Birds of Lucknow. 54<7 
This species is caught and caged by the natives, being a 
great favourite as a songster. It is an excellent imitator o£ 
other birds' notes. 
No. 549. AcRiDOTHERES TRisTis. Gommou Myna. 
Maina^ Desi-maina, Teluri [H.]. 
This bird vies with the Sparrow, House- Crow, and Paddy- 
bird in being the commonest species in Lucknow. It is 
a great favourite as a pet, and the Martiniere boys always 
have several, which are remarkably tame. It rarely com- 
mences nesting until the first fall of rain in June, and 
continues, according to Reid, until September, but I fancy 
that few Idy after July. The nest is a mass of grass, rags, 
sticks, feathers, paper, &c., in a hole of a tree for preference, 
but sometimes in a building. The eggs are, of course, blue, 
fairly glossy, and usually three or four in number; five 
are rarely found. 
Average of 14 Lucknow eggs 1*18" X '86" 
Measurement of largest Q^g 1'25" x '91" 
„ smallest egg 1-14" X "82" 
No. 551. AcRiDOTHEREs GiNGiNiANus. Bank-Myna. 
Darya-maina, Daryta-maina [H.]. Well-Myna [Anglo- 
Indian boys]. 
The Bank- Myna is almost as common as the previous 
species, but is not so fond of human habitations. Its habits 
resemble those of A. tristis, but it breeds in colonies in holes 
of river-bauks or wells. The nest is the usual conglomeration 
of sticks, rags, &c. &c. On one occasion I found parts of a 
Latin exercise and some arithmetic questions in a nest in 
the bank of the Goomti. The eggs are blue, and like those 
of A. tristis, but smaller on average. The breeding-season 
is from April to June, but most eggs are got at the 
beginning of May or a little earlier. 
Average of 10 Luctnow eggs 1-09" X '76" 
Measurement of largest egg l'14"x "74" 
„ smallest egg '98" x '78" 
SER. VIII. VOL. II. 2 O 
