296 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [Bull. 



through the rest of the state seems only a matter of time, it is 

 important for us to know whether we should welcome it, or are 

 receiving another undesirable immigrant. The evidence appears 

 on the whole to be adverse to the good character of this bird, 

 and is thus given by Dr. T. S. Palmer: " The Starling (Sturnus 

 vulgaris) of Europe and western Asia is one of the best-known 

 birds of the Old World, and during late years has been increasing 

 in numbers in the British Isles. It is sometimes accused of 

 stealing fruit and destroying nests and eggs of other birds, but 

 in its native home it seems to be beneficial rather than otherwise. 

 Comparatively little accurate information concerning its food 

 habits is available, except the results of an examination of 175 

 stomachs recently made in Scotland by Mr. John Gilmour. 

 According to this examination, the food consists of 75 per cent 

 insects, 20 per cent grain (mainly waste grain), and 5 per cent 

 miscellaneous substances. Some useful insects were eaten, but 

 the greater proportion were classed as injurious. The charge 

 of destroying eggs of larks, and occasionally young nestlings, was 

 not substantiated ; as no egg shells were found in these stomachs. 

 Mr. Gilmour calls attention to the rapid increase of starlings in 

 Fifeshire, thousands now existing where fifty or sixty years ago 

 they were considered rare; and mentions the serious damage 

 sometimes done to shrubs and young plantations when occupied 

 as roosting places, but concludes that on the whole the bird is 

 beneficial and worthy of protection." 



" Much has been said concerning the advantages of intro- 

 ducing the Starling into this country; but, in spite of the many 

 arguments brought forward, the bird's character is not above 

 suspicion, and its usefulness is still open to question. The fact 

 seems to have been overlooked that in other countries the Starling 

 has signally failed to fulfill the expectations concerning its use- 

 fulness. Certainly the experience of Australia and New Zealand 

 offers little encouragement. It was introduced in New Zealand 

 in 1867, and as early as 1870 was reported as ' becoming very 

 numerous.' It seems to have increased very rapidly; and, in 

 spite of its natural preference for insects, in its new home it has 

 adopted a fruit diet to such an extent as to become a great pest. 

 In South Australia it was reported to be common in certain 

 localities in 1894, and measures for its extermination were 



