190 
BIRD-LIFE. 
place lies midway between the Shrike and the Fly¬ 
catcher,—these are distinguished by a peculiar colouring 
common to them all, a colouring in which fiery red and 
black predominate; the closely-allied Irena, with a 
plumage splendidly variegated with ultramarine and 
black alternately; the babbling and strong-legged Ground 
Thrushes ( Timalia , Garrulax), allied to our Thrushes, and 
living in leafy thickets; the Forktails ( Henicurus ), large 
Wagtails with very deeply-forked tails, which frequent 
the brooks of the continent and Malay Islands; the 
Hunting Crows ( Gissa ), lovely birds, having beaks of 
coral-red, with feet to match,—they, in many respects, 
resemble the Jay, but in some the Orioles; the Beos or 
Grackles ( Gracula ), remarkable on account of a singular 
caruncle at the back of the head; besides many other 
so-called ground birds. 
Amongst the Columbine-birds, the Nicobar Pigeon 
(Calcenas nicobarica ), a bird noted for its gaudy and 
brilliant colours and its long narrow hackles, features 
which may also be reckoned amongst the characteristic 
points of the Asiatic Avi-fauna. Amongst the marsh- 
or wading-birds, which are, comparatively speaking, 
cosmopolitan, Asia is remarkable for the White and 
Black Crane (Grus leucogeranus ), and the still more 
important Mantchurian Crane (Grus montignesia), which 
are regarded in China and Japan with the utmost 
reverence, as types of human greatness. We may 
further mention the Water Pheasant (Hydrophasianus 
sinensis ), which is widely distributed over Southern 
Asia, and remarkable for its long toes and still longer 
claws, which enable the little creatures to run over 
waters with the slightest covering of water-weeds. 
It is from this bird that the Chinaman has taken the 
