CINNYRICINCLUS 37 



terminal portion of inner webs of the quills and the outer webs of the 

 greater wing-coverts and inner primaries, and there is much less white 

 on the quills. Wing 3-9, tail 2-7. J , Madagascar (Crossley). 



The Madagascar Starling is confined to the Island of 

 Madagascar. 



According to M. Grandidier's notes, these Starhngs are 

 restricted to the east and north-eastern portion of Madagascar, 

 the dry, sandy soil of the western side of the island not suiting 

 them. It is an essentially social bird, living in flocks of 

 sometimes a hundred or more, but generally averaging ten 

 to a dozen individuals ; however, during the nesting season, 

 the males are liable to quarrel. They mostly frequent the 

 open country, especially near streams, and follow the flocks 

 of cattle, perching upon their backs or searching for their 

 food upon the ground, for they feed like our Common Starling, 

 upon all descriptions of insects, and occasionally upon fruit 

 and grain. They are not shy, have a powerful, rather heavy 

 flight, and roost among the boughs of trees. He calls their 

 flesh fairly good eating. 



They leave the open country for the woodlands on the 

 approach of the breeding season to seek for suitable places 

 to build in, and are not to be met with near the sea-shore 

 during the rainy season, at least, from November to March. 

 The egg is pale blue, with variable sized spots of brownish 

 red mostly towards the thick end, and measure 0'9'2 x 0'68. 



On account of their frequenting the cattle they are called 

 by the natives " Vorontianomby " (friend of cattle). 



Genus III. CINNYBICINCLUS. 



Bill black, short, wide at the gape, and the culmen ralher strongly- 

 curved. Wing much longer than the tail, pointed ; third primary longest, 

 or equal in length to the second and fourth. Tail square with the centre 

 feathers shghtly the shortest. Tarsi, feet and claws black. 



