40 A BIRD CALENDAR 



starlings and the corn-buntings. Large noisy 

 congregations of these birds are a striking 

 feature of February in Bombay, of March in 

 the United Provinces, and of April in the 

 Punjab. 



Rose-coloured starlings spend most of their 

 lives in the plains of India, going to Asia Minor 

 for a few months each summer for nesting 

 purposes. In the autumn they spread them- 

 selves over the greater part of Hindustan, most 

 abundantly in the Deccan. 



In the third or fourth week of February the 

 rosy starlings of Bombay begin to form flocks. 

 These make merry among the flowers of the 

 coral tree, which appear first in South India, 

 and last in the Punjab. The noisy flocks 

 journey northwards in a leisurely manner, 

 timing their arrival at each place simul- 

 taneously with the flowering of the coral trees. 

 They feed on the nectar provided by these 

 flowers and those of the silk-cotton tree. They 

 also take toll of the ripening corn and of the 

 mulberries which are now in season. Thus the 

 rosy starlings reach Allahabad about the second 

 week in March, and Lahore some fifteen days 

 later. 



The head, neck, breast, wings and tail of 



