THE STARLING 273 



immediately the babel of sounds is renewed. This 

 noisy chorus is kept up long after the birds have 

 settled for the night ; indeed all night long some of 

 the birds are chattering and scolding. As soon as 

 the new year opens Starlings begin to assemble at 

 their breeding-places for a short time each day, and 

 as the spring approaches these visits become more 

 prolonged, the flocks disband, and the birds begin 

 to settle down for the serious business of the season. 

 It is now that the song of the Starling is perhaps 

 heard at its best. The bird might almost be classed 

 as a perennial songster, for he warbles at intervals 

 through the year, but he sings most industriously in 

 spring. Taking his station upon some tree, chimney, 

 or roof he warbles by the hour together, with little 

 break, accompanying his song with quivering droop- 

 ing wings, and every feather elevated in nervous 

 excitement. His song is almost as varied as that of 

 the Song Thrush, has a good deal of repetition 

 about it, and harsh notes and sweet ones are mixed 

 up together in most extraordinary confusion. Some 

 of these notes are melodious, others are creaking, 

 chattering, and harsh, but the vigorous and per- 

 sistent method of their utterance goes far towards 

 making them pleasing and acceptable to the ear. 

 The Starling has also a curious way of introducing 

 the music or the cries of other birds into his song. 

 We have not another bird mimic in the country 

 a tithe so clever as he, as a mocking-bird with us 



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