in the viciniUj of Calcutta. 97 



the more open situations : it mingles freely with the crows ; and a 

 pair not unfrequently enter my sitting-room, the male treating me 

 with his loud screeching song therein : they breed in nooks of houses, 

 and very commonly in vessels hung out for that purpose by the 

 natives. 



67. Pastor G'mgianus (Bank Mynab). Brought plentifully to the 

 shops from some distance, and breeds in holes in the banks of rivers. 



QS. P. cristateUus. Common, and scarcely less familiar than P. 

 tristis, but is never seen in the streets. In Southern India this spe- 

 cies is replaced by the nearly allied P. fuscus, vel Mahrattensis of 

 Sykes. 



69. P. pagodanim (Brahminee Mynab). Flocks of this species 

 are not unfrequently met with on the arboreal- cotton trees, when in 

 blossom in February ; but the shops are not supplied from this neigh- 

 bourhood. 



70. P. canlceps, Hodgson. This I take to be the true Tardus Mala- 

 baricus of Gmelin, which Mr. Jerdon has assigned to a nearly allied 

 species which seems to be confined to the Malabar range and its vi- 

 cinity, while the present species is generally rare in the Indian penin- 

 sula, but abounds in Bengal, Assam and Nepal. It has a gray head 

 and neck, and rufous breast and belly ; while the other has the head, 

 neck and breast silky- white, with also a longer tail. Very common. 



71. P. roseus. Visits the arboreal -cotton trees in February, like 

 P. pagodarum ; but the shops are su]:)plied from elsewhere, and this 

 species is not often to be procured in them. 



72. Sturnopastor {HoA^&oii) contra. A very abundant species, and 

 scarcely less familiar in its habits than Pastor tristis, but does not 

 venture into the streets. 



73. Sturnus Indicus, Hodgson. Diflfers from St. vulgaris in its 

 longer bill, which never becomes yellow at any age. Now and then 

 brought to the shops in considerable numbers, but is not met with 

 in this neighbourhood. 



74. Malacocercus terricolor, Hodgson. The C/?ff^on'A«rt of Bengal, 

 not of Southern India. A most abundant and conspicuous species 

 in Bengal and Nepal, which appears only now to have received a 

 name. It seems also to be the only species found in this part of the 

 country, and is nearly allied to M. Somervillei, but Mr. Jerdon con- 

 siders it as distinct, and I should like to see more specimens of the 

 latter before pronouncing an opinion. See Journ. As. Soc. Beng. x. 

 650, for a notice of its habits, under its most frequent aiDpellation of 

 Saat Bhye. 



75. Timalia (?) hypoleuca, Franklin; T. Horsfieldi, Jardine and 

 Selby. I have only procured this species in the shops, where one or 

 two may now and then be met with, which I understand are taken 

 in the neighbourhood. It is certainly a very aberrant Timalia, and 

 its form and actions remind one strongly of Calamophilus biarmicus, 

 which is so abundantly brought alive to the London markets from 

 Holland. 



76. Orthotomus Bennett ii. The common tailor-bird of India. Ex- 

 tremely common. 



Ann. i^ Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xii. H 



