208 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



" unrecorded habits of the StarUng" ; he says : " Whilst 

 saiHng on the Thames just belov/ Erith, on June 3 last 

 (1888), I was surprised to see some Starlings flying close 

 to the surface of the water, and picking up pieces of 

 bread floating there. When one had secured a piece, it 

 immediately made for land to eat it. I also noticed the 

 other day a Starling hawking for insects in much the 

 same manner as the Martin, flying around it ; so that 

 Starlings not only imitate other birds' notes, but also 

 their habits." Starlings appear to be very fond ;of sitting 

 on the outside dead branches of large elm trees and 

 hawking like Flycatchers ; a great many were observed 

 on one tree catching the winged ants which were 

 migrating. 



Starlings during the breeding season will take posses- 

 sion of every available position they can find for their 

 nests, and if possible, will stop a chimney, or the head 

 of a rain-water pipe, and when practicable, will get 

 under the roof, to the annoyance of the household. A 

 thatched roof affords a grand opportunity for the nesting 

 place, but as a rule they generally keep to the habitation 

 of man. 



Mr. E. J. Balston once found a Starling's nest in a 

 wooden case of a pump, the house being uninhabited at 

 the time. At Boxley Abbey he observed these birds 

 feeding their young, May 12, 1872 ; food was taken 

 twelve times during a quarter of an hour — 1.4.5 to 2 p.m. 

 — and excreta was removed about three times during that 

 period. Again, on the 13th, from 5.30 to 5.45 p.m., food 

 was taken five times. On the 17th he watched two nests 

 from 4.15 to 6 p.m. ; food was taken to the nest already 

 mentioned five times, and to the other seven times, 

 excreta was removed once from each during that time. 



