78 OUR BRITISH SONG BIRDS. 
The Tree Pipit has a much more powerful and varied 
song—many of his notes being very loud and clear—and 
he delights to soar from the summit of some tall tree, such 
as an ash or an elm, and after hovering awhile in the air, 
descends to the same branch, and there finishes his song. 
Another bird about which I should like to say a few 
words is the Starling. 
The Starling is not usually considered much of a vocalist, 
and I must confess that at one time I did not think very 
highly of his musical powers myself. His song consists of 
a collection of harsh, distinct sounds, sometimes loud and 
shrill, and sometimes soft and gurgling, like the babbling of 
a brook; but, in my opinion, his grotesque manner of 
delivery amply compensates one for any lack of melody. 
Very often, particularly during the courting season, he 
accompanies his efforts with much flapping and shuffling of 
his wings, which, combined with his expanded throat, give 
him a truly comical appearance. 
The Starling is heard at its best when singing in com- 
pany, and strange as it may seem, although the voice of 
each individual alone is hardly worth attention, the effect 
of the whole band is exceedingly pleasing and unique 
amongst our native birds. It is during the fall and Winter 
that these performances are heard at their best, more 
especially in the evening when the flocks assemble amongst 
the willows to couch for the night. The grandest bird- 
concert that it was ever my good fortune to hear, occurred 
about the middle of January, 1887. A friend and myself 
were walking in some fields which abbuted upon a coppice 
with a thick undergrowth of briars and rushes. It was 
about four o’clock in the afternoon, when we noticed a 
magnificent elm tree at the far end of the copse, whose 
branches were most thickly covered with a multitude of 
Starlings, all energetically whistling. We had not watched 
them for more than a minute or two before a large detach- 
