336 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Family STURNIDyE. Starlings. 

 Genus STURNUS Linnaeus. 



493. Sturnns xndgaris Linn. Starling. 



Plumage of summer adults : metallic purplish above, the feathers tipped 

 with huffy spots ; lower belly, under tail coverts, wings and tail brownish 

 gray edged with buff ; lower parts purplish ; bill yellow. Plumage of winter 

 adults : upper parts spotted with brownish buff ; under parts white-spotted ; 

 bill brownish. Wing 5.00 ; culmen 0.98 ; tarsus 1.18. 



Geog. Dist. — Europe and northern Asia ; accidental in Greenland and 

 Maine ; introduced near New York City. 



County Records. — Washington; Mr. Nichols shot one at Calais, May 4, 

 1889, (Boardman). 



The Starling is said to be a favorite cage bird in Europe. 

 They are said in the wild state to live in flocks, nesting in 

 holes in trees, eaves of houses, old towers, ruins, cliffs and 

 bird houses erected for their use. Mr. Chapman records them 

 as breeding in the roof of the Museum of Natural History in 

 New York, and states that they are walkers, not hoppers. 

 Four to six pale bluish eggs with granulated shells are laid, 

 the nest being of twigs, lined with straw and fine grasses. I 

 have four taken in Herefordshire, May 6, 1902, and they 

 measure 1.17x0.82, 1.14x0.84, 1.16x0.82, 1.15x82. 



The male is said to sing rather pleasingly, sitting on some 

 prominent perch with ruffled head and throat, shaking and 

 drooping his wings as he sings. The notes are said to be 

 sometimes harsh but on the whole the song is satisfactory. 

 Their food is said to consist of various insects as well as berries 

 and grain. 



Family ICTERID.^. Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 



Key to the species of ICTERID.E. 



A. Under parts with yellow or orange. 

 1. Wholly yellow or orange below. 



§. Tail feathers pointed ; above brownish, streaked or spotted with 

 black. Bobolink, (female and immature). 



