246 THK FEAIHEKEI) TUlliKS. 



manner in the beginning of JMarcli. During the journey, these birds pass the night 

 among the rushes, where, on the least alarm, they make a great tumult. 



In confinement it would be very amusing to let thorn run free ; but let thena be ever 

 so neat themselves, they -^Nould render the room dirty. A\Tien caged, they must be fur- 

 nished vrith a cage at least two feet long, and one and a half both in height and width. 

 \'ery restless and always in motion, they require sufficient sjiace to take exercise and keep 

 their plumage uninjured. 



When wild they eat not only catei'pillurs, snails, worms, insects, and the flies which 

 torment the cattle in the field ; but also cherries, grapes, berries of all sorts, and different 

 sorts of grain, as millet and hemp seed. 



In confinement they eat meat, worms, bread, cheese, the universal paste, indeed any 

 food, provided it is not sour. When first caught, they are supplied witli earth and meal 

 worms, and they soon become as tame as if they had been brought wp from the nest ; but 

 as there is no rule without exceptions, we sometimes meet with individuals ■\\ho obsti- 

 nately refuse to eat, whatever jjaius may be taken to induce them, and \\luch die of 

 hunger. This bird delights in bathing often, it must therefore never be left without 

 fresh water in a proper vessel. 



The starling builds in the holes of trees, and even in boxes, or pots with long necks, 

 suspended to trees, or under the roof, or in pigeon houses. Its simple nest is composed 

 of dry leaves, hay, and foathei-s, Like the swallow, it returns to the same nest every 

 year, only taking care to clear it out. It lays twice in the year, seven eggs each time, 

 whose colour is ashy green. The young, before moulting, are of rather a yellowish soot 

 colour than pure black. The beak is dark bro^vn ; those which are bred from the nest, 

 and which are easily roared on white bread soaked in milk, repeat the airs thej^ are taught 

 in a stronger and more distinct manner than bullfinches and linnets. Tliej' can, indeed, 

 repeat a succession of couplets without changing or mixing them. In Yoigtlandc, the 

 peasants use the starling like domestic pigeons; they eat the yoimg, which they take 

 before thej* can fly : by this means they obtain three broods, but they do not touch the 

 last, both in order not to discourage and drive away the father and mother, and not to 

 diminish this branch of economy. Starlings have been seen to build in dwelling-houses, 

 in an earthen vase with a long neck, appropriated to the purpose. 



It is principally in autumn, and in places filled with reeds, that the bird-catchers take 

 great numbers of starlings in nets prepared for the purpose. They may also be procured 

 by means of an osier fish-net placed among the reeds, which they frequent in the evening, 

 and baited with cherries. Though tliis means is limited, as manj^ as a hundred have 

 been procured in one night. 



In Thuringia it is never attempted to catch tliem for the house, except in the month of 

 March, when snow falls after tlieir arrival. For this purpose, limed twigs are put in 

 places cleared from snow, and beside swampy ditches, with some earth-worms for a snare, 

 into which they fall as easily as chickens. The starling becomes wonderfully familiar in 

 the house ; as docile and cunning as a dog, he is always gay, wakeful, soon knows all the 

 inhabitants of the house, remarks their motions and air, and adapts himself to their 

 humours. In his solemn tottering stc]), he app(^ars to go stupidly forward ; but nothing 

 escapes his eye. lie learns to pronounce words without having his tcuiguo cut, wliich 

 proves the uselcssness of this cruel operation, lie rej)eats correctly tin? airs wliich are 

 taught liim, as docs also the female, imitates the cries of men and animals, and the songs 

 of all the birds in the room with him, It nuist bo owned that his accpurcmeuts are very 

 uncertain ; he forgets as fast as he learns, or he mixes up the old and tlic new in utter 

 confusion ; therefore, if it is wished to teach liim an air, or to pronounce some words 

 clearly and distinctly, it is absolutely necessary (o separate him from other birds and 

 animals, in a room where he can hear nothing. iS'ot oidy are the young susceptible of 



