86 BIRDS. PASSERES. Sturnus. 



dusky. Cheeks, ear-covers, and lower parts of the neck, white. Back and 

 breast yellowish-brown. Lesser wing-covers black. Greater covers and ba- 

 sal half of the quills gamboge-yellow ; the other half black, with a white spot 

 at the tip. Tail black, the six middle feathers tipped with white, the others, 

 with an oval white spot on the outer AVeb. The female less bright in the colours. 

 — Nest in shrubs, of lichens and moss, lined with vegetable down and hair. 

 Eggs 5, bluish-white, with orange spots.— The food of this species consists of the 

 seeds of thistles and similar plants. In whiter it is gregarious, but the flocks 

 are small. 



The Fringilla Canaria, or Canary, has been long reared in this country. 

 It breeds freely in confinement, and is highly prized for its song ". 



Gen. XL VII. STURNUS. Starling.— Bill slightly subu- 

 late ; depressed at the point, with the nostrils partly closed 

 by a prominent rim. 



109. S. vulgaris. Common Starling. — Plumage black, with 



purple reflections, the feathers tipped with triangular white 



spots. 



Will. Orn. 144. Sibb. Scot. 17- Linn. Syst. i. 270. Perm. Brit. ZooL 

 i. 299. Temm. Orn. i. 132. — W, Dreydwen, Drydwy. — Generally dis- 

 tributed. 



Length 8|, breadth 16 inches; weight 3£ ounces. Bill yellow. Feet brown. 

 Irides hazel. Quills and tail dusky, with pale reddish brown margins. Fe- 

 male, has the bill less yellow, and the white spots more numerous. — Nest in 

 the hole of a tree or wall, of dry grass. Eggs 5, bluish-green. Young, of 

 a uniform hair-brown colour, constituting the Passer solitarius of AVilloughby, 

 Orn. 140., and the Solitary Thrush of Montagu. — This bird is most numerous 

 near the coast, and seems to execute irregular migrations. It abounds in the 

 Orkney and Zetland Isles. 



Gen. XL VIII. GARRULUS. Jay.— Bill lengthened, hooked. 

 Crown feathers long, and capable of erection. 



110. G. glandarhis. — Black mustaches. Chin, breast, belly, 



and rump white. The greater wing-coverts barred with blue 



and black. 



Pica glandaria, Will. Orn. 38. Sibb. Scot. 15. — Corvus gland. Linn. Syst. 

 i. 156. Penn. Brit. Zool. i. 220. Temm. Orn. i. 114 — S, Jay-piet ; 

 W, Screch y coed. ; G. Scriachag choille — In woods, but not numerous. 



Length 14, breadth 21 h inches ; weight 7 ounces. Bill black. Legs brown. 

 Irides grey. Head white, with black streaks. Nape, back, and shoulders 

 brownish purple red. Primaries dusky, the outer webs grey. Six of the se- 

 condaries black, the outer webs bluish-white at the base, the two next black. 

 Tail black. Female similar. — Nest in thickets or trees, of sticks, fined with 

 fibrous roots. Eggs 5 or 6, of a pale blue, blotched with brown. — The jay is 

 omnivorous, docile, and possesses strong powers of imitation. Confined to 

 woody districts. 



Gen. XLIX. PICA. Magpie.— Bill hooked. Tail long 



and wedge-shaped. 



& 



* Those who wish for accurate information respecting the rearing of small 

 birds, may consult, with advantage, " A Treatise on British Song-Birds, " by 

 Mr Sime, in 1 vol. 8vo. Edin. 1828. 



