EARLY MAY 30 
hairs, and some feathers too, taking care to 
leave some bits sticking out, and there you 
have the nest. Perhaps, if: you have not 
seen the nest, you are well acquainted with 
it in another way, and have done anything 
but bless the builder of it when you have 
had the plumber’s bill for ‘two hours’ work 
upon the roof, the details thus: ‘To un- 
stopping gutter, cleaning out same, re-ar- 
ranging six slates, nails, materiais, and time.’ 
The bird, though mischievous perhaps, is 
handsome in his green-black coat, which has 
a fine blue sheen upon it, especially in bright 
sunshine. He is a well got up and groomed 
gentleman at all times of the year (Plate 
XVI). His somewhat sombre appearance is 
relieved by many grey-brown spots and bars 
of the same colour down the outside of the 
quills. The male and female are nearly 
alike. Often as a boy in Guernsey I have 
seen immense flocks of starlings in the winter, 
driven south on the approach of cold, though 
many remain in England all the year. Many 
times have I watched them (as others must 
