STURNUS VULGARIS 121 



of that species, which was certainly an incorrect conclusion, 

 so I did not give it a name until 1894. In the meantime, 

 Dr. Keichenow, in 1893, described his Htilhopsar stuJihiiaiuii, 

 and writes in his Vog. Afr. ii. p. 707 : " Possibly S. kenricki 

 is only a young specimen of S. stuhlmanni." He corrects 

 this determination in his Appendix (1905), and I may add 

 that the known range of P. keiiricJii and P. atalibnanni is 

 as yet distinct. 



Genus X. STUENUS. 



Bill straight and pointed, as broad as deep at the nostrils, blackish 

 during winter and changing into yellow for the breeding season ; nasal 

 apertures exposed, with a distinct overhanging membrane. Wings pointed. 

 Tail short and square, not half as long as the wing. Tarsi, feet and 

 claws brown and of moderate size. 



Type. 



Siurnus, Linn. S. N. i, p. 290 (1766) S. vulgaris. 



The genus belongs to the Western PaUearctio and Indian regions. 



Sturnus vulgaris. 



Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. S. N. i. p. 290 (1766) Europe; Dresser, B. Eur. 

 iv. p. 405, pis. 216, 217 (1874); Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 27 (1890); 

 W. L. Sclater, Ann. S. Afr. Mus. iii. pp. 307, 366 (1905). 



Adult. Feathers of the head and neck lanceolate ; general plumage 

 glossy black, with violet and green reflections ; feathers of head, neck and 

 body more or less distinctly tipped with buff; greater series of wing- 

 coverts, quill and tail nearly uniform brown, with paler edges to the 

 feathers. Iris brown ; bill brown, excepting in males during the breeding 

 season, when it is pale yellow ; feet brown. Total length 7'5 inches, 

 culmen l-l, wing 5-0, tail 2-75, tarsus 1-2. 



Young. General plumage dull brown, with some white towards the 

 chin and broad whitish edges to the feathers of the under parts. Iris, bill 

 and feet brown. 



The Common Starling is a native of Europe, ranging in 

 winter into North Africa, Syria and Persia, and has been 

 introduced into South Africa. 



