STURNIDZ. B17 
wing-coverts are pale brown; the under tail-coverts 
are the same colours as the rest of the under parts, 
but the feathers are rounder and rather broadly 
margined with white. Legs and toes dark reddish 
brown; claws dark horn-colour. The young birds 
of the year have the irides hght grey; the beak dark 
horn-colour, the upper parts are then of a uni- 
form dusky brown; the throat is white and there is a 
tinge of white on the belly: the quill-feathers and 
tail are dusky brown, with pale yellowish brown 
edges. In this state of plumage the Starling has been 
mistaken for other species. About August the young 
birds begin to assume the more mature plumage, 
and then present a very curious and mottled appear- 
ance, the glossy feathers of maturity breaking out, as 
it were all over the body; the head and neck seem 
to be the last parts to change. Varieties occasion- 
ally occur: one variety is described in the ‘ Zoolo- 
gist’ for 1865 as being of a beautiful cream-colour, 
with bright yellow margins to the feathers ; another 
as being a light grey; and another is described as 
being of a chestnut-brown colour throughout: but 
white and cream-colour are the most common varie- 
ties. 
The egg, which is rather large for the size of the 
bird, is a uniform pale light blue, without any spots 
or markings: in form it is rather long and slightly 
pear-shaped. 
