( 200 ) 



The eggs are various shades of 

 brownish green, closely speckled with 

 light brown, with dark brown hair 

 lines toward the ends. 



Family, Sturnidae, The Starlings. 



True Starlings are birds of medium 

 size, with strong tarsi, and feet ; 

 usually a rather long, pointed bill ; and 

 the rictus entirely without bristles of 

 any kind. The wings are moderately 

 long, with ten primaries, the first one 

 often being very small. The tail is 

 variable in shape. Botii sexes are alike 

 in plumage, or nearly so, and the 

 nestling is typically streaked below. 



A few forms are migratory, but the 

 majority are resident, and largely 

 gregarioiis, assembling in large flocks. 

 They frequent trees to some extent, 

 but are largely terrestrial, walking easily 

 on the ground, and feeding mainly on 

 grain, seeds, berries, and insects. 



This Family is distributed through- 

 out the Old World and Oceania. China 

 has eight species, one half of which 

 reach the Yangtse Valley. 



THE CRESTED MYNAH. 



AETHIOPSAR CRISTATELLUS (l.) 

 Description. — Length eleven inches. 

 Bill and tarsus yellow. Iris red. 



The nasal feathers are turned for- 

 ward forming a crest springing from 

 the base of the bill. The whole 

 plumage is black with metallic re- 

 flections, except for a white bar across 

 the wings above and below, and the 

 white tips to the lower tail coverts, 

 and outer tail quills. 



This bird looks almost solid black 

 when perched, but the white shows 

 plainly in flight. 



