STURNOPASTOR. 543 



pt. ii, p. 110; Hume, Cat. no. 083 ; id. S. F. xi, p. 261 ; Sharpe, 

 Cat, B. M. xiii, p. 57, pi. v, fig. 1 ; Oates, in Humes N. E. 2nd 

 ed. i, p. 386. 



The Pied Starling, Jerd. ; Ablak malna, Hind. ; Ablaka yosalik, Guia- 

 leyyra, Beng. ; Venda yorinka, Tel. 



Fig. 163. Head of 8. contra. 



Coloration. Feathers over the nostrils, lores, round the eye, and 

 the ear-coverts white ; a few white streaks above the lores ; fore- 

 head, crown, nape, neck all round, chin, and throat glossy black ; 

 back and upper rump dark chocolate-brown, nearly black ; scapu- 

 lars broadly edged with white ; lower rump white ; upper tail- 

 coverts and tail black ; lesser wing-coverts and the inner median 

 coverts white ; remainder of wing glossy black ; sides of neck and 

 shoulders streaked with vinaceous ; lower plumage from the throat 

 downwards pale viuaceous grey ; under wing-coverts white. 



The young bird has the crown brown, the lower plumage pale 

 vinaceous, the throat and fore neck streaked with brown, and the 

 parts which are pure white in the adult sullied. 



Iris yellowish white ; orbital skin orange ; legs yellowish white ; 

 claws light horny ; bill, basal half deep orange, rest white ; inside 

 of mouth black (Cripps}. 



Length about 9 ; tail 2'7 ; wing 4'6 ; tarsus 1*2 ; bill from gape 

 1-4. 



Distribution. India proper east of a line drawn from Urnballa to 

 Hyderabad, in the Deccan, and Masulipatam, ranging to the 

 extreme east of Assam ; throughout Bengal, Sylhet, Cachar, and 

 the Khasi hills. A specimen from Arrakan in the British Museum 

 is a typical S. contra. 



Habits, $c. Breeds from May to August, constructing a massive 

 shapeless nest of straw, leaves, and feathers on the branch of a 

 tree, generally at no great height from the ground. The eggs, 

 frequently five in number, measure about I'll by "82. 



n.56. Sturnopastor superciliaris. The Burmese Pied Myna. 



Sturnopastor superciliaris, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxxii, p. 77 (1863) ; 

 Hume, N. Sf E. p. 427 ; id. S. F. iii, p. 149; Hume # Dw. S. F. 

 vi, p. 3S7 ; Hume, Cat. no. 683 bis ; Oates, B. B. i, p. 378 ; Hume, 

 S. F. xi, p. 261 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 59, pi. v, fig. 2 ; Oates 

 in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd ed. i, p. 388. 



