6 COMMON BIRDS OH THE YANGTZE DELTA. 



golden yellow bird we have it is easily identified. The 

 orioles are quite shy and wary of observation; they nest high 

 up in the tops of large trees, and as a rule do not stir about 

 much except in the early morning. 



Two of the starling family are common with us— the 

 crested myna or pah ko (Acridotheres cristatellm) and 

 the grey starling {Spodiopsar cinereus) 



The myna seems especially fond of city life. He may 

 be found alf through the year in small flocks sunning him- 

 self on the city walls. He is a trim neat bird, solid black 

 except for a white patch on his wings, which shows plainest 

 in flight, and white tips to the tail quills and under coverts. 

 His black crest is set so far forward over his nostrils as 

 to give him a rather curious expression. He is quick and 

 graceful in his movements, and walks like a soldier on 

 parade. But for the uncleanliness of his feeding habits he 

 could be called an elegant bird. The Chinese keep them in 

 cages, and claim they can be taught to speak very distinctly,, 

 provided their tongues are carefully rolled every day be- 

 tween the fingers to keep them supple. Their notes are 

 quite varied, many of them being really very near the human 

 tones. They nest in holes, trees, walls, or convenient 

 corners of ruined buildings. An old decaying pagoda in 

 Kiangyin is quite a rendezvous for them, and a colony nests 

 there every year in company with several pairs of black- 

 eared kites. 



The grey starling or kon lih ts of the Chinese is 

 .similar to the myna in bearing and habits, though he is 

 somewhat smaller, and more gregarious when we see him in 

 the winter. They fly rapidly over the country in large flocks 

 some of which must reach into the thousands of individuals. 

 These flocks move with military precision, wheeling and 

 turning in theair for the pure fun of it. Their general colour 

 is brownish grey much streaked with black and white, the 

 black usually predominating about the head, though the 

 amount of it differs very much in the individuals. The 

 white shows most on the wings and rump and in a spot 

 behind the eye. They are best described by saying that they 

 behave very much like the rice birds or bobolink. 



From the starlings we will make a long leap to the 

 flycatchers. Of the ten more or less often seen in this 

 part of China I have chosen only one. The flycatchers as 

 a family are soberly coloured and silent, so that they easily 

 pass unseen. The Paradise flycatcher, dzeu ta or tse tsing 

 (Terpsiphone incei) is a striking exception. The female is 

 a rich red brown above, darkening on the wing quills. 

 Her head is blue-black and her under parts blue-gre5'. 

 The male has two colour phases. One is very similar to 



