1920.] Birds of North-East Chihli. 663 



56. Spodiopsar cineraceus (Temm.). 

 Stwnus cineraceus D. & O. p. 861. 

 Spodiopsar cineraceus La T. p. 570. 



The Grey Starling passes in spring from the end of jNIai'ch 

 to about the ^Oth of May. It appears again in July, and 

 may be seen in autumn until the beginning of October. On 

 the 4th of July, 1914_, thousands came over from the north- 

 east, flying south-west. Flocks containing from fifty to over 

 three hundred individuals followed one another rapidly during 

 the afternoon, and the passage lasted two liours or more. 

 This was the only passage of the kind noticed by me here. 

 On every other occasion that I saw these birds in summer 

 they were in very small parties. However, on the 24th of 

 July, 1915, I saw a large flock of Starlings passing which 

 were probably of this species, so that it is likely that the 

 main fliglits during other summers were overlooked. At 

 Shaweishau, in 1908, a few individuals were noticed at the 

 end of June and beginning of July. I do not know whether 

 they bleed here, but, as I saw on the 21st of May two birds 

 apparently paired, it is probable that some summer here. 



Two examples netted in the summer of 1913 are pale buffisli 

 sandy, except on the abdomen, nnder tail-coverts, axillaries, 

 and under wing-coverts, cheeks, and ear-coverts, these parts 

 being white, as are also the outer webs of the basal part of 

 the middle secondaries and primaries. The wings and tail are 

 darker than the body. My collector, who brought me these 

 birds, told me that this pale variety was not uncommon. 



57. Sturnia sturnina (Pallas). 

 Temenuchus dauricus D. & 0. p. 362. 

 Sturnia sturnina La T. p. 570. 



The Daurian Starlet passes in small numbers during the 

 latter half of May. Large flocks may be seen in August on 

 the return migration, I have seen a few at Chinwangtao 

 itself from the 6th of August to the 2nd of September. 



A live male example purchased in June, 1916, kept in 

 good health until the autumn, when it sickened and died. 

 It was a cheerful little bird and sang often, the song being 



SEK. XI. — VOL. ir. 2y 



