THE MYNAH. 45 



with a happiness somewhat rare amongor nithologists. 

 Acridotheres the grasshopper-catcher and so he is likely 

 to remain Acridotheres tristis till the end of the chapter 

 (the general rule being that a bird always bears the first 

 specific name bestowed on it). Nevertheless as a starling 

 our present subject is a rather big and showy bird, being 

 certainly equal in looks to any of his relatives in Calcutta, 

 none of which bear the shot-silk sheen of green and purple 

 which adorns the home starling, also a visitor to India. 

 For the starlings or Mynahs are in great force in the East, 

 which is their true home, and the common Mynah is a good 

 type of the clan. Bold, vigorous, and pushing, he secures 

 to himself a large share of all good things in the way of 

 insects and fruit that may be going, and is a bird of remark- 

 ably all-round abilities, though not particularly graceful in 

 his movements. On the ground he runs and walks well, 

 hopping when he wants to put on an extra spurt, albeit 

 there is a swing in his gait which is not particulaily elegant. 

 No doubt, however, he is proud of this, as it is a family 

 character ; geese, which do not suffer from excessive 

 modesty, have a similar style of going, and are known to- 

 be redoubtable pedestrians in their quiet way. But the 

 Mynah, unlike many ground-birds, is nimble and active in 

 a tree as well ; and his flight, though not remarkably fast, 

 is tolerable enough for ease, and he feels sufficient confidence 

 in it to occasionally attempt a little insect-catching on 

 the wing, when his quarry has got away from him on foot. 

 When he flies, he tucks up his long yellow shanks to his 

 breast, showing conclusively that birds which stow their 

 legs this way when on the wing do so by custom, not for 



