BRITISH BIBDS' NESTS. 271 



two of them are invariably less marked than the 

 remaining four. Size about 1*65 by 1"3 iu. 



Time. — April, May and June, depending some- 

 what upon a southern or northern district. 



Bemarls. — Resident. Note : alarm, a harsh 

 scream. Local and other names : Pigeon Hawk. 

 A close sitter. I have known the hen return to 

 the nest and continue to sit even when badly 

 wounded. 



STARLING. 



Description of Parent Birdn. — Length about eight 

 and a half inches. Bill rather long, nearly straight, 

 and yellow, except at the base, where it is light 

 bluish-grey. Irides brown. The head, neck, and 

 upper-parts are black, glossed with purple-green 

 and steel-blue ; the feathers of the head and neck 

 are very slightly tipped with huffish- white ; those 

 of the back, rump, and upper tail- coverts are tipped 

 with larger spot^ of the same colour. Wing and tail- 

 quills greyish-black, edged outwardly with huffish- 

 white ; breast and belly black, glossed with purple 

 and steel-blue ; vent and under tail-coverts black, 

 tipped and edged with buffish-white, lighter than 

 on the back. Legs, toes, and claws reddish-brown. 



The female is not so bright as the male, either 

 in her plumage or bill. 



Situation and Locality. — Fissures and crevices 

 in cliffs, holes in the gables of old houses, stables, 

 and barns; in ruins, under eaves, in hollow trees, 

 and sometimes even amongst the loose sticks forming 

 the foundation of a Rook's nest. Our illustrations 

 represent a hollow apple-tree, in which a pair of 

 Starlings breed every year. During 1894, three 

 clutches of six, six, and five eggs respectively, were 



