A'ly Malabar Mynahs. 5 



in 1913. one vouiil;' bird was fully reartxl, and again this 

 season two young have been suecessfully reared. I have 

 found rliem rather apt to desert tlieir young when all but 

 read}' to lea\-e the iicst. 



The Malabar Mynah is a delightf\d bird in a roomy 

 a\-iaiy, and a deeided ornament thereto. Their |)luniage is 

 suflieienth (ontrasty lo make- them striking objects, and they 

 have suffieient vix'acily to keep them nearly al\\a>s in tlu' 

 pit tur( . In fact, they arc incessantly on the move, yet ail 

 the period they ha\'e been witli me, they have never bullied 

 anything, not even a Waxbill. True, like all .Starlings they 

 caimot be said to poss:'ss a song, but tJiey have voices! 

 And well one knows it during any short period of excitement; 

 1 ran heai' them as i write this, but distance softens, the 

 sound. Their demeanour I need not undulv eidarge upon, as 

 it is typically that of a Starling, but while without any par- 

 lieularly showy characteristics they are withal birds of interest 

 and character. 



As regards nesting, they inxariably chose a small barrel, 

 with a siuall hole, and as high up as they could get, merely 

 gathering together therein a c-ollection of grass, bents and 

 featlu-rs, the de})ression in the middle being little deeper than 

 the- thickness ot the eggs. I always wondered how the eggs 

 yield an\' result, lor when one entered the axiary one always 

 seemed to see the two j)irds together, yet invariably, what- 

 ever happened the eggs always did hatch oat -all this 

 made it impossible to tell when iiK ubation he^^an or 

 ended, and often th;' first imimation one got of se.i- 

 ou> nesting was the hissing call of their i allow voung 

 for food ; later this " hissing call " developed into a 

 petulant noisy ( ry ot a ( hallering chara( ler. The eggs are 

 almost I ledge-Sparrow -blue, but of a |)aler hue. a slight 

 greenish ting'c. S(jme might call them sea-green. >\idi very 

 few niaikings at the thic k end ; some eg,L;s have no markings 

 .It all. and in none ot the eggs I have- ex.imined have tin. 

 markings been either numerous or pronouiK ed . Willi these 

 general notes of their nesting clenieanour 1 will [jass on to 

 the actual success brought off during the season 191 5. 



Ir. the early spring pairing look place, and practically 



