594 



STURNUS. STARLING. 



joint. The claws are rather long, moderately arched, much 

 compressed, acute, their sides flat, with an obscure groove. 



The plumage is moderately full. The feathers along the 

 nasal groove are short, pointed, curved backwards. The wings 



Fig. 94. 



are of moderate length, rather pointed, the first quill extremely 

 small, being about a sixth of the length of the second, which is 

 a little shorter than the third ; the fourth scarcely shorter, the 

 rest graduated ; primary quills ten, narrowed towards the end ; 

 secondary seven, broad, the outer slightly emarginate, the inner 

 rounded. The tail is short, or of moderate length, slightly 

 rounded, and generally emarginate. 



The Starlings are generally birds of about the size of a com- 

 mon Thrush, gregarious, living on larvae, worms, insects, and 

 occasionally seeds. Their flight is rapid and direct, and they 

 walk with great ease, seeking their food on the ground. They 

 nestle in holes of trees, crevices of rocks and buildings, or in 

 convenient situations in high places generally. The species 

 belong to the old continent. Only two occur in Europe, of 

 w^hich one is generally distributed in Britain. 



