364 STURNID^:. 



909. SturilUS UniCOlor (Marmora), Gould, D. Asia, pi. 21 1 ; Jcrd., 

 B. Ind- ii. p. 322, No. 682. Sturnus nitens, Hume, Sir. F. iii. p. 409 ; v. 328. 

 The GLOSSY BLACK STARLING. 



Glossy black throughout, with a few or without any speckles of white. 



Length. 9-5 ; wing 5-1 ; tail 175 ; bill at front I. 



Hab. Europe ; also in Sind and the N.-W. Provinces of India to Cashmere, 

 and Afghanistan, where it is said to breed, building in holes of trees, in river 

 banks and in old buildings, making a loose nest of grass and thin sticks, 

 and laying 4 6 eggs, more or less pyriform in shape, and of an uniform pale 

 bluish green colour. 



Gen. Sturnopastor. Hodgs. 



Bill nearly straight, more depressed than in Sturnus ; orbits bare ; plumage 

 pied. 



910. Sturnopastor superciliaris, Biyth, J. A. S. B. xxxii. 



p. 77; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 427; id., Str. F. iii. p. 149; 

 Armstrong* Sfr. F. iv. p. 331 ; Hume and Dav., Str. F. vi. p. 387; Hume, 

 Str. F, viii. p. 106 ; Oates t B. Br. Burm. i. p. 378. Sturnopastor contra 

 (Z.), Blyth, B. Burm. p. 90. Sturnopastor contra, var. superciliaris, 

 Anderson, Yunnan Exped. p. 594. The BURMESE PIED MYNAH. 



Forehead streaked with white, which and the nape, also the sides of the 

 neck, chin, throat and upper breast are glossy black; lores, supercilium, 

 cheeks, ear coverts and entire under plumage white ; back, rump and upper 

 tail coverts dark brown ; a band of white across the lower rump ; wings and 

 tail dark brown ; the greater wing coverts black, the median series white, the 

 lesser coverts black, margined with white, the tertiaries broadly margined with 

 white. 



Gape and basal half of bill orange, the rest yellowish white ; mouth black ; 

 eyelids orange yellow ; irides pale yellow ; legs and claws brown. 



Length. 9 inches ; wing 4*5 ; tail 2*6 ; tarsus 2 ; bill from gape 1*45. 



Hab. British Burmah except Tenasserim extending as far as Bhamo. 

 Like the other species is found about houses, and among grazing cattle. 

 Gates says it breeds in Burmah from April to June, making a large nest of grass 

 and straw, placing it on the lower bough of a tree. Eggs 4 5 in number, 

 blue to pale sky blue in colour, rather glossy, roxo82. 



911. Sturnopastor contra (Linn.), Jerd. ii. p. 323, No. 683; 



Oates, B. Br. Burm. i. p. 379 ; Hume, Nests a?id Eggs Ind. B. p. 426. 

 The PIED MYNAH. 



Head, neck and upper breast glossy black; ear coverts, supercilium, upper 

 and under tail coverts, also an oblique wing bar and rest of the under surface, 

 white, the latter tinged with reddish ash. Bill reddish at base, yellow al the 

 tip; legs yellowish ; orbital ring orange yellow ; irides brown. 



