372

bird. It is only found in our forests bordering the Wynaad, and
as it is far from common, I am. not well acquainted with it.

"I am also inclined to think that it is not a permanent resident
with us, but that a few couples come to these forests only to breed.

" The only nest I have ever found was taken on the 24th April,
1880, and was in a hole of a dry standing tree in a clearing made
for a teak plantation and contained three fresh eggs.

" A few days subsequently I saw a brood of young ones flying
about a dry tree in the forest, so probably the breeding-season here
extends through April and May."

The eggs are very similar to those of Sturnia malalarica and
$. nemoricola, but perhaps slightly larger. They are moderately
elongated ovals, generally decidedly pointed towards the small end.
The shell is very fine and smooth, and has a fair amount of gloss.
In colour they are a very delicate pale greenish blue. They
measure O99 and 1 in length by 0*71 in breadth.

538. Sturnia malabarica (G-m.). The Grey-headed Myna.

Teinenuchus malabaricus (6rm.), Jerd. B. 2nd. ii; p. 330; Hume,
Rough Draft N. § E. no. 688.

I have never met with the nest of the G-rey-headed Myna
myself, but am indebted to Mr. Ganimie for its eggs aud nest.
That gentleman says :—" I obtained a nest of this species near
Mongphoo (14 miles from Darjeeling), at an elevation of about
3400 feet. The nest was in the hollow of a tree, and was a
shallow pad of fine twigs, with long strips of bark intermingled in
the base of the structure, and thinly lined with very fine grass-
stems. The nest was about 4 inches in diameter and less than 1^
inch in height exteriorly, and interiorly the depression was perhaps
half an inch deep. It contained four hard-set eggs.?J

This year he writes to me :—" The Grey-headed Myna breeds
about Mongphoo, laying in May and June. I have taken several
nests now, and I found that they prefer cleared tracts where only
a ew trees have been left standing here and there, especially on
low but breezy ridges, at elevations of from 2500 to 4000 feet.
They always nest in natural holes of trees both dead and living,
and at any height from 20 to 50 feet from the ground. The nest
is shallow, principally composed of twigs put roughly together in
the bottom of the hole. They lay four or five eggs.

" The Grey-headed Myna is not a winter resident in the hills.
It arrives in early spring and leaves in autumn. It is very abun-
dant on the outer ranges of the Teesta Y alley, and is generally
found in those places frequented by Artamus fuscus. It feeds
about equally on trees and on the ground, and a flock of 40 or 50
feeding on the ground in the early morning is no unusual sight.3'

Mr. J. B. Cripps, writing from Eureedpore, Eastern Bengal,
says:—"Very common from the end of April to October, after
which a few birds may be seen at times. I cannot call to mind
ever having seen these birds descend to the ground. They must