in ornithology, a genus of birds belonging to the order of pigeons; the characters of which are: The bill is thin, compressed, greatly arched, half oval, and cultrated at top; the nostrils are round; the tongue flat, and pointed at the end; the tail consists of ten feathers; and the toes are placed two and two. The most remarkable species is the ani, which is about the size of a blackbird; the colour of the whole bird is black, in some parts glossed with purple, and about the neck faintly tinged with green on the margins: the base of the bill is furnished with black bristles, which turn forwards; the eye-lids have long hairs like eye-lashes; the tail is six inches long, and much cuneated; and the legs are black. This species is found in Jamaica, St Domingo, and other islands in the West Indies; also at Cayenne and other parts of South America. Contrary to all other birds, they have the singularity of many laying in the same nest; to make which, they all unite in concert, and after laying their eggs, sit on them close to each other in order to hatch them, each unanimously striving to do the best for the general good; and when the young are hatched, the parents, without reserve, do the best to feed the whole flock. Still a greater singularity occurs, which is, that as soon as each female lays her eggs she covers them with leaves, doing the same thing whenever she is obliged to leave the nest for food: this might be necessary in a cold climate; but why it should be wanted in a hot one seems not clear, especially as it has not been observed in other birds. It generally has two broods in a year, except accidents happen; in which case it has been known to make three nests. The eggs are about the size of those of a pigeon, of a sea-green colour, spotted at the ends. Their food is various; worms, insects, fruits, and grain, according to the season. There is a variety called the greater ani, which is about the size of a jay, differing no otherwise from the former but in size. They ought, however, to be considered as two distinct species: for they never mix together; though each have the same manners, with this difference only, that the smaller frequent the open savannas, the larger only the salt-marshes near the sea-coasts. It is said that they are easily made tame, and will learn to talk like parrots. The male and female are both alike. Both species are easy to be shot, not being so wild as many other birds; but are known to chatter much on the flight of a man, though they do not fly to a great distance; hence are not well relished by sportsmen, as, like the jays in England, they are the occasion of hindering his sport in respect to other game, without making him amends in their own flesh, which is never sought after for food, being rank and unpalatable.