374 birds' nesting on the " eastern narra." 



are, as far as I at present know, March, June, and September. 

 The eg-gs vary in size from "65 to '80 in length and from "50 

 to '55 in breadth. The average of 7 eggs is '72 in length and 

 •54 in breadth. 



(3.) 681 bis. — Sturnus minor. 



Last year I mentioned to my friend, Captain Butler, that 

 I had noticed Starlings going in and out of holes in trees 

 along the " Narra" in the month of March, and that I 

 thought they must be breeding there. He said that I must 

 be mistaken, as S. vulgaris never bred so far south. As it 

 happens -wq were both correct — he in saying S. vulgaris did 

 not breed here, and I in saying that Starlings did. My 

 Starling turns out to be the speieies originally described from 

 Sindh as Sturnus minor by Mr. Hume, and as I have now 

 sent Mr. Hume a series of skins and eggs, I trust he will give 

 us a note on the subject of our Indian Starlings.* In February 

 I shot one of these birds, and on dissection found that they 

 were beginning to breed. Later on early in March, I again dis- 

 sected one and found that there was no doubt on the subject, 

 and so began to look for their nests. These I found in holes in 

 "kundy" trees growing along the banks of the Narra, and also 

 situated in the middle of swamps. The eggs were laid on a 

 pad of feathers of Platalea leucorodia and Tantalus leucoceplialus 

 which were breeding on the same trees, their young being 

 then nearly fledged. The greatest number of eggs in any one 

 nest was five. The first date on which I took eggs was the 13th 

 March, and the last was on the 15th May. 



The eggs are oval, broad at one end and elongated at the other ; 

 the texture is rather waxy, with a fine gloss, and they are of a 

 pale delicate sea green colour. 



The birds during the breeding time confine themselves closely 

 to their breeding ground, so much so, that except when close to 

 their haunts, none are ever seen. 



The size of the eggs varies from I'OO to 1"10 in length, and 

 from *70 to '80 in breadth. The average of 12 eggs is 1-03 in 

 length and '79 in breadth. 



(4 ) Pastor roseus. 



Although I have not as yet discovered the breeding place of 

 this bird, I think it as well to put on record what little I have 

 noticed, in the hope that it may be of assistance in eventually 

 finding out where it goes to breed. I began watching the birds 

 in the middle of April and every week shot one or two and 

 dissected them, but did not perceive any decisive signs of their 

 breeding until the 10th May, when I shot two males, both of 



* Mas been already done; vide ante, p. 17i. 



