66 JOURNAL, BOMBA Y NA TURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol IX. 



THE FOOD OF THE EOSY PASTOR OR JOWARI BIRD 



{PASTOR ROSEUS, LINN.) 

 By E. C. Cotes, 

 Offg. Deputy Supt., Indian Museum, Calcutta. 

 [Reprinted from Museum Notes, Vol. Ill, No. 2.] 



A very interesting series of reports on the subject of the destruction caused 

 amongst locusts of the species Acridium peregrinum, Oliv., in the Punjab, by 

 the Rosy pastor (Pastor roseus, Linn.), which is known as the Sanch, Tilia, or 

 Joioari bird, have been furnished by the Secretary to the Government of 

 India in the Revenue and Agricultural Department. Reports also that have 

 been furnished through the Director of Land Records and Agriculture in 

 Bombay show that the same bird has long been noticed as very effectual in 

 destroying locusts in Sind. The species to which the bird belongs has been 

 determined by Mr. W. L. Sclater from specimens received from Bannu, 

 Kohat, and Gujranwala, forwarded to the Museum by the Director of Land 

 Records and Agriculture, Punjab, through whom also most of the reports 

 have been procured. In view of the great effect which the bird undoubtedly 

 has in keeping the locusts in check, it has been suggested in several quarters 

 that it might be a good thing to take measures to have it protected by legisla- 

 tion. It seems very doubtful, however, to what extent any such measures 

 would be useful in the end, in view of the great injury which the bird is said 

 to do to grain crops in India. 



The following account of Pastor roseus, Linn, (the rose-coloured Starling or 

 Rosy pastor) is taken from Jerdon's Birds of India, Volume II, page 333 : — 



" It usually makes its appearance in the Deccan and Carnatic about November, associating 

 in vast flocks, and committing great devastations on the grain fields, more specially on those 

 of the cholum or jowaree (Androjiogon sorghus), whence its familiar name in the south. Mr. 

 Elliot, in his manuscript notes quoted in my catalogue, says : ' Is very voracious and injurious 

 to the crops of white jowaree,' in the fields of which the farmer is obliged to station numerous 

 watchers, who, with slings and a long rope or thong, which they crack dexterously, making a 

 loud report, endeavour to drive the depredators away. The moment the sun appears above 

 the horizon they are on the wing, and at the same instant shouts, cries, and the cracking of 

 the long whips resound from every side. The Tilliaers, however, are so active that if they 

 are able to alight on the stalks for an instant, they can pick out several grains. About 9 or 10 

 o'clock A.M. the exertions of the watchmen cease, and the Tilliaers do not renew their plun- 

 dering till evening. After sunset they are seen in flocks of many thousands retiring to the 

 trees and jungles for the night. They prefer the half-ripe jowaree, whilst the farinaceous 

 matter is still soft and milky. When they can no longer get grain, they feed on various grass 

 and other seeds, flower-buds, fruit, and also on insects, seeking them on the ground, but they 

 are rarely seen with cattle in India. The Telugu name is derived from the name of a plant 

 whose fruit they are particularly fond of. Mr. Blyth remarks that ' they visit the neighbour- 

 hood of Calcutta only at the end of the cool season, when flocks of them are not unfrequently 

 observed upon the arboreal cotton tree then in bloom.' 



" Burgess states that he has seen them busily feeding on the flowers of the leafless caper, 

 a shrub very common in the Deccan, on the banks of the larger rivers. Dr. Adams says 

 that ' it is very abundant in the Punjab, committing great havoc on the grain there.' In the 

 north-west of India, and in Afghanistan, they devour large quantities of mulberries in spring, 



