ROSE-COLOUR KD STARLING. 245 



as often in full plumage as not, and considering the early 

 time at which some of them so frequently arrive it may be 

 concluded that they have strayed from their comrades while 

 seeking a breeding-place and, overshooting their mark, have 

 continued that north-westerly course which seems natural 

 to them in the spring of the year *. Many of the examples 

 obtained in the British Islands have been observed feedingf 

 on cherries or other fruits, but as with the rest of its family 

 insects, and especially locusts and grasshoppers, form its 

 chief sustenance. In a general way, and with certain impor- 

 tant peculiarities to be presently noticed, it greatly resembles 

 our Starling in habits, but Saxby remarks that the actions of 

 a young bird, which he watched for some three hours among 

 a flock of Starlings, differed slightly from those of its asso- 

 ciates. It did not instinctively follow all their motions in 

 flight — as indeed may have been natural in a stranger — and 

 seemed to procure its food on the surface, in a careless way, 

 without boring the ground for it as they did. It ran with 

 greater speed, carrying its body more horizontally, and often 

 stood on a stone or other elevation. Its note was a little 

 like a Starling's but less harsh. 



Long known as this bird has beenf , little until of late 

 years was ascertained of its mode of propagation. It had 

 been supposed to breed occasionally in Italy, Switzerland 

 and Germany, but with respect to the first of these the 

 evidence is admittedly imperfect, and in regard to the two 

 last Dr. Stolker maintains (Bericht u.s.w. St. Gall, naturw. 

 Gesellsch. 1874-75, pp. 283, 284) that such as he was able 

 to cite is worthless. He however omits mention of three 

 instances recorded by Lord Lilford (Zool. p. 2968), who was 

 in 1850 shewn, by Dr. Linder of Geneva, eggs said to have 



* Mr. Gray, on the authority of Mr. John Wilson, says that in 1840 the bird 

 attempted to breed near Methlick in Aberdeenshire, but stronger evidence is 

 needed for the acceptance of the statement. 



f It seems to have been first described and figured by Aldrovandi, who, 

 although the birdcatchers of his country called it a Sea-Starling, thought it was 

 rather a Thrush, and so other writers, chiefly relying on the shape of its bill, 

 considered it to be. Scoi^oli appears to have been the first naturalist who 

 refen-ed it to the Starlings, and there can be no doubt he was rif,'ht. 



