STURM'S. 



13 



Gen. Sturnns.— ^?>/i';. 



Bill sharp, straight, and \vitli a conical groove; nostrils feathered; 2nd 

 quill longest. 



Sturnus vulgaris, 



14. Sturnus vulgaris, {Lin.), Gould, B. Eur. pi. 210; p. E. 76; 



^aum. vogt. t. 62; Jerd., B, Lid. ii. p. 32 I, No. 68 1 ; Murray, Vert. Zoo! , 

 Sind, p. 178 ; id., Zool. Bel. and Afgh. ; Jl/urraj', Avif, Brit. L/id. ii, p. 363, 

 No. 907. — The Common Starling. 



Head, neck, nape, chin, throat, breast and back black, glossed with purple, 

 bronze, and green in different lights, the latter predominating on the head and 

 neck, each feather tipped with a small brownish white triangular or round 

 spot, which, in very old birds, wear out on the head and neck chiefly. Greater 

 and lesser wing coverts dusky, edged with pale reddish brown ; primaries, 

 secondaries and tertiaries also dusky, their outer webs glossed green, margined 

 with light reddish brown ; tail short, dusky, their outer webs more or less 

 glossed with green and edged with pale reddish brown or buffish ; under tail 

 coverts black, edged with white. Bill black ; legs dark brownish red. 



Length.— ^ inches ; wing 5 ; tail 3 ; bill at front V2^. 



LLab. — Europe, Asia, and India generally during winter, to the Himalayas. 

 INIore common in Sind and the North-West Provinces, associating in large 

 flocks. It is said by Theobald to breed in Cashmere. Eggs, 4 — 6, pale bluish 

 green. See remarks under the head Sturnidiis on opposite page. 



Gen. Pastor,— T'fw. 



Bill short, compressed, curving from the base, slightly deflected at the tip ; 

 grove of nostril clothed with short plumes ; 2nd quill longest; ist spurious ; 

 tarsus scutate ; tail even ; head with an occipital crest, 



