538 STURNID^E. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds from March to August, constructing its nest 

 in houses or in holes of trees. The nest is an accumulation of 

 straw, feathers, and other materials, either without shape or slightly 

 cup-shaped. At times this Myna constructs a nest in the branch 

 of a tree. The eggs, frequently five in number, measure about 

 1-19 by -86. 



550. Acridotheres melanosternus. The Common Ceylon Myna. 



Acridotheres melanosternus, Leyge, A. M. N. H. (5) in, p. 168 (1879) ; 

 id, Birds Ceyl. p. 670, pi. 29 ; Hume, 8. F. viii, p. 72 ; id. Cat. 

 no. 684 bis ; id. S. F. ix, p. 295 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. S3 ; 

 Gates in Hume's N. 8f E. 2nd ed. i, p. 380. 



Gon kawada, Gon kowdichya, Cing. 



Coloration. Resembles A. tristis. Differs in being darker, the 

 sides of the body especially being dark vinous ; in having the black 

 of the breast produced down on to the abdomen ; and in having 

 the outer webs of the earlier primary-coverts black. 



Iris variable, pink, brown, and pinkish grey in some, in others 

 whitish mottled with fine specks of dark colour; bill yellow, 

 blackish at the sides near base of lower mandible ; legs and feet 

 sickly yellow ; orbital skin yellow, extending round the eye, but 

 very narrow above, and hidden by the superciliary feathers (Leqge). 



Of the same size as A. tristis. 



Specimens of A. tristis from Southern India are darker than 

 those from Northern India, and approach the present species in 

 coloration, but no peninsular birds have any black on the primary- 

 coverts. 



Distribution. Ceylon. 



Habits, Sfc. Breeds in Ceylon from February to May. The nest 

 and eggs of this species resemble those of A. tristis. The latter 

 measure about 1*13 by *88. 



551. Acridotheres ginginianus. The Bank Myna. 



Turdus ginginianus. Lath. Ind. Orn. i, p. 362 (1790), 



Acridotheres ginginianus (Lath.}, Blyth, Cat. p. 108 ; Horsf. 8f 



M. Cat. ii, p. 535 : Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 326 ; Hume, N. $ E. p. 429 ; 



Blyth fy Wald. Birds Burm. p. 89 : Hume, Cat. no. 685 ; Barnes, 



Birds Bom. p. 255 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 84 ; Gates in 



Hume's N. 8f E. 2nd ed. i, p. 381. 



Ganga maina, Hind. ; Gang sah'k, Ram salik, Beng. ; Bardi-maina, 

 Nep. ; Lali, Sind ; Gilyila, Upper Provinces ; Daryta maina, Lucknow. 



Coloration. Forehead, crown, nape, lores, cheeks, and ear-coverts 

 black ; the whole upper plumage, neck all round, chin, throat, 

 breast, and sides of the body slaty grey ; lesser wing-coverts 

 darker ; edge of wing, primary-coverts, and the base of the pri- 

 maries pinkish buff ; remainder of wing black ; tail black tipped 

 with buff ; under wing-coverts, axillaries, middle of the abdomen, 

 vent, and under tail-coverts pinkish buff. 



