548 Mr. \V. Jesse on the. 



No. 555. Sturnopastok contra. Pied Myna. 



Abulka-maiua, Ablak-maina [H.]. Abulka [Anglo- 

 Indian boys] . 



The Pied Myna is a very common and permanent resident. 

 It is not inclined to unite in separate flocks, but joins 

 with the Common and Bank Myuas. Like the former, 

 it is particiilarly partial to native villages. It breeds from 

 the end of May to the end of July, but most eggs are laid 

 in June shortly after the first fall of rain. The nest is 

 a shapeless bundle of straws, rags, paper, grass, &c., lined 

 with feathers, and having a hole at the side. If a babool — 

 preferentially one in the middle of a native village — is handy, 

 it is selected, but almost any tree will do if that fails. The 

 eggs are usually three or four, sometimes five, light to fairly 

 dark blue in colour, and rather glossy. 



Average of 1.'! Luclmow eggs 1'09" x '77" 



Measuremeut of largest Qgg 1 ■14" x '80" 



,, smallest eg^ 1'06" x uo" 



No. 561. SiPHiA PARVA. European Red-breasted Fly- 

 catcher. 



This Flycatcher is fairly common during the cold weather, 

 frequenting mango-topes, gardens, and trees along the 

 railway-lines. It is an active little bird, constantly darting 

 from its perch, and returning after a moment or two to the 

 same spot. It departs about March, or, according to Reid, 

 not until April. 



No. 562. SiPHiA ALBiciLLA. Eastem Red-breasted Fly- 

 catcher. 



I have not shot many of these little Flycatchers. They 

 look so pretty that, in common with many other species, I 

 have spared them, as a rule. It is impossible to distinguish 

 between S. luirva and B. albicilla, unless the bird is in the 

 hand, and probably I have often confounded the two. Rcid 

 says that he thinks one is abovit as common as the other, 

 and I expect that he is not far wrong. 



