Ornithology of the Var ^c. 383 



Starling. Sturnus vulgaris. " Etourneau/' 

 Said to be very abundant, but the only examples my son and 

 I saw were seven or eight in a bird-cage shop, which, from 

 having been a long time without turf to wear their beaks 

 down, had them elongated in a very unnatural way. 



Black Starling. Sturnus unicolor. 



Has occurred once at Draguignan in May {' Richesses 

 Ornithologiques/ p. 108) and at Marseilles in January 1879, 

 but there are still some persons who question its specific dis- 

 tinctness from S. vulgaris. 



Rose Pastor. Pastor roseus. 



Jaubert tells us that young birds are to be looked for in 

 June and July, and that there was a great migration to the 

 South of France of the adults in June 1837. I had a fair 

 specimen from Nice some years ago. 



Magpie. Pica rustica. '■' Pie ordinaire.^' 



In some parts of the Riviera P. rustica is almost unknown, 

 but assuredly there are no lack of these birds at Valescure. 

 Crespon considers that they are not migratory, in which he 

 does not agree with Duval- Jouve ; but I found one lying dead 

 on the shore, which was suggestive. They nest chiefly in 

 Finns maritima and P. pinea, laying six or seven eggs in May ; 

 yet on April 30th there was a "flyer" with a short tail, though 

 it may have been an old bird moulting. For some unknown 

 reason they arch their nests over, which seems an unnecessary 

 protection; and, judging from several in my garden, I am 

 quite of Vieillot's opinion that they make more nests than 

 they mean to use, though the Owls are glad of them. The 

 immunity from persecution of the " Agasso,^' as this long- 

 lived thief is here called, and its consequent abundance in 

 so many parts of France, is solely due to its being unfit to 

 eat, which is what the local gunner thinks about. 



This species is very destructive to the peasants^ vines, as 

 well as to melons, peas, and maize, also to young poultry, and 

 there are stories of its audacity in taking young birds hung 

 out in a cage. To this list of viands are to be added walnuts, 

 almonds, and apples ; but perhaps it makes some amends 



