678 STUENIA PAGODARUM. 



Sturnia malabarica, Gmeliu (the Grey-headed Myna), inhabits the peninsula of India from the north to the southern 

 portion, and might perhaps some day occur in Ceylon. It may be well, therefore, to note, for the information 

 of my Ceylon readers, that this species is dusky lavender-grey on the back, with the head grey and the feathers 

 of that part and the hind neck attenuated ; primaries blackish, tipped with grey ; lower parts in the male chestnut, 

 and the terminal portions of the four outer tail-feathers deeper in hue than the belly; wing 3-95 to 4-1 inches. 

 The female is paler beneath. 



Sturnia nemoricola, Jerdon, from Burmah and Tenasserim, is allied to the last-named species ; the under surface in the 

 male is as pale as that of the female in S. malabarica, and the winglet and primary-coverts are more or less white. 



Distribution. — This pretty bird is not very well known in Ceylon, being confined to the dry parts of the 

 island, in which it is somewhat local. Layard found it at Point Pedro, and remarks that it is not uncommon in 

 the north ; from that part southwards as far as Chilaw it occurs at various localities ; on the east coast it is not 

 uncommon. Kelaart mentions it as being found at Trincomalie, and in that district I have met with consi- 

 derable flocks in localities between Tirai and the port; to the south of the Bay of Kottiar it occurs about the 

 Virgel, and in the Batticaloa district is not uncommon, frequenting the lowlands around the Kalmuni Lake. 

 Thence southwards I have no doubt it is found where the sea-board tract of country is favourable to its habits ; 

 and in the Hambantota district I can speak from experience as to its being numerous, although even there it 

 appears to restrict itself to particular places. I found large flocks of it between Kirinde and Yala. I am not 

 aware that it inhabits the interior, as I have never met with it many miles from the sea-shore. 



On the mainland it is by no means restricted to maritime districts, occurring throughout the Indian 

 peninsula, particularly where there are temples and other large buildings. It is, however, found in Rainis- 

 serum Island and on the coast of the Carnatic, in parts of which territory it is abundant; but Jerdon remarks 

 that it is rare on the Malabar sea-board. The Rev. Dr. Fairbank records it from the base and " well up the 

 sides " of the Palanis, and remarks that it is everywhere found in the Khandala district ; Messrs. Davidson and 

 Mender likewise record it from the Deccan, and say that it breeds at Satara. Its range extends far towards 

 the north-west, for it is found in the Mount Aboo, Guzerat, and Sambhur-Lake districts, and has lately been 

 procured at Trainhec iu Sindh; in Kattiawar and about Kutchit is scarce. Turning, however, towards the east 

 we find that, according to Mr. Ball, it is sparingly though universally distributed throughout Chota Nagpur, 

 being more plentiful in Sirguja than elsewhere. In his list of the birds found between the Ganges and Godaveri 

 rivers he cites the Rajmehal hills, Manbhum, Lohardugga, Sambalpur, Orissa north and south of the 

 Mahanadi river, Nowagarh, and Karial as places in which he found it ; to which Mr. Hume adds Raipur. In 

 the N.W. Provinces it is a common resident, and to Lower Bengal it is a casual visitor at the end of the hot 

 season, being, as Blyth says, often procurable from Calcutta bird-catchers. In the lower regions of Nepal 

 and Cashmere, and also in the lesser ranges of the latter province, it is likewise, according to Jerdon, found. 

 In Burmah it is replaced by S. burmanica and S. nemoricola; but Jerdon states that it is found in Assam and 

 Arrakan, whether correctly or not I am unable to say, as the above-mentioned species, together with 

 S. malabarica, are the only members of the genus recorded in 'Stray Feathers ' from that side of the bay. 



Habits. — The Brahmin v Myna frequents open bushy plains, bare fields, low scrubs, clearings in the jungle, 

 &c. It feeds on the ground, associating iu moderately sized flocks, which alight on the tops of bushes or small 

 trees when disturbed. They are wary birds and difficult to approach, flying on before their pursuers from 

 bush to bush. In Ceylon I never saw it in company with the Acridotkeres about cattle; but in India it is 

 said to have this habit. In fact with us it frequents the dry arid portions of the country, where the Common 

 Ficld-Myna is not very common. I have found its food to consist chiefly of insects and Colcoptera of various 

 kinds ; but it also feeds on seeds, buds, and small fruits. Its ordinary note is a rather mellow whistling call, 

 which it utters both on the wing and when feeding in company. It has a strong straight flight, and flies in 

 closely packed little flocks, which, when going home to roost, settle on the tops of trees, rest awhile, and then 

 take wing again. It roosts in the foliage of low shady trees, retiring early. 



In Lower Bengal Blyth says that at the end of the cold season it frequents the arboreal cotton-trees, 

 feeding on the insects which are attracted to their flowers; in Cashmere it is said by Adams to eat the seeds 

 and buds of pines ; while in Madras, as above noticed, it has the habit of feeding on the ground among cattle 



