THE STARLINGS OR MYNAHS. 45 
example. The bill is often very straight, and the legs 
rather long, the birds usually running instead of hopping 
when on the ground, where they find most of their food. 
But they are also active on trees, and strong fliers, the 
flight being level and steady, with none of the undulat- 
ing action so common among the smaller species of birds. 
Not that Mynahs are very small; their size always ex- 
ceeds that of a Sparrow. Male and female are alike, 
but the young may differ greatly. Mynahs feed mostly 
on insects, but will eat fruit and even seed also; they 
build in holes for the most part, and their eggs are 
generally plain unspotted blue. They much affect the 
neighbourhood of man, and are usually harmless, not 
to say useful birds, besides being handsome and interest- 
ing towatch. Their natural song is not pleasant, but when 
brought up from the nest they show great talent for 
mimicry. They are sociable in a wild state and not 
quarrelsome with other birds in an aviary, though they 
can hold their own, even with larger species. They are 
particularly easy to feed and will thrive well for a long 
time. In Bengal they are called Salik. 
Tue Hovuse-Mynan or Common Mynau (4eri- 
dotheres tristis) is found all over India, ascending 
the hills to a considerable height, as it has of late years 
become common at Darjeeling. It is a very domes- 
ticated bird, building a great untidy nest of rags, straw, 
&e., in any hole it can find about a house, and walk- 
ing about the verandah with a view to picking up any 
remnants of boiled rice, kc., that may be handy. At 
the same time, the Mynah is not offensively familiar 
