THE STARLING. 193 



Before the destruction of the tall evergreens at Paxton 

 House and Ay ton Castle, by the severe winters of 1878-1881, 

 they were frequented by immense flocks of Starlings at 

 night, and the shrubberies about Mordington House were 

 likewise a favourite resort in the autumn of the former 

 year. Mr, Loney, Marchmont, has been so good as to send 

 me a very interesting account of the roosting of the Starling 

 in the evergreens there, in the autumn of 1885 and 1886, 

 in which he says : — " A belt of common laurel, with an 

 uncut beech hedge fifteen feet high, was their favourite place 

 for the night. It was no uncommon sight to see twelve or 

 more birds on a beech bough about two feet long, and when 

 they settled down, as they usually did, in large masses, the 

 hedge seemed as if it were lowered two feet by their 

 weight. The chattering which they made was very great ; 

 sometimes they would all stop at once, and remain silent for 

 a minute or two, and then, on what appeared to be a pre- 

 concerted signal, they would resume their chorus, which, on 

 the hands being clapped, would again instantly cease. As 

 they were becoming a nuisance, a man was employed with 

 a gun to fire blank cartridges at them, to try to drive them 

 away ; but they got so accustomed to this, that they would 

 rise on the gun being fired, and fly round and round several 

 times in a body, and again alight in their old quarters. 

 They left about the end of October, only a few birds 

 remaining through the winter. In the autumn of 1886 

 they arrived on the 20th of August, nearly a month earlier 

 than in 1885, and in greatly increased numbers. Not only 

 did they take possession of their old roostiug-place, but also 

 of the laurels to the west of Marchmont House. Here a 

 number of pheasants roosted, but the advent of the Starlings 

 did not seem to disturb them in the least. Very early in 

 the mornings the whole of the Starlings commence their 

 chattering almost simultaneously ; this continues for a 

 VOL. I. N 



