Birds of Koliat and Kurram. 131 



[528.] Pastor roseus. The Rosy Pastor. 



Rattray, J. B. jN". H. S. xii. p. 338 (Thall : passing through 

 in vast numbers) ; Marshall, op. cit. xiv. p. 602 (common at 

 Chaman at the end of April) , 



Major Magrath has written the following note on this 

 species in Kohat : — '^ Passes through this district in vast 

 flocks daring the spring and autumn migrations. At the 

 spi'ing passage the birds are slaughtered in hundreds by the 

 natives, every man possessing a firearm turning out for the 

 sport. They arrive about the middle of April and the rush 

 continues till the middle of May. The mulberries, which 

 are ripe at this season, are eagerly devoured by them, and 

 the ripe coru also suffers from their depredations. A few 

 young birds remain in the district throughout the hot 

 weather. Tlie return passage begins about the end of July, 

 being at its height by the middle of August, and lasting into 

 September. Very few adult birds are to be seen at this time. 

 The direction of the flight through the district is N.W. and 

 S.E. for spring and autumn migrations respectively. The 

 vast flocks which roost in and about the cantonments become 

 an unmitigated nuisance while they are with us." Since 

 writing the above, Major Magrath has noted the appearance 

 of small flocks of adult birds in the middle of summer, as 

 also have Captain Keen and I ; in fact, between us we have 

 noted them at short intervals throughout the summer, and it 

 seems probable that some of them at least breed a good deal 

 nearer India than Asia Minor. Small flocks of immature 

 birds stay with us till November. Curiously enough, in the 

 spring of 1907 only a few small flocks were observed passing 

 through the Kohat district. The migration appears to have 

 been diverted elsewhere, though whether this was due to the 

 district being invaded at the time by vast armies of locusts 

 in the crawling stage, I cannot say. One would have 

 imagined that this would have had an opposite effect. 



[529.] Sturnus humii. The Himalayan Starling. 

 Rattray, J. B. N. H. S. xii. p. 338 ; Marshall, op. cit. 

 xiv. p. 602 (rare at Quetta, shot in March and April); Ward, 



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