STURNIKffl. 325 



almost concealed by the frontal plumes, which extend above 

 them their whole length ; tail rounded ; tarsus stout ; feet strong . 

 toes lengthened ; the laterals nearly equal ; claws moderately 

 curved. The head is more or less crested, and some of them 

 have a naked space behind and under the eye. 



684. Acridotheres tristis, Linnjeus. 



Paradisea, apud Linnaeus — Blyth, Cat. 574 — Horsf., Cat. 806 

 — Pastor, apud Sykes, Cat. 113, and Jerdon, Cat. 163 — Gracula 

 gryllivora, Daudin — Mainatristoides, Hodgs. — Maina, H. — Dm- 

 maina, also in the north — Salik, Bengal, and Bhat-salik — Bemni, 

 or Saloo, in Chota Nagpore — Sulonka, Mahr. — Gorivantera, Can. 

 — Goranka or Gorinka, Tel. 



The Common Myna. 



Descr. — The whole head, with moderate occipital crest, neck, 

 and breast, glossy black ; the rest of the plumage quaker or snuff 

 brown,* darkest on the back and wing-coverts, and lightest beneath ; 

 primaries black with a white spot at their base, forming a conspi- 

 cuous wing-spot ; tail black with a white tip, successively broader 

 from the centre pair ; lower abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts 

 white. 



Bill and orbits deep yellow ; legs dull yellow ; irides red brown 

 with white specks. Length about 10 inches ; wing 5£ ; tail 3|- ; 

 bill at front f ; tarsus If. 



Some specimens are much darker colored than others, and 

 those from Ceylon appear to be always darker. 



The common Myna is found throughout India, extending into 

 Assam and Burmah. It is one of the commonest birds in the 

 country, affecting towns, villages, and the neighbourhood of man 

 rather than the jungles. It roosts, generally in large numbers, 

 in some particular tree in a village or cantonment, and, morning 

 and evening, keeps up a noisy chattering concert. Soon after 

 sunrise the birds disperse, and in parties of two, four, six or 

 more, wing their way in different directions, to their various 

 feeding grounds. Some remain about villages and cantonments, 



* Hence probably Linnaeus' name tristis, tho ' sad colour' of our forefathers. 



