114 
GRACULIN^. 
observation to British Birds cannot, however, form a cor- 
rect idea of this group, as only two species belonging to 
it occur with us. 
The Graculinse are inferior in size to the Corvinse, 
which they, however, resemble in many respects. Their 
body is ovate, compact, moderately stout ; the neck short ; 
the head of ordinary size, ovato-oblong, rather flattened 
above. Bill about the length of the head or somewhat 
shorter, moderately stouter rather slender, nearly straight, 
somewhat conical, compressed ; upper mandible with its 
dorsal line a little convex near the end, the ridge very 
narrow at the base, the nasal sinus very large, the edges 
sharp, with a slight or obsolete notch close to the slightly 
decurved tip ; lower mandible with the angle long, the 
crura rather broad, the dorsal line nearly straight. Man- 
dibles concave, with a medial prominent line ; tongue sa- 
gittate, papillate at the base, concave above, horny and 
thin-edged tov/ard the point, which is narrow and lace- 
rated ; oesophagus of moderate width, uniform ; proven- 
triculus oblong; stomach elliptical, its muscular coat thick, 
the cuticular lining dense and rugous ; intestine of mode- 
rate length and width ; coeca small, cylindrical, adnate. i 
Eyes of moderate size ; eyelids partially bare, with more 
or less bare skin behind or around them. Nostrils of mo- 
derate size, oval, with a horny operculum ; the nasal mem- 
brane covered with short incurved feathers. Feet of mo- 1 
derate length ; tarsus compressed, with seven anterior scu- | 
tella, and two posterior plates, forming a thin edge ; toes 
four, the first stout, about the same length as the second 
and fourth, which latter is adherent at the base, all with 
large scutella; claws rather long, arched, much com-' 
pressed, their sides flat, with an obscure groove. Plu- 
mage moderately full ; feathers at the base of the bill 
short, rather stiff, incurved ; wings of moderate length, 
rather pointed ; first quill extremely short, being scarcely 
a fifth of the length of the second, the third longest, the 
