192 



a babool — preferentially one in the middle of a native village — is 



handy it is selected (as the site) but almost any tree will do if 



that fails. When I say that the babool is a thorny tree (an 



acacia) which affords scarcely any cover, and that the nest is 



rarely placed at any great height from the ground, the confiding 



nature of Sturnopastor contra will be appreciated. It should be 



added that native boys are not addicted to egg-collecting. 



Once, when inspecting the jail at Gouda, I noticed some 



Pied Mynas nesting in a low tree in one of the jail quadrangles. 



This paper has reached such a length that I feel that I ought not 



to say much about what I may call the honorary members of the 



Starling Club — the Eulabes or Talking Mynas, or Hill Mynas as 



they are almost invariably called in India. Moreover, these are 



denizens of the forests which cover the Hills and, as I have 



already said, my duties have kept me chiefly in the burnt-up 



plains, so that I know these birds only in captivity. A more 



amusing pet does not exist. A well-trained bird will imitate to 



perfection any sound from the squeak of an unoiled cart wheel (a 



very common sound in India!) to the expectomtory efforts of a 



coolie (a still more common sound !) More I need not say ; all 



who have not made the acquaintance of the Talking Myna should 



pay a visit to "Tommy," whose address is: Bird of Paradise 



House, Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, N.W. 



% * * 



Bibliography. 



Cunningham. Some Indian Friends a?id Acquaintances, pp. 23-35. 



Dewar. Animals of No Importance, pp. 54-58. 



Dewar. Birds of the Plains, pp. 94-9S. 



Eha. The Common Birds of Bombay, pp. 124-130. 



Finn. The Birds of Calcutta, (2nd Edit.) pp. 44-49. 



Finn. Garden and Aviary Birds of India, pp. 44-55. 



Hume. Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, (2nd Edit.) 



Vol. I., pp. 363-3SS. 

 Jerdon. The Birds of India, Vol. II., pp. 320-341. 



Oates. Fauna of British India. Birds. Vol. I. 



pp. 509-544. 



