philippine 

 islands, and is said to be of a very voracious na- 

 ture, feeding both on animal and vegetable food. 



