#gracula

[alonglistofbirds]

[2606/11080] Common hill myna - Gracula religiosa

Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Superfamily: Muscicapoidea Family: Sturnidae (starlings)

Photo credit: Manish Panchal via Macaulay Library

[danceworshipper]

@hphm-ship-week Prompt 1: Dance

A short and sweet one to start the week off!

Ship: Gracie/Merula 💚🐍

Date: November 2nd, 1998 (married for almost four months)

"This is stupid, Chiva," Merula said, her signature haughty frown firmly on her face.

Gracie, however, had a ridiculous grin as she turned the volume up on their new muggle CD player, some song she'd never heard of blasting through their home. Since they'd moved in together she'd slowly been convincing Merula to incorporate more and more "technology" into their lives - the television being the greatest success so far - and she knew that as much as Merula protested, she'd be on board by the end of the day.

"It's music!" Gracie said.

Merula scoffed. "It's noise is what it is. Turn it off."

"Rula, muggle music isn't that different from wizard music."

She was lying, a little bit. This particular song had some strange noises that Gracie didn't think could come from the instruments she was acquainted with, and it was hard to make out what the singer was even saying.

"It sucks and I want it out of my house."

Gracie raised her eyebrows. "Whose house?"

Just as expected, Merula flushed and looked to the side, crossing her arms. "Shut up."

"It's our house," Gracie answered herself, coming up beside Merula to rest annoyingly against her shoulder. "And this is our CD player."

"It's your damn CD player," Merula protested.

Shaking her head in amusement, Gracie walked over to the pile of CDs she'd picked up at random and looked for one that would be a little closer to the type of music they were used to. It was unfortunately hard to tell. One CD with a red cover seemed like a good bet, so she popped out the loud noisy one and set the red one in instead. This one had recognizable instruments like guitar and piano, and the woman was singing about love. Much better.

Gracie turned back around to find Merula still pouting with her arms folded, watching her. Caught staring, Merula huffed and turned her head away again. Merlin, Gracie had to pick the stubborn one, didn't she? Feeling immensely fond, she crossed the room to take Merula's hands, despite the emphatic protests, and pulled her to the middle of the room to twirl her.

"Gracie," Merula warned, but the flush on her cheeks was deepening.

"Come on," Gracie teased. "Can you fault me for wanting to dance with the Most Powerful Witch in the World?"

The title earned her an eye roll, but it also earned her a more cooperative dance partner. And if after a few songs Merula did eventually start to enjoy herself, even going as far as to dip her far more suavely than expected, Gracie was wise enough not to comment on it.

Much.

[theheadlesscrow]

OTOTO Gracula Garlic Crusher is one of Amazon's Black Friday Deals!

[manuscriptsdontburn6]

the scientific name for the grackle is gracula quiscula so now next time i see a grackle i will call it count gracula

[yescrazycatlady10]

Gracula The Vampire Garlic Crusher 😎

[birds-that-screm]

Common Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)

© Siddhanta Kumar Mohanta

[helluvatimes]

No Minor

An adult Hill Mynah (Gracula religiosa) checking out its cage in the former Jurong Bird Park. Photo credit: Jonathan Chua.

The mynah was momentarily standing in a dark corner of its cage. 2/3 stop of negative exposure compensation wasn’t enough so the image was darkened further in post to produce this result. The lens was placed flushed with the wire mesh to get this image because of a mere 1/25-second shutter speed.

[veradragonjedi]

@please-give-me-birds

Thanks YouTube

Reblog to do this to your moots or something

[magicalshopping]

♡ Gracula the Garlic Crusher ♡

[rainbowcemetery]

anzu castle gracula is coming to steam this october :o wishlists appreciated

[roadside-reaper]

if anyone has a taxidermy hill mynah (gracula religiosa) or has one that can be taxidermied … i have money

[o-craven-canto]

All animal species (and a couple algae) that have kept the same scientific name since Linnaeus

The first work of taxonomy that is considered as having any scientific authority for animal species was the 10th edition of Linnaeus' Systema Naturae, published in 1758. (Also a book on spiders called Aranei Suecici, published one year before.) That's the foundational text of the binominal system of nomenclature of species still in use today. Since then most of Linnaeus' original species (4379 species, of which 185 mammals, 554 birds, 217 "amphibians" (including reptiles and cartilaginous fish), 379 fishes, 2104 "insects" (including various arthropods, of which 664 are beetles and 543 are moths & butterflies crammed into only 3 genera), and 940 "worms" (including basically all other invertebrates, and even some protists and algae)) have been dismembered, renamed, or at least moved to different genera (e.g. the house sparrow went from Fringilla domestica to Passer domesticus).

Here is a list of all of Linnaeus' original species from 1758 that still retain their original name. I believe they are 484 in total.

"Mammalia"

(Primates)

Homo sapiens (human)

Lemur catta (ring-tailed lemur)

Vespertilio murinus (rearmouse bat)

(Bruta)

Elephas maximus (Asian elephant)

Trichechus manatus (West Indian manatee)

Bradypus tridactylus (three-toed sloth)

Myrmecophaga tridactyla (giant anteater)

Manis pentadactylus (Chinese pangolin)

(Ferae)

Phoca vitulina (harbor seal)

Canis familiaris (dog)

Canis lupus (grey wolf)

Felis catus (house cat)

Viverra zibetha (Indian civet)

Mustela erminea (stoat)

Mustela furo (ferret)

Mustela lutreola (European mink)

Mustela putorius (wild ferret)

Ursus arctos (brown bear)

(Bestiae)

Sus scrofa (wild boar/pig)

Dasypus septemcinctus (seven-banded armadillo)

Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillo)

Erinaceus europaeus (European hedgehog)

Talpa europaea (European mole)

Sorex araneus (common shrew)

Didelphis marsupialis (common opossum)

(Glires)

Rhinoceros unicornis (Indian rhinoceros)

Hystrix brachyura (Malayan porcupine)

Hystrix cristata (crested porcupine)

Lepus timidus (common hare)

Castor fiber (European beaver)

Mus musculus (house mouse)

Sciurus vulgaris (red squirrel)

(Pecora)

Camelus dromedarius (dromedary camel)

Camelus bactrianus (Asian camel)

Moschus moschiferus (musk deer)

Cervus elaphus (red deer)

Capra hircus (goat)

Capra ibex (Alpine ibex)

Ovis aries (sheep)

Bos taurus (cow)

Bos indicus (zebu)

(Belluae)

Equus caballus (horse)

Equus asinus (donkey)

Equus zebra (mountain zebra)

Hippopotamus amphibius (hippopotamus)

(Cete)

Monodon monoceros (narwhal)

Balaena mysticetus (bowhead whale)

Physeter macrocephalus (sperm whale)

Delphinus delphis (common dolphin)

"Aves"

(Accipitres)

Vultur gryphus (Andean condor)

Falco tinnunculus (common kenstrel)

Falco sparverius (sparrowhawk)

Falco columbarius (pigeonhawk)

Falco subbuteo (Eurasian hobby)

Falco rusticolus (gyrfalcon)

Strix aluco (tawny owl)

Lanius excubitor (great grey shrike)

Lanius collurio (red-backed shrike)

Lanius schach (long-tailed shrike)

(Picae)

Psittacus erithacus (grey parrot)

Ramphastos tucanus (white-throated toucan)

Buceros bicornis (great hornbill)

Buceros rhinoceros (rhinoceros hornbill)

Crotophaga ani (smooth-billed ani)

Corvus corax (raven)

Corvus corone (carrion crow)

Corvus frugilegus (rook)

Corvus cornix (hooded crow)

Coracias oriolus (golden oriole)

Coracias garrulus (European roller)

Gracula religiosa (hill myna)

Paradisaea apoda (greater bird-of-paradise)

Cuculus canorus (common cuckoo)

Jynx torquilla (wryneck)

Picus viridis (green woodpecker)

Sitta europaea (Eurasian nuthatch)

Merops apiaster (European bee-eater)

Merops viridis (blue-throated bee-eater)

Upupa epops (Eurasian hoopoe)

Certhia familiaris (Eurasian treecreeper)

Trochilus polytmus (red-billed streamertail hummingbird)

(Anseres)

Anas platyrhynchos (mallard duck)

Anas crecca (teal duck)

Mergus merganser (common merganser)

Mergus serrator (red-breasted merganser)

Alca torda (razorbill auk)

Procellaria aequinoctialis (white-chinned petrel)

Diomedea exulans (wandering albatross)

Pelecanus onocrotalus (great white pelican)

Phaeton aethereus (red-billed tropicbird)

Larus canus (common gull)

Larus marinus (great black-backed gull)

Larus fuscus (lesser black-backed gull)

Sterna hirundo (common tern)

Rhynchops niger (black skimmer)

(Grallae)

Phoenicopterus ruber (American flamingo)

Platalea leucorodia (Eurasian spoonbill)

Platalea ajaia (roseate spoonbill)

Mycteria americana (wood stork)

Ardea cinerea (grey heron)

Ardea herodias (blue heron)

Ardea alba (great egret)

Scolopax rusticola (Eurasian woodcock)

Charadrius hiaticula (ringed plover)

Charadrius alexandrinus (Kentish plover)

Charadrius vociferus (killdeer plover)

Charadrius morinellus (Eurasian dotterel)

Recurvirostra avosetta (pied avocet)

Haematopus ostralegus (Eurasian oystercatcher)

Fulica atra (Eurasian coot)

Rallus aquaticus (water rail)

Psophia crepitans (grey-winged trumpeter)

Otis tarda (great bustard)

Struthio camelus (ostrich)

(Gallinae)

Pavo cristatus (Indian peafowl)

Meleagris gallopavo (wild turkey)

Crax rubra (great curassow)

Phasianus colchicus (common pheasant)

Tetrao urogallus (western capercaillie)

(Passeres)

Columba oenas (stock dove)

Columba palumbus (wood pigeon)

Alauda arvensis (Eurasian skylark)

Sturnus vulgaris (European starling)

Turdus viscivorus (mistle thrush)

Turdus pilaris (fieldfare thrush)

Turdus iliacus (redwing thrush)

Turdus plumbeus (red-legged thrush)

Turdus torquatus (ring ouzel)

Turdus merula (blackbird)

Loxia curvirostra (crossbill)

Emberiza hortulana (ortolan bunting)

Emberiza citrinella (yellowhammer)

Emberiza calandra (corn bunting)

Fringilla coelebs (common chaffinch)

Motacilla alba (white wagtail)

Motacilla lava (yellow wagtail)

Parus major (great tit)

Hirundo rustica (barn swallow)

Caprimulgus europaeus (European nightjar)

"Amphibia"

(Reptiles)

Testudo graeca (Greek tortoise)

Draco volans (flying dragon)

Lacerta agilis (sand lizard)

Rana temporaria (common frog)

(Serpentes)

Crotalus horridus (timber rattlesnake)

Crotalus durissus (tropical rattlesnake)

Boa constrictor (common boa)

Coluber constrictor (eastern racer)

Anguis fragilis (slowworm)

Amphisbaena alba (red worm lizard)

Caecilia tentaculata (white-bellied caecilian)

(Nantes)

Petromyzon marinus (sea lamprey)

Raja clavata (thornback ray)

Raja miraletus (brown ray)

Squalus acanthias (spiny dogfish)

Chimaera monstrosa (rabbitfish)

Lophius piscatorius (anglerfish)

Acipenser sturio (sea sturgeon)

Acipenser ruthenus (sterlet sturgeon)

"Pisces"

(Apodes)

Muraena helena (Mediterranean moray)

Gymnotus carapo (banded knifefish)

Trichiurus lepturus (cutlassfish)

Anarhichas lupus (Atlantic wolffish)

Ammodytes tobianus (lesser sandeel)

Xiphias gladius (swordfish)

Stromateus fiatola (blue butterfish)

(Jugulares)

Callionymus lyra (common dragonet)

Uranoscopus scaber (stargazer)

Trachinus draco (greater weever)

Gadus morhua (Atlantic cod)

Blennius ocellaris (butterfly blenny)

Ophidion barbatum (snake cusk-eel)

(Thoracici)

Cyclopterus lumpus (lumpsucker)

Echeneis naucrates (sharksucker)

Coryphaena equiselis (pompano)

Coryphaena hippurus (dorado)

Gobius niger (black goby)

Govius paganellus (rock goby)

Cottus gobio (European bullhead)

Scorpaena porcus (black scorpionfish)

Scorpaena scrofa (red scorpionfish)

Zeus faber (John Dory)

Pleuronectes platessa (European plaice)

Chaetodon striatus (banded butterflyfish)

Chaetodon capistratus (foureye butterflyfish)

Sparus aurata (gilt-head bream)

Labrus merula (brown wrasse)

Labrus mixtus (cuckoo wrasse)

Labrus viridis (green wrasse)

Sciaena umbra (brown meagre)

Perca fluviatilis (European perch)

Gasterosteus aculeatus (three-spined stickleback)

Scomber scombrus (Atlanti mackerel)

Mullus barbatus (red mullet)

Mullus surmuletus (surmullet)

Trigla lyra (piper gurnard)

(Abdominales)

Cobitis taenia (spined loach)

Silurus asotus (Amur catfish)

Silurus glanis (Wels catfish)

Loricaria cataphracta (suckermouth catfish)

Salmo carpio (Garda trout)

Salmo trutta (brown trout)

Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon)

Fistularia tabacaria (bluespotted cornetfish)

Esox lucius (northern pike)

Argentina sphyraena (European argentine)

Atherina hepsetus (Mediterranean sand smelt)

Mugil cephalus (flathead mullet)

Exocoetus volitans (tropical flying fish)

Polynemus paradiseus (Paradise threadfin)

Clupea harengus (Atlantic herring)

Cyprinus carpio (common carp)

(Branchiostegi)

Mormyrus caschive (bottlenose elephantfish)

Balistes vetula (queen triggerfish)

Ostracion cornutus (longhorn cowfish)

Ostracion cubicus (yellow boxfish)

Tetraodon lineatus (Fahaka pufferfish)

Diodon hystrix (spot-fin porcupinefish)

Diodon holocanthus (long-spine porcupinefish)

Centriscus scutatus (grooved shrimpfish)

Syngnathus acus (common pipefish)

Syngnathus pelagicus (pelagic pipefish)

Syngnathus typhle (broad-nosed pipefish)

Pegasus volitans (longtail seamoth)

"Insecta"

(Coleoptera)

Scarabaeus sacer (sacred scarab)

Dermestes lardarius (larder beetle)

Dermestes murinus (larder beetle)

Hister unicolor (clown beetle)

Hister quadrimaculatus (clown beetle)

Silpha obscura (carrion beetle)

Cassida viridis (tortoise beetle)

Cassida nebulosa (tortoise beetle)

Cassida nobilis (tortoise beetle)

Coccinella trifasciata (ladybug)

Coccinella hieroglyphica (ladybug) [Coccinella 5-punctata, 7-punctata, 11-punctata, and 24-punctata survive as quinquepunctata, septempunctata, undecimpunctata, and vigintiquatorpunctata]

Chrysomela populi (leaf beetle)

Chrysomela lapponica (leaf beetle)

Chrysomela collaris (leaf beetle)

Chrysomela erythrocephala (leaf beetle)

Curculio nucum (nut weevil)

Attelabus surinamensis (leaf-rolling weevil)

Cerambyx cerdo (capricorn beetle)

Leptura quadrifasciata (longhorn beetle)

Cantharis fusca (soldier beetle)

Cantharis livida (soldier beetle)

Cantharis oscura (soldier beetle)

Cantharis rufa (soldier beetle)

Cantharis lateralis (soldier beetle)

Elater ferrugineus (rusty click beetle)

Cicindela campestris (green tiger beetle)

Cicindela sylvatica (wood tiger beetle)

Buprestis rustica (jewel beetle) [Buprestis 8-guttata survives as octoguttata]

Dytiscus latissimus (diving beetle)

Carabus coriaceus (ground beetle)

Carabus granulatus (ground beetle)

Carabus nitens (ground beetle)

Carabus hortensis (ground beetle)

Carabus violaceus (ground beetle)

Tenebrio molitor (mealworm)

Meloe algiricus (blister beetle)

Meloe proscarabaeus (blister beetle)

Meloe spec (blister beetle)

Mordela aculeata (tumbling glower beetle)

Necydalis major (longhorn beetle)

Staphylinus erythropterus (rove beetle)

Forficula auricularia (common earwig)

Blatta orientalis (Oriental cockroach)

Gryllus campestris (field cricket)

(Hemiptera)

Cicada orni (cicada)

Notonecta glauca (backswimmer)

Nepa cinerea (water scorpion)

Cimex lectularius (bedbug)

Aphis rumici (black aphid)

Aphis craccae (vetch aphid)

Coccus hesperidum (brown scale insect)

Thrips physapus (thrips)

Thrips minutissimum (thrips)

Thrips juniperinus (thrips)

(Lepidoptera)

Papilio paris (Paris peacock butterfly)

Papilio helenus (red Helen butterfly)

Papilio troilus (spicebush swallowtail butterfly)

Papilio deiphobus (Deiphobus swallowtail butterfly)

Papilio polytes (common Mormon butterfly)

Papilio glaucus (eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly)

Papilio memnon (great Mormon butterfly)

Papilio ulysses (Ulysses butterfly)

Papilio machaon (Old World swallowtail butterfly)

Papilio demoleus (lime swallowtail butterfly)

Papilio nireus (blue-banded swallowtail butterfly)

Papilio clytia (common mime butterfly)

Sphinx ligustri (privet hawk-moth)

Sphinx pinastri (pine hawk-moth) [genus Phalaena was suppressed, but seven subgenera created by Linnaeus are now valid as genera]

(Neuroptera)

Libellula depressa (chaser dragonfly)

Libellula quadrimaculata (four-spotted skimmer dragonfly)

Ephemera vulgata (mayfly)

Phryganea grandis (caddisfly)

Hemerobius humulinus (lacewing)

Panorpa communis (scorpionfly)

Panorpa germanica (scorpionfly)

Raphidia ophiopsis (snakefly)

(Hymenoptera)

Cynips quercusfolii (oak gall wasp)

Tenthredo atra (sawfly)

Tenthredo campestris (sawfly)

Tenthredo livida (sawfly)

Tenthredo mesomela (sawfly)

Tenthredo scrophulariae (sawfly)

Ichneumon extensorius (parasitoid wasp)

Ichneumon sarcitorius (parasitoid wasp)

Sphex ichneumoneus (digger wasp)

Vespa crabro (European hornet)

Apis mellifera (honey bee)

Formica fusca (silky ant)

Mutilla europaea (large velvet ant)

(Diptera)

Oestrus ovis (sheep botfly)

Tipula oleracea (marsh cranefly)

Tipula hortorum (cranefly)

Tipula lunata (cranefly)

Musca domestica (housefly)

Tabanus bovinus (pale horsefly)

Tabanus calens (horsefly)

Tabanus bromius (brown horsefly)

Tabanus occidentalis (horsefly)

Tabanus antarcticus (horsefly)

Culex pipiens (house mosquito)

Empis borealis (dance fly)

Empis pennipes (dance fly)

Empis livida (dance fly)

Conops flavipes (thick-headed fly)

Asilus barbarus (robberfly)

Asilus crabroniformis (hornet robberfly)

Bombylius major (bee fly)

Bombylius medius (bee fly)

Bombylius minor (bee fly)

Hippobosca equina (forest fly)

(Aptera)

Lepisma saccharina (silverfish)

Podura aquatica (water springtail)

Termes fatale (termite)

Pediculus humanus (human louse)

Pulex irritans (human flea)

Acarus siro (flour mite)

Phalangium opilio (harvestman)

Araneus angulatus (orb-weaving spider)

Araneus diadematus (European garden spider)

Araneus marmoreus (marbled orbweaver)

Araneus quadratus (four-spotted orbweaver -- last four are by Clerck 1757, some of the very few surviving pre-Linnean names!)

Scorpio maurus (large-clawed scorpion)

Cancer pagurus (brown crab)

Oniscus asellus (common woodlouse)

Scolopendra gigantea (giant centipede)

Scolopendra morsitans (red-headed centipede)

Julus fuscus (millipede)

Julus terrestris (millipede)

"Vermes"

(Intestina)

Gordius aquaticus (horsehair worm)

Lumbricus terrestris (common earthworm)

Ascaris lumbricoides (giant roundworm)

Fasciola hepatica (liver fluke)

Hirudo medicinalis (medicinal leech)

Myxine glutinosa (Atlantic hagfish)

Teredo navalis (shipworm)

[shout out to Furia infernalis, a terrifying carnivorous jumping worm that Linnaeus described, but which doesn't seem to actually exist]

(Mollusca)

Limax maximus (leopard slug)

Doris verrucosa (warty nudibranch)

Nereis caerulea (ragworm)

Nereis pelagica (ragworm)

Aphrodita aculeata (sea mouse)

Lernaea cyprinacea (anchor worm)

Scyllaea pelagica (Sargassum nudibranch)

Sepia officinalis (common cuttlefish)

Asterias rubens (common starfish)

Echinus esculentus (edible sea urchin)

(Testacea)

Chiton tuberculatus (West Indian green chiton)

Lepas anatifera (goose barnacle)

Pholas dactylus (common piddock)

Mya arenaria (softshell clam)

Mya truncata (truncate softshell)

Solen vagina (razor clam)

Tellina laevigata (smooth tellin)

Tellina linguafelis (cat-tongue tellin)

Tellina radiata (sunrise tellin)

Tellina scobinata (tellin)

Cardium costatum (ribbed cockle)

Donax cuneatus (wedge clam)

Donas denticulatus (wedge clam)

Donax trunculus (wedge clam)

Venus casina (Venus clam)

Venus verrucosa (warty venus)

Spondylus gaederopus (thorny oyster)

Spondylus regius (thorny oyster)

Chama lazarus (jewel box shell)

Chama gryphoides (jewel box shell)

Arca noae (Noah's ark shell)

Ostrea edulis (edible oyster)

Anomia aurita (saddle oyster)

Anomia ephippium (saddle oyster)

Anomia hysterita (saddle oyster)

Anomia lacunosa (saddle oyster)

Anomia spec (saddle oyster)

Anomia striatula (saddle oyster)

Mytilus edulis (blue mussel)

Pinna muricata (pen shell)

Pinna nobilis (fan mussel)

Pinna rudis (rough pen shell)

Argonauta argo (argonaut)

Nautilus pompilius (chambered nautilus)

Conus ammiralis (admiral cone snail)

Conus aulicus (princely cone snail)

Conus aurisiacus (cone snail)

Conus betulinus (betuline cone snail)

Conus bullatus (bubble cone snail)

Conus capitaneus (captain cone snail)

Conus cedonulli (cone snail)

Conus ebraeus (black-and-white cone snail)

Conus figulinus (fig cone snail)

Conus genuanus (garter cone snail)

Conus geographus (geographer cone snail)

Conus glaucus (glaucous cone snail)

Conus granulatus (cone snail)

Conus imperialis (imperial cone snail)

Conus litteratus (lettered cone snail)

Conus magus (magical cone snail)

Conus marmoreus (marbled cone snail)

Conus mercator (trader cone snail)

Conus miles (soldier cone snail)

Conus monachus (monastic cone snail)

Conus nobilis (noble cone snail)

Conus nussatella (cone snail)

Conus princeps (prince cone snail)

Conus spectrum (spectrecone snail)

Conus stercusmuscarum (fly-specked cone snail)

Conus striatus (striated cone snail)

Conus textile (cloth-of-gold cone snail)

Conus tulipa (tulip cone snail)

Conus varius (freckled cone snail)

Conus virgo (cone snail)

Cypraea tigris (tiger cowry shell)

Bulla ampulla (Pacific bubble shell)

Voluta ebraea (Hebrew volute)

Voluta musica (music volute)

Buccinum undatum (common whelk)

Strombus pugilis (fighting conch)

Murex tribulus (caltrop murex)

Trochus maculatus (maculated top shell)

Turbo acutangulus (turban shell)

Turbo argyrostomus (silver-mouth turban shell)

Turbo chrystostomus (gold-mouth turban shell)

Turbo marmoratus (green turban shell)

Turbo petholatus (turban shell)

Turbo sarmaticus (giant turban shell)

Helix lucorum (Mediterranean snail)

Helix pomatia (Roman snail)

Nerita albicilla (blotched nerite)

Nerita chamaeleon (nerite)

Nerita exuvia (snakeskin nerite)

Nerita grossa (nerite)

Nerita histrio (nerite)

Nerita peloronta (bleeding tooth)

Nerita plicata (nerite)

Nerita polita (nerite)

Nerita undata (nerite)

Haliotis asinina (ass-ear abalone)

Haliotis marmorata (marbled abalone)

Haliotis midae (South African abalone)

Haliotis parva (canaliculate abalone)

Haliotis tuberculata (green ormer)

Haliotis varia (common abalone)

Patella caerulea (Mediterranean limpet)

Patella pellucida (blue-rayed limpet)

Patella vulgata (European limpet)

Dentalium elephantinum (elephant tusk)

Dentalium entale (tusk shell)

[genus Serpula is still in use with none of its original species]

(Lithophyta)

Tubipora musica (organ pipe coral)

Millepora alcicornis (sea ginger fire coral)

Madrepora oculata (zigzag stone coral)

(Zoophyta)

Isis hippuris (sea bamboo)

Isis ochracea (sea bamboo)

Gorgonia flabellum (Venus fan)

Gorgonia ventalina (purple sea fan)

Alcyonium bursa (soft coral)

Alcyonium digitatum (dead man's fingers)

Tubularia indivisa (oaten ipes hydroid)

Corallina officinalis (coralline red alga)

Sertularia argentea (sea fern)

Sertularia cupressoides (hydroid)

Pennatula phosphorea (sea pen)

Taenia solium (pork tapeworm)

Volvox globator (colonial alga)

[genus Hydra is still in use with none of its original species]

[danceworshipper]

@hphm-ship-week Prompt 9: Stargazing

And for my final fic, we go back to the beginning

Ship: Gracie/Merula 💚🐍

Date: December 25, 1984 (first year)

Strangely, the courtyard didn't feel all that cold when Gracie pushed open the door. The chill seeped straight into her bones, of course, but the absence of any wind at all made the air deceivingly tolerable.

She saw Merula straight away, standing staring into the fountain which surely only still flowed through the work of magic. The sun was close to fully set. It would get even colder soon, but Merula showed no signs of moving from her spot. Gracie felt strongly as though she was intruding, but... she came here on a mission.

The snow crunched softly beneath her boots as she stepped up beside Merula, who didn't react at all. Gracie peered at her face as she wrapped her arms around herself. No emotion. Nothing. Something was definitely wrong, but she didn't know how to fix it. She wasn't even completely sure she wanted to fix it. Merula had been nothing but awful to her, Tessa, Rowan, everyone. Maybe she deserved to be alone.

Maybe not.

"Do you want to come inside?" Gracie asked, voice quiet in the stillness.

"No," Merula said. That's what she thought would happen.

"The feast is starting," Gracie offered. "It'd be a shame to miss it."

Merula finally looked over to her, irritated. "Why do you care?"

"I don't know," Gracie said honestly.

"Then go away."

"Nah."

Merula huffed.

They stared into the fountain some more. Plenty of coins still rested at the bottom, wishes that students had made before heading home. Gracie wasn't sure who cleared them out, or how often. Maybe no one did. Hogwarts certainly had enough magic in its very bricks to keep a fountain from overflowing.

She dug for the stash of coins she kept on hand, feeling Merula's eyes turn to her once more.

"Here," Gracie said, and handed a galleon over.

Merula frowned as she took it. "What's this for?"

"Wishing." Gracie gestured to the fountain.

"I don't believe in wishes," Merula scoffed.

Gracie shrugged. "Looked like you could use one, is all."

She turned her eyes up to the sky, now turning rapidly from pink and orange to purple. Her fingers hurt from the cold. Merula's must be numb by now.

Truth be told, Christmas wasn't the happiest of times for Gracie either, not now that Vance was missing and her parents did nothing but argue. It was why she and Tessa had decided to stay here at the castle. At least here, they had their friends. Merula didn't even have that.

Had the feast started yet? Was everyone wondering where they were?

The galleon splashed softly in the water, and Gracie watched it sink. It was dark now, and when she looked up, the stars were just coming into view.

"Come inside," she said again.

Merula shook her head. "I will, I just..." she sighed. "I have to do something first."

"What?"

"It's nothing."

"Merula - "

"Gracie, leave it alone."

A grin crept up to Gracie's face. "So you can tell us apart," she teased.

"Your sister wouldn't have the audacity," Merula said, rolling her eyes.

There was a soft breeze for a moment, and the unbothered facade Merula had kept up finally fell as she shivered, and her shoulders dropped.

"The snowflake-making spell," she explained. "My mother used to cast it with me every year before supper."

"That sounds nice," Gracie said, and found that she meant it. It was hard to imagine a Death Eater being nice, even to her own daughter, but it was clear that Merula really did miss her.

"It feels wrong to cast it alone," Merula admitted, her wand now held in her shaking hand.

Gracie pulled out her own. "Teach me?"

For a long moment, Merula only stared, perhaps wondering if she was being made fun of, but then she relented.

"It's a simple charm," she said. "I learned it as a little girl, so even you should be able to figure it out."

Normally Gracie would feel her blood start boiling. Now she smiled. This was familiar; this was the Merula she knew. Coming out here had helped, even if just a little.

Within a few minutes, snowflakes fell in the air around them both, their wands lit white at the tips. The sky was clear enough it appeared as though the snowflakes were falling straight from the stars. It was difficult to make it out in the dark, but Gracie thought that Merula might be crying. Uncertainly, Gracie nudged her hand against Merula's, and as she expected, Merula jerked away. What she didn't expect was the moment that came after, when a freezing hand took hers and squeezed.

"This," Merula said, choking on her words, "this was the only spell Mum ever taught me that couldn't hurt anyone."

Gracie squeezed her hand tighter.

The last of the snowflakes fell at their feet, and their hands dropped. The courtyard was still, and silent, and cold. The stars were out, shining brightly in the sky with no clouds to block them.

"You should go inside now," Merula said.

"You won't come?" Gracie asked.

"No one will miss me."

Heart thoroughly shattered, Gracie shook her head. "That's not true."

"Isn't it?"

"It's not," she repeated.

Merula huffed. "Name one person who would miss me."

Gracie shrugged for what felt like the hundredth time. "Me?"

"Please. You hate me," Merula argued.

"Only sometimes," Gracie admitted. "Only when you're not bullying people."

Merula glared at her. "That's all of the time."

Sensing she wasn't going to win this fight, Gracie sat down on the edge of the fountain, leaning against the statue at the corner to look up at the stars.

"What the hell are you doing?" Merula asked.

"Stargazing."

" ...why?"

"Did you want to keep talking?"

"I want you to leave me alone."

"Okay."

Gracie didn't know many constellations. Her mother had always tried to teach her and Tessa, but she'd never paid much attention as a little girl. She'd always thought the random smattering of stars was prettier than constantly searching for patterns, but maybe next time she went home she'd ask for another lesson. It wasn't like she went to bed early these days.

"Aren't you leaving?" Merula demanded.

"Nah," Gracie said, keeping her eyes on the stars.

"Ugh."

Merula sat down too, leaning against the other side and kicking her feet up onto the ledge.

"Know any constellations?" Gracie asked.

"Why would I know any constellations?"

Gracie hummed. "Some people do."

"Well I don't," Merula snapped. "Shut up if you're going to stay out here."

A shooting star flew by overhead. Another opportunity for a wish, Gracie thought, though she kept the notion to herself this time. What could she wish for off the top of her head? Her brother? No, she should be more realistic.

She glanced over at Merula.

I wish she'd come to the feast with me. That wish probably wasn't very realistic either, but no one could say that Gracie hadn't tried.

It was really cold now, but it was also the prettiest Gracie had ever seen the courtyard. The sky was still cloudless, letting the stars shine as bright as they wanted, and the moon almost seemed to smile wider than usual. Nighttime had always been her favorite. Most kids were scared of the dark, but she and Tessa? Their favorite time to be in the woods was when it was near impossible to see each other. Vance used to play hide and seek with them, using nothing but his instincts and the starlight to find them. What she wouldn't give for one more round.

A second shooting star flew by, so she wished again. Miraculously, Merula stood up.

"Fine," she said. "Whatever. I'm hungry."

Gracie grinned smugly and led her inside.

[sleepy-sluggo]

Hope there’s no spooky mynas in my area

The dreaded gracula

[batboybisexualism]

high and making food which means.......time to debut Gracula

[puddox]

Because "Grackle" comes from the latin "Gracula" i think we need to start calling Dracula drackle.