in captivity in lower bengal. 207 



Treatment in health. 



With regard to housing and feeding, no particular directions are 

 necessary. They thrive as well in an aviary as in a small cage. 



Breeding. — They breed freely in the garden, both in captivity and 

 in a wild state. In building their nests inside the aviaries they make 

 use of the feathers cast by other birds. 



Treatment in sickness. 



Young birds have several times been noticed to suffer from glan- 

 dular swellings round the aperture of the cloaca. The bird while suffering 

 in this way should be kept warm and, if necessary, the part fomented. 



Observations on the habits of the Common Myna. 



The common myna is much domesticated in India, and becomes as 

 tame as the hill myna. It is generally sociable, although sometimes 

 they fight a good deal among themselves. They are gregarious in 

 habits. 



(53) THE BANK MYNA. 

 (A.CEIDOTHERES GINGIETANTTS— (Za*A.) ) 

 Hindi — Gang a myna. Bengali — Gang salik. 



Description. — It differs from the common myna in having the 

 general colour of the plumage grey instead of brown, and in other miror 

 characteristics, such as the colour of the naked skin round the eye, which 

 is brick red. 



Hob. — Besides the Gangetic provinces of Bengal, where it is very 

 abundant, it is found throughout Upper India and Sindh, extending 

 through the Central Provinces as far south as the Mahanadi ; it is also 

 found in the lower ranges of the Himalayas. The statement that these 

 birds are migratory in the plains is, to a certain extent, true ; they are 

 known to desert a particular area after having lived and bred there 

 for years. It is not unlikely that the erosion of the river banks in 

 which they were accustomed to build their nests has much to do 

 with such partial migrations. 



Length of life in captivity. 



About seven years has been the maximum period during which 

 some of them have lived in this garden. 



(54) THE JUNGLE MYNA. 



(^THIOPSAE FUSCUS— (Wagl.)) 



Hindi — Pahari myna. Bengali — Jhunt salik. 



Description. — All about the head glossy black; the upper plumage 



fuscus black; the throat and breast dull cinereous blackish; abdomen 



