106 



Pictures of Bird Life 



of " accidental " ^'isitors arc iniiiia- 

 ture : in fact, from a list furiiislied 

 by him to JNJr. Cordeaiix, an oAcr- 

 whelniing majority were adults, and 

 in a letter to the Zoologist. INIay, 

 1898, lie writes : " Ornithologists 

 ouoht to oive up the worn-out myth 

 of inexperienced youno- birds de- 

 pendent on the teaching and guidance 

 of their experienced parents ; for the 

 moment tlie young are tolerably well 

 able to take care of themselves parents and young separate, 

 and become total strangers to each other. 'J'lie first perfect 

 plumage of tlie latter being completed, in a few weeks they 

 start of their own accord, and entirely by tliemsehes, on 



their first 



Starling (Stiiniits viilgans). 



Starling visiting Nest in Old Woodpecker's Hole. 



migratory 

 excursion ; 

 w li i 1 s t 

 many of 

 tlie parent 

 birds de- 

 ^'()tc tlieni- 

 s e 1 \' e s to 

 a second 

 l)ro()d,orat 

 all events 

 luue to go 



