250 STURNID&. 



that is not the case, for the former are generally the first to 

 arrive and he wisely concludes that additional observation is 

 needed to explain the mutual relation of the events. Another 

 matter worthy of further attention is the fact that these birds 

 have been frequently observed to affect trees or shrubs bear- 

 ing rose-coloured flowers as Nerium oleander and Rolinia 

 viscosa among the blossoms of which, so like in tint to part 

 of their own plumage, they may easily escape notice. 



That these nomadic hordes visit Asia Minor and Europe 

 from the east is unquestionable. In Africa the species is 

 unknown save as a rare straggler to Egypt or Algeria. In 

 Palestine its appearance, though often in large numbers, is 

 very uncertain. Of its movements further eastward we 

 have little continuous knowledge till we reach India, over 

 nearly the whole of which it regularly appears, generally in 

 the cold weather, but to this there are a few singular local 

 exceptions, which at present seem inexplicable, and it strays 

 occasionally to Ceylon and the Andamans. Frequenting 

 some parts of the country in myriads, and at times doing 

 great damage to the grain-crops, it has long attracted atten- 

 tion, yet hitherto it is not known to have bred there, and 

 the prevalent belief, that it arrives in India from the west- 

 ward, is probably correct. Yet it is reported by Dr. Severzov 

 as breeding over the whole of Turkestan, though we find no 

 evidence of its occurrence in the countries immediately west 

 of the Indus except Mesopotamia, the north -western corner 

 of Persia, and Armenia. We are therefore wholly ignorant 

 of the route taken by the flocks which visit India. 



Returning to Europe we have proof of its irregular 

 appearance in almost every country. Apart from Southern 

 Russia, Turkey and Greece, in which it occurs most abun- 

 dantly, flocks of from one hundred or more occasionally 

 shew themselves in the eastern parts of the Austrian 

 dominions, and smaller parties at rarer intervals penetrate 

 further northward and westward. In Russia it has occurred 

 at Saratov, and single birds have not only reached Finland, 

 but, as has been known since the days of Linnaeus, even 

 Lapland. Several examples have been killed in Sweden, 



