98 THE BIRDS OF OXFOEDSHIRE. 



I did not hear that any Crossbills were noticed actually in 

 the county during the year 1888, when these birds were 

 observed in unusual numbers in different parts of Great 

 Britain^ but three were shot close to our borders at the end of 

 December ; of these, two were obtained near Lechlade, and 

 the third in the neighbourhood of Abiugdon. 



THE STARLING. '"^ 



Sturnus vulgaris. 



The Starling is an abundant and increasing resident^ 

 breeding in numbers in holes in trees and buildings, alike 

 in towns and villages, and in the fields and woods, and at 

 the close of summer gathering together in flocks which, 

 augmented by migratory individuals, haunt the meadows and 

 open country in mild weather from autumn to spring; in 

 severe seasons comparatively few remain during the winter. 

 The flocks sometimes seen in autumn are of vast size, and 

 in March again they are even larger still, especially if the 

 weather has been cold and stormy and the valleys flooded, 

 when, together with Rooks, Pewits, and Fieldfares, they fairly 

 blacken the meadows. 



The flocks roost often on the fallows, and in plantations, 

 and also in reed-beds, as at Clattercote Reservoir, Thither 

 they resort about sundown, and after flying backwards and 

 forwards over the water for a few minutes, and wheeling 

 about with the greatest rapidity, the flock suddenly descends, 

 and, as it were, pours into the reed-bed, whence instantly 

 arises the chatter of hundreds of tongues, mingled with 

 fluttering and shufiling of wings, which continues until all 

 have found a convenient roosting-perch, when silence reigns 

 again. Starlings do not usually leave their roost until broad 

 daylight, when the Lark has been on the wing a full hour. 



The enormous increase of this bird, not only here but 

 almost everywhere in England, has been generally remarked 

 upon. No bird does more good to the agriculturist, consum- 



