STURNIN^E. 253 



they are composed at the bottom of thorny twigs, which form 

 a sort of foundation upon which the true nest is built ; the latter 

 consists of fine twigs, lined with grass roots ; the nest is fre- 

 quently of large size. The eggs, four (more rarely five) in 

 number, vary most astonishingly in both ground-color and in the 

 character of the markings. Typically they are longish ovals, 

 a good deal pointed at one end. A common type is a pale sal- 

 mon or pale greenish-white, thickly splashed and marked with 

 bright or brownish-red ; the other type is greenish-white or pale 

 sto.ny color, and the markings are olive and pale purplish-brown, 

 others are intermediate between these two types ; some of these 

 eggs are exact counterparts, except in size, of eggs of Lanius lahto- 

 ra. In length they measure from 1*0 to 1'3 inches, and in 

 breadth from 078 to 0'95, but the average is about T17 inches in 

 length by 0'87 in breadth. 



FAMILY, Sturnidae, 



Bill straight, or very slightly curved, longish, compressed, subu- 

 late, often angulated at the base, slightly notched at the tip or 

 entire ; wings long, rather pointed ; tail moderate or stout ; tarsi 

 short, moderate ; lateral toes about equal. 



SUB-FAMILY, Sturninse. 



Bill moderately long, compressed, straight or slightly curved, 

 entire in most ; commissure usually angulated, or bent down 

 towards the base ; frontal plumes soft, dense, covering the base 

 of the bill, which is prolonged backwards between the plumes ; 

 wings with the second primary usually longest ; the tail short, 

 even or slightly rounded ; tarsus moderately long, stout. 



GENUS, Sturnus, Linnceus. 



Bill long, straight, subulate, slightly depressed at the base ; 

 the culmen convex ; tip obtuse, barely deflected ; nostrils basal, 

 partly closed by a vaulted membrane ; wing with first quill 

 minute ; tail even, short ; tarsus moderately long ; lateral toes 

 nearly equal ; hind-toe long. 



Sturnus vulgaris, Lin. 



681. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 320; Butler, Guzerat ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 494 ; Murray's Vertebrate 

 Zoology of Sind, p. 1 78 ; Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India ; 

 Ibis, 1885, p. 128. 



THE COMMON STABLING. 



Length, 9 ; wing, 5 ; tail, 3 ; tarsus, 1*6 ; bill at front, 1*25. 



Bill at first brown, but eventually becoming rich yellow ; irides 

 brown ; legs yellow. 



Glossy black, with a pale whitish or brownish tip to each 

 feather, giving the bird a pretty speckled appearance ; all the 



