400 STURNUS 



introduces bits of the songs of other birds, or their call-notes. 

 Its nest is a somewhat bulky structure of grass or roots, lined 

 with feathers and hair, and is placed in the hollow of a tree, in 

 the hole of a wall, under the eaves of a roof, in a chimney, in a 

 fissure of the rocks or in a hole in the ground, and the eggs 4 

 to 7 in number are deposited from April to June, according to 

 locality, and are delicate pale blue with a greenish tinge, and 

 in size average about 117 by O84. Occasionally, but very 

 rarely, an open nest is built. 



568. PURPLE-WINGED STARLING. 

 STURNUS PURPURASCENS. 



Siurnus purpurascens, Gould, P.Z.S. 1868, p. 219; id. B. of Asia, v. 

 pi. 44 ; Dresser, iv. p. 419, pi. 249 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xiii. 

 p. 37 ; S. porphyronotus ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1888, p. 438. 



<$ ad. (Erzeroum). Differs from S. vulgaris, in having the wing- 

 coverts, scapulars, and rump purple or lake-purple, the throat bronze, and 

 the abdomen and flanks purple or bronze-purple ; soft parts as in S. vulgaris. 

 Culmen 1*1, wing 5'2, tail 2'7, tarsus 1/2 inch. 



Hob. S. E. Europe, Cyprus, Asia Minor ; east to Afghanstan 

 and Yarkand ; the plains of India in winter. 



In habits and modification it does not differ from the Common 

 Starling. 



569. STJBSP. STURNUS POLTARATZSKYI. 



Sturnus poltaratzsJcyi, Finsch, P.Z.S. 1878, p. 712 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. 

 Mus. xiii. p. 36 ; Dresser, ix. p. 233 ; S. nobilior, Hume, Stray 

 F. 1879, p. 175 ; S. menzlieri ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 543 (1893, 

 nee. Sharpe). 



ad. Differs from S. purpurascens merely in having the hind-neck 

 greenish purple, the throat purplish bronze instead of greenish bronze, and 

 the flanks dark purple instead of bronze-purple, and it is at best but a 

 doubtful subspecies. 



Hob. Persia ; the Altai mountains, Afghanistan, and Siberia, 

 visiting India in the winter. 



In habits and nidification not differing from S. vulgaris. 

 570. SUBSP. STURNUS CAUCASICUS. 



Sturnus caucasicus, Lorenz. Beitr. Orn. Cauc. p. 9, pi. v. fig. 1 (1887) ; 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xiii. p. 37 ; Dresser, ix. p. 234. 



JBlestyastche-skvoretz, Russ. 



