1922.] the Birds of Slnd. 621 



swamps ; the eggs were laid on a pad ot* feathers of Spoon- 

 bill and Painted Stork which were breeding in the same trees. 

 The first eggs were found on 13 March, the last on 15 May ; 

 the usual clutch was four, the largest five ; these birds were 

 breeding over an area of 200 miles, but^ beyond four miles 

 on either side of the canal were not to be found. Other 

 breeding colonies must exist, but this bird is much dependent, 

 as are other Starlings, on damp ground or cultivation and 

 suitable trees, and so, no doubt, it moves about locally 

 according to circumstances. Other places where it has been 

 met with are near Rohri, Manchar Lake, and the Bhorti 

 Forest by Mr. Bell, who also saw many in A})ril in tamarisk 

 forest in the Jerruck division, and says it is not uncommon 

 in places along the banks of the Indus. It certainly occurs 

 as far north as Toji near Kashmore, whence I received a 

 specimen in breeding state from Mr. Gordon on 15 May. 

 At Jamrao Head on the E. Narra, as also round Rohri in 

 December 1918 I failed to find it, but everything then was 

 parched and scorched, and probably the birds, if there, had 

 moved elsewhere, and I think failure of the monsoon in Sind 

 explains the occurrence of this bird at Loyah near Etawah, 

 soMio 700 miles east of its nearest known habitat, in January 

 1872 (Brooks), since when it has not again been found in 

 India outside Sind. 



In March 1919 I met with a pair on the canal bank 

 runnino from Bubak to the Manchar Lake, and aoain on an 

 island in the lake I found three pairs which I fancy were 

 going to l)reed in holes in tamarisks there, thongh they had 

 not yet begun. At this time of year they are easily distin- 

 guishable in the field from any other race as they are always 

 in pairs, look small, and already early in the month they 

 have acquired the yellow bill of the breeding season which 

 the migratory races never assume in Sind. But although 

 damp ground is essential for these birds, it is by no 

 means everywhere, where these conditions obtain, that they 

 will be found. I searched many likely localities in two and 

 a half years, but this was the only occasion I came across it. 



This race is the most distinct of all Asiatic races of 



SEU. XI. — VOL, IV, t T 



