852 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XX. 



They disappeared for a time but returned in the beginning of June in 

 increased numbers. As I could not understand P. roseus being present at 

 that time I decided to secure some specimens. On obtaining the birds I 

 was surprised to find it was not what I expected. However, being certain 

 from its habits and appearance that it was a starling and that I could 

 easily identify it I was further surprised when I found I could not place it 

 in the Sturnidse. I then tried the Turdidee but again without success. 



The birds remained till 20th June. During that month there must have 

 been between two and three thousand in the flocks. They came in from 

 the west in small flights at dusk and collected in the trees. They would 

 become startled and suddenly a large flock of thousands of birds would be 

 flying at great speed. In a few minutes they would return to settle and 

 their movements and twittering were exactly like those of the rose starling. 



On June 18th I was surprised to see them hawking white ants with the 

 drongos and crows. 



Kictal bristles are weak. The measurements of some 20 birds agree 

 with those of Blanford. Irides bright yellow, bill horny, yellowish at 

 gape. Legs, feet and claws horny, light horny in the young. 



The young bird {male) resembles the male more than the female, but wants 

 the chestnut throat of the male. There are distinct shaft streaks on the 

 throat. (I got no young female.) 



Locality. — Dehra Dun, height 2,200 feet. 



On dissection I found their stomachs full of the berries of a species of 

 Licus ( ? reliyiosa), white ants and two or three hymenopterous insects. 



They would appear to breed in April as the young birds were flighting 

 in the beginning of June. 



I forward the skins of a male, female and young male birds for our 

 Museum. 



H. FULTON, Major, 



2nd K. E. O. Goorkhas. 

 Dehra Dun, 3rd November 1910.. 



No. VII.— THE HIMALAYAN GREENFINCH (HYPACANTHUS 



SPINOIDES). 



The fact that the Himalayan Greenfinch (Hypacanthus spinoides) is a 

 local migrant, appears not to be generally known, but there is no doubt 

 that it is so. These birds are common around the hill stations of Chak- 

 rata, Naini Tal and Darjeeling from April till October where they breed 

 between 7,000 and 8,000 feet and probably at similar elevations throughout 

 the outer Himalayan ranges. They nest chiefly in the months of July 

 and August. 





