48 STURNID.E. 



the walls of the houses so low tliat it may be easily reached 

 with the hand, yet it is seldom disturbed by the people. 



The Starling is common over Scandinavia, and on the 

 Faroe Islands ; and from the North of Europe is found as 

 far east as Nepaul, the Himalaya Mountains, China, and 

 Japan. It is found also in the countries both north and 

 south of the Caucasian range ; in Persia ; at Trebizond, by 

 Keith Abbott, Esq., and at Smyrna by Mr. Strickland. It 

 inhabits both the northern and southern countries bounding 

 the Mediterranean ; and Mr. Gould, in his Birds of Europe, 

 says that it has been found in Africa as far south as the Cape 

 of Good Hope. As might be expected, it has been taken 

 at Madeira and the Canary Islands, and is reported to be 

 common at the Azores. Mr. Charles Darwin saw this bird 

 at Terceira, one of the Azores, in September 18S6. The 

 geographical range of this species appears, therefore, to be 

 very extensive. Its flight is vigorous and rapid. In progres- 

 sion on the ground the Starling walks by alternate steps with 

 each leg, like the Crows. 



Adult males in their third summer, having previously 

 moulted in two preceding autumns, have the beak yellow, 

 except close to the base ; the irides brown ; the head, neck, 

 back, and all the under surface of the body, almost black, 

 but varied with purple and green, which are reflected with 

 great brilliancy in different lights ; the feathers on the upper 

 part of the breast elongated and pointed ; those on the shoul- 

 ders partially tipped with buff colour ; the wing-coverts, 

 quill and tail feathers, greyish black, edged with pale red- 

 dish brown ; the legs dark reddish brown. 



The whole length of the bird eight inches and a half. 

 From the carpal joint to the end of the wing, five inches and 

 one-eighth : the first feather very short, not more than half an 

 inch in length ; the second feather the longest in the wing ; 

 the third but little shorter than the second ; the fourth one 



