NATURAL HISTORY. 
SI 
GALLERY.] 
Choughs ( Frigelince , Case 64) have the bill lengthened and slender, 
compressed on the sides, with the tip scarcely emarginated; their wings 
are lengthened, and their tarsi strong and rather short. They are found 
in the elevated mountains of the Old World, and prey on insects and 
berries. 
The family of Birds of Paradise (Paradiseidje, Case 64) have the 
bills lengthened, slightly bent at the tip and emarginated ; their wings 
are lengthened and pointed ; their side feathers are much lengthened and 
of different forms, which gives them the appearance of having four wings. 
It was formerly erroneously supposed that these birds had no feet, 
though in fact their feet are rather strong and large ; their habits are 
perfectly those of the Crows, and though omnivorous, their favourite 
food is cockroaches and crickets. They are natives of New 7 Guinea 
and the neighbouring islands, where the natives collect them to make 
plumes, and generally cut off their w T ings and feet to prevent those 
rigid parts from injuring the feathers, which gave rise to the errors 
alluded to above. 
The family of Starlings (Sturnxd^e, Cases 65—67) have the bill 
generally lengthened, conical, slender, with the tip nearly entire, and 
the commissure at the base angulated ; their wings moderate ; their tarsi 
strong and scutellated, with the lateral toes equal. The Botver Birds 
{ Vtilonorhyncliinos ,, Case 65) have strong bills with the culmen elevated, 
the base wide, and the sides somewhat compressed towards the tip ; their 
wings are moderate, and their feet strong. They inhabit Africa, Asia, 
and Australia. Their plumage is generally very shining and metallic. 
They feed principally on fruits, and occasionally on insects. The 
Australian Bower Bird ( Ptibnorhynchus ) forms artificial arbours of 
twigs, which they decorate with shells, bones, stones, and other ar¬ 
ticles, and through which they run in playful chase after each other. 
The Grakles ( Graculince , Case 65) have the bill short, compressed 
on the sides, with the base of the lower mandible swollen ; their nostrils 
are naked. Found only in the Indian Archipelago ; live in troops, and 
search for insects and fruits among the banana. Of all birds, the 
Grakle is said to imitate most completely the language of man. The 
Beef-eaters ( Bupliagince , Case 65) have a large, strong bill, with the 
low’er mandible more inflated than the upper; their wings moderate, wdth 
the third quill longest; their tail wedge-shaped; their feet armed with 
strong curved claws. They inhabit Africa, and live on the larvae of 
a parasitical insect, which they compress out of the skin of Rhinoceros 
by means of their bill. The Starlings ( Sturnince , Case 66). The 
bills of these birds are lengthened, conical, with the commissure 
angulated at the base; their wings moderate, with second and third quills 
longest; their tarsi rather long and scutellated. They are found in 
both hemispheres, but especially throughout the whole of the eastern 
continent, feed on insects, and are of use to cattle by relieving them 
from their attacks. They fly in large and crowded flocks. The English 
species of Starling is easily tamed, and taught to sing and even to speak. 
The Quiscalince (Case 66). Their bills are of a lengthened conic 
shape, entire and compressed, with the culmen slightly curved; their 
tail graduated, with the sides bent upwards or boat-shaped ; their feet 
strong. Inhabit New Guinea, but especially North and South America. 
The Icteriiue (Case 67) have lengthened conical bills, with the eul- 
