208 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



reddish-cinereous ; tail-coverts pure white ; bill orange yellow. Those 

 from the south of India have grey eyes, while those from the north 

 have yellow ones. 



Hab. — Except in Sindh, Rajputana and Guzerat, it is found almost 

 all over India, ascending the Himalayas up to about 8,000 feet ; it does 

 not appear to be common about Calcutta. 



Length of life in captivity. 

 No record has been kept. 



(55) THE BLACK-CRESTED MYNA. 

 (^THIOPSAE CEISTATELLUS— {Linn.) ) 



In shape and size it resembles the bank myna ; the plumes of the 

 nostrils are elevated into a crest ; almost the entire plumage black, with 

 green and purple reflexions ; bill pale yellow ; iris pale orange. 



Hab. — China. 



Length of life in captivity. 

 Specimens have been living in the garden for the last five or six 



All the above mynas may be treated in captivity like the common 

 myna, which they all resemble in habits. 



(56) THE PIED MYNA. 



(STUENOPASTOE CONTEA— (Linn.) ) 



Hindi — Ablak myna. Bengali — Gosalik or Guia salik. 



Hab. — Very common in Bengal, up to the foot of the Himalayas ; 



Sylhet, Cachar, and Khasia Hills ; also found in the Central Provinces 



and parts of Upper India, but unknown in its south and west coasts. 



Length of life in captivity. 



Although there is no record of the actual period during which 

 a particular specimen has lived in the garden, they are known to bear 

 captivity well. 



Treatment in health. 



With regard to housing and feeding, they may be treated like the 

 common myna. They do better when a number of them are kept 

 together in a large aviary. 



Breeding. — These birds in a wild state regularly breed in the 

 garden, generally building their nest on cotton, peepul and tamarind 

 trees, and laying three or four eggs. Until after the next autumn moult 

 the young birds remain a dirty brown in colour. The breeding season 

 is from May to about the middle of August. A curious instance of the 

 usurpation of an unfinished crow's nest by a pair of pied mynas lately 

 happened in this garden. 



