STURNIN^E. 329 



resident in Nepal, where, he says ' perpetually associating with 

 A. fristis? every large flock of which has many individuals of this 

 bird among them.' At Mussooree, Hutton says that it is only a 

 summer visitant, breeding in holes in trees there. He further says, 

 " it does not appear to visit Simla, but is to be found in some of 

 the valleys below it to the south ; when the young are hatched 

 they betake themselves to the Dhoon in July." Captain Tytler says 

 that at Dacca this bird builds in the old temples and houses about 

 the Sepoys' huts. 



A. cristatellus of China is nearly allied to this bird, as is 

 A. javanicus, Cabanis, of Java, (griseus, apud Horsfleld). The 

 former is said by Swinhoe to breed in holes of trees in general, 

 but sometimes to make a large oval nest on high trees. 



The next birds differ from the previous group in their smaller 

 size, less massive form, lighter and more elegant plumage, more 

 arboreal habits, and more or less grey plumage. 



Gen. Temenuchus, Cabanis. 



Syn. Siurnia, Lesson — Heterornis, Gray. 



Char. — Bill short, compressed, less stout than in Acridotheres, 

 barely deflected at the tip, often parti-coloured ; wings moderate, 

 1st and 2nd primaries sub-equal ; tail nearly even ; tarsus short ; 

 lateral toes slightly unequal ; claws more curved. Head usually 

 crested. 



This genus comprises several nearly allied species from India 

 and Burmah. The first noticed differs from all the others in the 

 black head, and it is, at the same time, more terrestrial in its habits. 



687. Temenuchus pagodarum, Gmelin. 



Turdus, apud Gmelin — Jerdon, Cat. 165 — Sykes, Cat. 116 — 

 Blyth, Cat. 588 — Hoesf., Cat. 803 — Pastor nigriceps, also Maina 

 sylvestris, HODGSON — Popoya maina, H., vulgo Bamuni maina — 

 Puhaia, H. in the Upper Provinces — Monghyr paivi, Beng. — Pabiya 

 pawi at Muttra — Papata gorinki, Tel. — Papata pariki, also Raivan- 

 ati, Tam. — Brahniny Myna of the English. 



The Black-headed Myna. 

 Descr. — Head and long pendent crest black; body above grey; 

 beneath and ear-coverts bright fulvous buff, with some mesial 



2 I 



