STUEMTTS. 369

flocks I met with. Perhaps some of my readers may have an
opportunity of finding out whether Pastor roseus occurs in the
districts lying to the east of Sind in the month of June, as there is
no doubt that the breeding-time lies between the 20th May and the
commencement of July."

529. Sturnus humid, Brooks. The Himalayan Starling.

Sturnus unicolor, Mann., apudJerd. J3. Ind. ii; p. 322.
Sturnus nitens, Hume ; Hume, Rough Draft N. $• E. no. 682.

The Himalayan Starling breeds in Candahar, Cashmere, and the
extreme north-west of the Punjab. It is the bird which Dr. Jerdon
includes in his work as S. unicolor (a very different bird, which does
not occur within our limits), and which Mr. Theobald referred to
as breeding in Cashmere as Sturnus vulyaris^ which bird does not,
as far as I can learn, occur in the Valley of Cashmere, though it
may in Yarkand.

This Starling lays towards the end of April at Peshawur, where
I found it nesting in holes in willow-trees in the cantonment com-
pounds. In Candahar it lays somewhat earlier, and in the Valley
of Cashmere somewhat later, viz. in the month of May.

It builds in holes of trees, in river-banks, and in old buildings
and bridges, constructing a loose nest of grass and grass-roots, with
sometimes a few thin sticks ; it is perhaps more of a lining to the
hole than a true nest. It lays five or six eggs.

Mr. Brooks says: — "It is like S. unicolor, but smaller, with
shorter wing and more beautiful reflections. It is excessively
abundant in Cashmere, at moderate elevations, and in the Valley,
and breeds in holes of trees and in river-banks. The eggs are like
those of JS. vulgaris, but rather smaller. The latter bird * occurs
plentifully in the plains of India in the cold weather, and is as pro-
fusely spotted as English specimens. The bills vary in length, and
are not longer, as a rule, than those of British birds. I did not
meet with S. vulgar is in Cashmere. It appears to migrate more to
the west, for it is said to be common in Afghanistan. S. nitens
also occurs in the plains in the cold season. I have Etawah
specimens. They are at that time slightly spotted, but can always
be very easily distinguished from S. vufyaris"

Mr, W. Theobald makes the following remark on its nidification
in the Valley of Cashmere : — " Lays in the second and third weeks
of May; eggs ovato-pyriforni ; size 1*15 by 0-85 ; colour, pale clear
bluish green ; valley generally, in holes of bridges, tall trees, <&c.,
in company with Oorvus monedula."

Captain Hutton records that " S. vulgaris remains only during
the coldest months, and departs as spring approaches : whereas the
present species builds in the spring at Candahar, laying seven or
eight blue eggs, and the young are fledged about the first week in
May.'7

* Mr. Brooks here refers to S.
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