370 



The eggs of this species are generally somewhat elongated ovals, 

 a good deal compressed towards one end, and not uncommonly more 

 or less pyriform. They are glossy, but in a good light have the 

 surface a good deal pitted. They are entirely devoid of markings, 

 and seem to have the ground one uniform very pale sea-greenish 

 blue. They appear to vary very little in colour, and to average 

 generally a good deal smaller than those of the Common Starling. 



They vary in length from 1'02 to 1*1 9, and in breadth from 0*78 

 to O87; but the average of twenty eggs is 1-13 by 0-83.* 



531. Sturmis minor, Hume. The Small Indian Starling. 

 Sturnus minor, Hume ; ITtime, Cat. no. 681 bis. 



Mr. Scrope Doig furnishes us with the following interesting note 

 on the breeding of S. minor in Sindh : 



" Last year I mentioned to my friend, Captain Butler, that I 

 had noticed Starlings going in and out of holes in trees along the 

 1 Narra ' in the month of March, and that I thought they must be 

 breeding there ; he said that I must be mistaken, as 8. vulyaris 

 never bred so far south. As it happens we were both correct he 

 in saying S. vulyaris did not breed here, and I in saying that 

 Starlings did. My Starling turns out to be the species originally 

 described from Sindh as Sturnus minor by Mr. Hume ; and as I 

 have now sent Mr. Hume a series of skins and eggs, 1 trust he will 

 give us a note on the subject of our Indian Starlings. In February 

 I shot one of these birds, and on dissection found that they 

 were beginning to breed ; later on, early in March, I again dis- 

 sected one and found that there was no doubt on the subject, 

 and so began to look for their nests ; these I found in holes in 

 kundy trees growing along the banks of the Narra, and also 

 situated in the middle of swamps. The eggs were laid on a 

 pad of feathers of Platalea leucorodia and Tantalus leucoceplialus, 

 which were breeding on the same trees, the young birds being 

 nearly fledged ; the greatest number of eggs in any one nest was 

 five. The first date on which I took eggs was the 13th March, 

 and the last was on the 15th May. 



" The eggs are oval, broad at one end and elongated at the other; 

 the texture is rather waxy, with a fine gloss, and they are of a pale 

 delicate sea-green colour. 



* STURNUS PORPHYRONOTUS, Sharpe. The Central-Asian Starling. 

 This species breeds in Kashgharia, and visits India in winter. Dr. Scully 

 writes : " This Starling breeds in May and June, making its nest in the holes 

 of trees and walls, and in gourds and pots placed near houses by the Yarkandis 

 for the purpose. It seems to make only a simple lining for its hole, composed 

 of grass and fibres. The eggs vary in shape from a broadish oval to an elongated 

 oval compressed at one end ; they are glossy and, in a strong light, the surface 

 looks pitted. The eggs are quite spotless, but the colour seems also to vary a 

 good deal from a deep greenish blue to a very pale light sea- blue. In size 

 they vary from H to T22 in lengtb, and fromO'80 to 0'86 in breadth ; but the 

 average of nine eggs ig 1'19 by O83." 



