minah

n. (also Myna, Mina,and Minah-bird, and the characteristic Australian change of Miner). From Hindustani maina,a starling. The word is originally applied in India tovarious birds of the Starling kind, especially to Graculusreligiosa, a talking starling or grackle. One of theseIndian grackles, Acridotheres tristis, was acclimatisedin Melbourne, and is now common to the house-tops of mostAustralian towns. He is not Australian, but is the birdgenerally referred to as the Minah, or Minah-bird. There are Minahs native to Australia,of which the species are – – Bell-Mina – – Manorhina melanophrys, Lath.

♣ Bush-M. – – Myzantha garrula, Lath.

♣ Dusky-M. – – M. obscura, Gould.

♣ Yellow-M. – – M. lutea, Gould.

♣ Yellow-throated M. – – M. flavigula, Gould.

1803. Lord Valentia, `Voyages,' vol. i. p. 227 [Stanford]:

«During the whole of our stay two minahs were talking mostincessantly.»

1813. J. Forbes, `Oriental Memoirs,' vol. i. p. 47 [Yule]:

«The mynah is a very entertaining bird, hopping about thehouse, and articulating several words in the manner of thestarling.»

1848. J. Gould, `Birds of Australia,' vol. iv. pl. 40:

«While at other times, like the miners (genus, Myzantha), it soars from tree to tree with the mostgraceful and easy movement.»

Ibid. vol. iv. pl. 76:

« Myzantha garrula, Vig. and Horsf, GarrulousHoney-eater; miner, Colonists of Van Diemen's Land, M. flavigula, Gould, Yellow-Throated miner.»

1861. Mrs. Meredith, `Over the Straits,' vol. i. p. 33:

«His common name . . . is said to be given from hisresemblance to some Indian bird called mina or miner.»

1888. D. Macdonald, `Gum Boughs,' p. 72:

«The Indian minah is as much at home, and almost aspresumptuous, as the sparrow.»

(p. 146): «Yellow-legged minahs, tamest of all Australianbirds.»

1890. Tasma, `In her Earliest Youth,' p. 265:

«The plaintive chirp of the mina.»