214 
GRACKLES. 
pearance of the crops suffering severely. The go- 
vernor, a sensible and observing man, and well 
acquainted with the habits of the Grackles, imported 
a number of them from the Continent, as they never 
bred upon, or visited the island. The consequence 
was, that the locusts rapidly diminished in number ; 
but the people, seeing the birds busied in thrusting 
their bills into the new-sown fields, fancied they 
could be only occupied in picking out the grain, and 
accordingly they made war upon the poor Grackles, 
and destroyed them all, and forthwith the locusts 
re-appeared in full force. The fact is, the Grackles, 
like our Rooks and Crows, are great destroyers of 
grubs and insects, though at the same time it cannot 
be denied, that they may occasionally commit partial 
depredations on the farmers property. 
Some birds of the Grackle genus have a singular 
appendage to the head, composed of a naked skin or 
wattle, which gives them a very odd appearance. 
The annexed figure is the head of the Gracula 
religiosa. 
Of the Paradise-birds we know but little, for 
they are almost entirely confined to New Guinea, 
