4IO 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



to llu' iKirdcis of ciilli\aliun as wiiilcT ailvanccs, 

 and in very seven" weather retiring even to the 

 Lowhuuls. It is prohable that a few seattereil 

 ])airs l)ree(i on some of the higher mountain 

 ranges of Seolland, hut sueh instances are so 

 rare Uiat we can only look upon tlie bird as a 

 winter \isitor. In tlie lireeding season its 

 general colour above is black : the wings are 

 black, with the primaries at the base and coverts 

 white; the tail is- black except the outer 

 feathers, which are white, tipped with black : 

 the head, neck and under-body are white. 

 The female is similar to the male, but the 

 black is not so dense, the feathers being fringed 

 with greyish-white. In their winter plumage 

 the (lark parts and even a portion of the white 

 are fringed with pale chestnut, and it is chiefly 

 while clothed in this colour that we see it. It 

 is ratlicr I'eslless in a cage, and not so lasily 

 tamed as some of the other s])ccies. though 

 wlun once confidence is gained some specimens 

 become fairly steady, and then make useful 

 birds for exhibition. The cages and diet recom- 

 mended for tlie otber Buntings answer well. 



The La|>land liunling. C.cilriiriiifi Uiiipuninis 



(Shiirpc). is almost entirely a Northern si)ecies 



of both hemispheres, but an 



The Lapland occasional visitor to our 



Bunting. • , ■ ■ ■, i 



islands has gi\cn it a place 



in the British list. The general colour alHi\e 

 is l)lackish-brown tinged with yellowish-grey, 

 with the greater wing-coverts and secimdary 

 (luills blackish-brown, deiply maigined with 

 chestnut, the lips being while; the primaries 

 are dusky with pale edges ; the tail is dusky, 

 the exterior feathers having the outer web and 

 half the inner one sullied-white ; the next 

 feathers are markcil willi a small, wedge- 

 shaped white spot mar the tip. The head, 

 throat, and u|)i)er portion of the breast are 

 black, relieved liy a iviargin of white running 

 into the creamy-white of the under parts. The 

 female has not the black head and rufous 

 collar on the ni'ck. In winter these birds arc 

 of a sandy rufous colour. They are ([uite safe 

 for either cage or aviary, and soon become 

 very tame. They should he kept in similar 

 cages and fed as the other Buntings. 



CHAPTER XL 



STARLINGS. CROWS. LARKS, WOODPECKERS. ETC. 



Family Sturnid.e.— The Starlings, like the 

 Crows, are " ground walkers," using a walking 

 step instead of •■ hops," like most passerine 

 birds, bid only one of this family concerns us. 

 The Common Starling. Stiirnus I'lilf/aris 

 (I. inn.), is a connnon resident Ihi-oughout the 

 Ihilisli Isles, and is ia]iiilly 

 The Common |,cconiiiig more so. I'jiomious 

 Starling. n,,cks from abroad also arrive 



in Ihe autimin, sometimes pouring into our 

 eastern c(jasls for days together. This bird is 

 found tliroughoul I'luope in llu' summci-, and 

 is a winter \ isitor to t lu' Meililci-iancan count ii<'s. 

 There is no need lo describe this bli'd uunulely, 

 for its black body with a pred(nninance of 

 |)urple rellections intermingled with green and 

 violet, and Ihe li^lit fiinges to the liody realluis 

 causing a spanj^led appearaiui-. art' (|uile 

 sullicieni for its ideiit ilication. The gloss on 

 the female is never so biillianl as <ui the male, 

 and also shows more of the sand> loilV lips 

 which gi\e Ihe s])angled appearance to these 

 biids. It is very haiulsome, and is seen lo 

 advantage as il luns upon the lawn searching 

 for worms or inseits. .\n iideiiucdiate sijccics. 

 more heavily si)angled and ha\ing green ear- 

 coverts, is said to visit us, anti we have I'erlaiuly 



observed these dilTerences of colour. Starlings 

 build in hollow trees, holes in walls, under the 

 eaves of houses, ami often in (lo\e-coles. and we 

 have even found the nest in a corner on the 

 tloor of a bay-loft. 



TlKtugh its chattering kind of scieam is not 

 nuieh of a recommendation, the Starling is a 

 \ery nice pel. and, like most of this class, from 

 the breadth of its tongue, uia\ be laugh! to 

 whistle and talk with tolerably clear articulation. 

 It is a w(Ui(h'rful mimic, ami will often form 

 cuiious at taclimcnls. cspicially if alloweil to 

 roam the house. 'file Starling should lie fed 

 and lreale<l as Ihe Thrush, gixiiig fiuil as a 

 \aiialion, and garden worms are an es|)ecial 

 treat. .\ meal worm. wasp, or othei' grubs, 

 spiders, a few Hies, or an\- insects occasionally 

 will greally add lo Ihe biid's health and enjoy- 

 ment. The bath should be given daily. They 

 ale easilv liand reared on Ihe same food as 

 Thrushes, and Ihe saii.e cage answers well; 

 I hey can also be kipl in an a\iary. Starlings 

 are fretpiently seen at exhibitions, the Tliiush 

 show cage answering well, but coloured while 

 inside- and black out. l-lssential ]u iiils art- 

 even, aliundanl spangling, rich i-olours and 

 gloss, perf(-(-l plumage, and steadiness. 



