regions, it is obliged to make use of the nests of other birds, which it finds ready built.  What is worthy of notice, it employs the nests of its own nearest relations, the larks, pipits, finches, sparrows, &c.—­an arrangement we may suppose to be connected in some way with the early history of the whole group of species—­a family or clan sacrifice, as it were, for the benefit of a less fortunate member."[3] In the first case of cuckoos, are the African honey cuckoos, and the South American rain cuckoos.  The birds of the former of these varieties are noted for guiding depredators to the wild honeycombs; and the latter live upon insects, snakes, and fruits.  Here too are the Coucals of Africa, Java, South America, and Australia, including the Australian giant coucal, the Asiatic, South American, and West Indian anis; and the two cuckoos of the tropics, including the gilded cuckoo, the greatspotted cuckoo, and white-crested cuckoo from Africa, and the common European cuckoo.  Before leaving the region devoted to perching birds, the visitor should glance at a few of the pictures which are suspended above the cases in this compartment.  They include, amongst various portraits of British Museum donors, three of Sir Hans Sloane, one by Murray; Robert Earl of Oxford, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; and Edward Earl of Oxford, by Dahl.

The visitor’s way now lies to the north, into the third, or central compartment of the gallery, the wall cases of which contain the gallinaceous, or

Scraping birds.

This order is divided into four distinct families—­the Pigeons, the Curassows, the Pheasants, and the Grouse and Partridge tribe.  Of these families the museum contains a fine and complete collection.  The beauty of the pheasant family—­its varieties ranging from the gaudy splendour of the peacock to the more modest beauty of the common hen—­are here fully represented.

In the first case (84) of Scraping Birds, are grouped the Asiatic, African, and Australian tree pigeons, which inhabit the woods, and live on berries and various kinds of seeds.  The collection includes the Javan black-capped pigeon, and the parrot and aromatic pigeons of India.  The two next cases (85, 86) are filled with the true pigeons and turtles of various parts of the world, in all their varieties—­the Indian nutmeg pigeon, and the Australian antarctic pigeon.  The next case is devoted to the common European turtle and the North American migratory pigeon.  The next case is filled with the varieties of the ground Dove, among which the visitor should notice the ground turtle, the West Indian partridge pigeon, the great crowned pigeon of the Indian Isles, and the bronze-winged pigeon of Australia.  Leaving the pigeons behind, the visitor’s attention is next called to the two cases of Curassows (89, 90), the poultry peculiar to South America.  They feed on fruit, worms, and insects; and live in small flocks.  The curassows are followed by the varieties