STURNIN.E. 323 



Gen. Sttjrnopastor, Hodgson. 



Syn. Psarites, Cabanis. 



Char. — Bill nearly straight, slightly curving, more so than in 

 Sturnus, deflexed at the tip, more depressed than in Sturnus, and 

 stronger ; base of the bill plumed to the nostrils, but ascendino- 

 in the middle; orbits bare ; wings shorter; tarsus and toes strong 



This genus chiefly differs from Sturnus by its bare orbits and 

 pied plumage ; and, as its name implies, is a sort of link between 

 the true Starlings and JVtynas. 



683. Sturnopastor contra, Linn^us. 



Sturnus, apud Linn.eus — Jerdon, Cat. 162 — Blyth> Cat. 

 579 — Horsf., Oat. 801 — Edwards, Birds, pi. 187 — S. capensis, 

 Linn. — P. jalla, Horsf.? — Ablak maina, H. — Ablaka gosalih, 

 Beng., also Guia-leggra, — Venda gorinha, Tel. 



The Pied Starling. 



Descr. — Head, neck, and upper part of breast, glossy black; 

 ear-coverts white, extending in a narrow line to the nape ; back, 

 wings, and tail, black, slightly glossed; upper tail-coverts white, 

 as also an oblique bar on the wing, caused by the lesser coverts and 

 outer portion of the scapulars ; beneath, from the breast, white, 

 tinged with reddish-ash ; under tail-coverts pure white. The young 

 bird is more brown than black, and the colors are less defined. 



Bill red at the base, yellow at the tip ; legs yellowish ; irides 

 brown ; nude skin and orbits orange yellow. Length 9 inches ; 

 wing 4f ; tail 2| ; bill at front 1|- ; tarsus 1£. 



The Ablaka is found throughout a considerable part of India, 

 but absent in the South and South-west. It is found throughout 

 Bengal up to the foot of the Himalayas, extending as far as 

 Allahabad at all events ; towards the South it is found all along the 

 Northern Circars to near Masulipatam, thence inland to Hyderabad, 

 but no further South nor West, except perhaps a straggler here and 

 there; thence it is found in Nagpore sparingly, more abundantly at 

 Sau^or, and through Bundelkund to Allahabad. It is unknown in 

 the West Coast, in the Deccan, and at M how in Central India. Ac- 

 cording to Philipps it is found also in the Upper Provinces of India, 



