MASON AND LEFEOY. 105 



insects (Prodenia littoralis, Caradrina exigua, and Spodoptera mau- 

 ritia) in the Central Provinces in 1908. I have seen it also per- 

 suing Papilio pzmmin and P. demoleus, and also the common wasp 

 Polistes hebrceus. At the commencement of the rains when the 

 flying termites emerge the food consists largely of these insects, 

 taken both on the wing and at the emergence exits ; in the latter 

 case both the winged and wingless forms of the termites being 

 taken. With its fig diet numbers of the fig parasite are eaten. 



When working grass lands and when following the plough 

 great numbers of cutworms and some Melolonthid larvae are eaten, 

 as often as not at such times the food being composed almost entirely 

 of the former pests. 



During the attack of Ophiusa melicerte on castor at Pusa in 

 1909 the Mynah was present, though in no great numbers, and was 

 feeding to a certain extent on these caterpillars helping with other 

 birds to check the numbers of the insects. The first larva of Ophiusa 

 coronita was found at Pusa (H. M. Lefroy) owing to the fact that 

 a Mynah was seen trying to take it from its food plant (QuisqualisJ 

 The Common Mynah and also Starlings are said to feed on beetle 

 grubs in " Senji," but I doubt their ability to do so as they do not 

 usually feed on boring insects. 



I have ssldom noticed Mynahs eating beetles, the only ones so 

 far noted being various species of Tenebrionids especially Opatrum 

 spp., and Bolboceras calanus (on one occasion only). An apparent 

 dislike is at times shown towards various species of Carabids Ch- 

 Icenius sp., &c.) I have often seen these birds feeding on roads 

 where there were plenty of these beetles and yet they were not 

 touched. 



The food of the young consists mostly of larvae of various sorts; 

 cutworms of several species Agrotis ypsilon, A. ftammatra ? A. spini- 

 fera, &c. varied with a certain proportion of Melolonthid larvae, 

 grasshoppers, crickets and soft fruits such as Ficus. I noticed on 

 one occasion, when a young bird was being fed in the field, that 

 its food then consisted almost entirely of the common cricket 

 Liogryllus bimaculatus. 



