Birds of Lucknow. 547 



This species is caught and caged by the natives, being a 

 great favourite as a songster. It is an excellent imitator of 

 other birds' notes. 



No. 549. AcRiDOTHEREs TRisTis. CommoTi Myna. 



Maina^ Desi-maina, Teluri [H.]. 



This bird vies with the Sparrow, House-Crow, and Paddy- 

 bird in being the commonest species in Lucknow. It is 

 a great favourite as a pet, and the Martiniere boys always 

 have several, which are remarkably tame. It rarely com- 

 mences nesting until the first fall of rain in June, and 

 continues, according to Reid, until September, but I fancy 

 that few lay after July. The nest is a mass of grass, rags, 

 sticks, feathers, paper, &c., in a hole of a tree for preference, 

 but sometimes in a building. The eggs are, of course, blue, 

 fairly glossy, and usually three or four in number; five 

 are rarely found. 



Average of 14 Lucknow eggs 1*18" X "86" 



Measurement of largest %^g 1*25" x "91" 



„ smallest e^g 1-14" x '82" 



No. 551. AcRiDoTHERES GiNGiNiANus. Bauk-Myna. 



Darya-maina, Daryta-maina [H.] . Well-Myna [Anglo- 

 Indian boys]. 



The Bauk-Myna is almost as common as the previous 

 species, but is not so fond of human habitations. Its habits 

 resemble those of A. tristis, but it breeds in colonies in holes 

 of river-banks or wells. The nest is the usual conglomeration 

 of sticks, rags, &c. &c. On one occasion I found parts of a 

 Latin exercise and some arithmetic questions in a nest in 

 the bank of the Goomti. The eggs are blue, and like those 

 of A. tristis, but smaller on average. The breeding-season 

 is from April to June, but most eggs are got at the 

 beginning of May or a little earlier. 



Average of 10 Lucbnow eggs 1*09"X'7G" 



Measurement of largest &g^ l'14"x "74" 



„ smallest e^^ •9S"x '78" 



SER. VIII. VOL. II. 2o 



