THE RAIN BIRD. The RAIN BIRD (_Saurothera vetula_) is remarkable for the very peculiar formation of its long, thin beak, which is almost straight, compressed at its edges, and hooked at its tip. The tarsi are short and slender, the toes long and meagre; the wings, in which the fourth, fifth, and sixth quills are the longest, are of moderate size; and the long, graduated tail is composed of ten rounded feathers. The plumage upon the entire mantle is dark grey, and the under side reddish yellow, shading into light grey on the breast, and into yellowish grey on the lower part of the belly. The ten exterior quills are light brownish red, tipped with greenish brown; the centre tail-feathers are grey, shaded with green; while those on each side are blackish brown, tipped with white. The eye is nut-brown, and the circle by which it is surrounded light scarlet; the beak is blackish, and foot blueish black. The length of this bird is fifteen inches and a half, and its breadth fourteen inches. The wing measures four inches and a half, and its tail six inches and a quarter. We are informed by Mr. Gosse that "the Rain Bird--sometimes called the 'Tom Fool,' from its silly habit of gratifying its curiosity instead of securing its safety--is little seen except where the woods are high; but it is widely scattered in mountain as well as in lowland. This species is seldom seen to fly, except from tree to tree, more usually leaping in a hurried manner along the branches, or proceeding up the perpendicular bole by short jumps, pausing from time to time to gaze at any intruder, and if driven away flying only a few yards and again peeping as before. When it flies, it generally glides nearly in a straight line, without flapping the wings. It often sits on a branch in a remarkable posture; the head lower than the feet, and the long tail hanging nearly perpendicularly down. When sitting it now and then utters a loud and harsh cackle, unvarying in note, but increasing in the rapidity of its emission. Sometimes this sound is produced during its short flight. All the time of this effusion the beak is held wide open. It may be imitated by repeating the syllables 'ticky, ticky, ticky,' as fast as they can be uttered. The Rain Bird is frequently seen on the ground in morasses and woods, when it proceeds by a succession of bounds, the long tail held somewhat high, and the head low; the tail is jerked forward by the impulse of each pause of motion, and the whole action is like that of the _Crotophaga_. If held it becomes very fierce, trying with widely-opened beak and expanded tail, to bite, and uttering angry screams. A male that had been knocked down with a stone, on being put into a cage, was outrageous when one's hand was placed near the wires; darting from side to side, now and then snapping at the hand, and snarling all the while, in the tone of an angry puppy. This bird is extremely retentive of life. Sometimes, when a wounded one has come