1922.] the Birds of Sind. 619 



which have just been irrigated. During the second week of 

 March the numbers decrease, and the latest date on which I 

 saw any was 25 March. 



My series (14) are all very constant in coloration ; the 

 constantly purple head, throat and ear-coverts, and the green 

 inter-scapular region with hardly any purple gloss,distinguish 

 it from the typical form ; it lacks the red-purple wing- 

 coverts of nohilior and dresseri. The spotting of the upper 

 parts is huffish, occasionally white as also in the typical race. 

 Wings: S 131-137, ? 127-128 mm. Bill from base: 

 S 26-29, ? 25-26 mm. 



Sturnus vulgaris nobilior Hume. 



{=poJtaratskiii of the 'Fauna' ver Finsch). 



Next to the (Jommon Indian Starling, the Afghan race is 

 the commonest. At the time Gates wrote the 'Fauna,' 

 the various races of Starling were not at all understood and 

 he was only able to find three specimens of this race from 

 India and so gives, so far as Sind is concerned, an cn-oneons 

 impression of its status. At Karachi vast flocks frequented 

 the cultivation at the Sewage Farm all the cold weather, and 

 here I found this race common in company with jioltaratskii ; 

 similarly I have shot both races at one shot on the lush 

 margins of theManchar Lake, and on other occasions nohilior 

 and d7'fsse)'i from the same flock. I was often able in a 

 good light with glasses to pick out this race from its 

 commoner relative by the plum-red gloss on the wing-coverts, 

 while the adult male usually looks blacker owing to the 

 fineness and paucity of the white spots in winter dress. 



The series obtained (12) are pretty constant in their 

 characteristics. 



Seven males measure: wing 130-134; bill (base) 305- 

 33-5, exp. 29-30-5 mm. 



Five females measure : wing 127*5-132 : bill (base) 

 30-5-32-5, exp. 27-30 mm. 



The iris of the female, as in vulgaris, has a pale outer rim, 

 as is also the case with dresseri, poltaratskii, and porphi/roiiof us. 



No Starlings except the resident hi^io/- acquire the vellow 

 l)ill of the breeding season while in Sind, but I have obtained 



