159 
1850. Saw a large flock of the Rose-coloured Starlings with their 
broods to-day feeding in an open field, evidently on insects, as they 
were constantly in chase of them, flying.” I never saw this bird so 
early as it was that year, and they arrived long before the jowaree 
was ripe. This grain when ripe, and before it is ripe, is their staple 
food. After it is cut and housed, I have observed them busily feed- 
ing on the flowers of the leafless Caper, a shrub very common in 
many parts of the Deccan, especially on the banks of the larger 
rivers. I have made many, but hitherto ineffectual attempts, to 
ascertain where these birds breed; that they do breed somewhere on 
the continent of India, there can be no doubt, as the young birds 
which I saw on the 24th of August 1850, were in brown plumage, 
and appeared as if they had not long left the nest. I was informed 
by a clever and well-informed Mharatta, who seemed to have con- 
siderable knowledge of the habits of various birds, that the Rose 
Starling retires to the Ghauts to breed. On visiting those mountains 
in 1849, I made many inquiries of the hill people, but was unsuc- 
cessful in getting any information from them. However, I think 
it very probable that these birds, after leaving the Deccan in March 
and April, break up into pairs, and retire to the ravines and forests 
in the Ghauts to breed. Like the common Starling, these birds con- 
gregate in immense flocks before going to roost, and it is a curious 
sight to watch their movements as they fly in clouds over their night 
haunts. Towards sunset they begin to collect from the grain-fields, 
and fly off in detached parties, at first containing only a few indivi- 
duals. These soon amalgamate, and form large masses, which, as 
they dash, now upwards and now downwards, now in circles, at 
one time almost disappear, at another look like a rapidly passing 
cloud. As soon as the sun is down, they retire to the babool 
brakes that clothe the banks of the streams and rivers. These birds 
collect in such numbers on the small bushes and trees on the out- 
skirts of the grain-fields, as to make them appear as if loaded with 
rich, rosy blossoms, and to make one wonder that the tree is not 
broken down with their weight. 
Family FrinGitiip&. 
Subfamily CoccoTrHRaustiIn&, Swain. 
Genus EvriLectes, Swain. 
Evp.Lecres (BENGALENSIS?). 
I forwarded a paper on the nidification, habits, &c. of this little 
bird, together with specimens of the skins, nests and eggs, in the 
year 1852. The paper was read, and the specimens exhibited at the 
meeting of the Society on July 27th, 1852. Repetition therefore is 
needless. 
