34 



Eggs. 



Breeding 



Season. 



Measure- 

 ments. 



at any part of its range. The foundation of the nest consists of dead 

 sticks, upon Avhich is a superstructure of fir twigs, heather, dry roots, 

 grass, etc., the interior Hning consisting in some cases of dry grass, in 

 others of hair and wool, with a few feathers of the bird. Diameter of nest 

 about 11 in., of cup 6 in. 



In Spain, the Alps and the Balkan peninsula the number of eggs is 

 4 or 5, but Neweklowsky and Reiser found 3 the maximum on the Otscher- 

 hohlen, while broods of 2 only were common. The ground colour varies 

 as in the case of P. pyrrhocorax (L.), and the markings are also similar 

 in character and equally variable. The broAvn markings however are never 

 quite so rufous as in some varieties of Chough's eggs, and there appears 

 to be less tendency to form a zone at the big end, while some eggs are 

 almost devoid of surface markings, and only show a few violet-grey under- 

 lying blotches on a whitish ground. A black streak is also sometimes 

 but rarely present. 



Reliable data as to the breeding season are rather scanty. In Spain eggs 

 have been taken in May; in Switzerland from the end of April to mid- 

 June (Fatio), while the young leave the nest by the end of June. On the 

 Otscherhohler Reiser gives May 1 1 as the average date, but some (probably 

 older) birds have eggs by the end of April, while a nest on the Balkans 

 contained young a few days old on June 5. In Greece the breeding season 

 is perhaps earlier. Kriiper surmised that the laying time was the beginning 

 of April or even the end of March, but fresh clutches have been taken 

 on Parnassus as late as May 20. 



Average of 45 eggs (28 by the author, 8 by Rey, 5 by Reiser and 4 by 

 "Konig-Warthausen) 38.29 x 26,44 mm.. Max, 41.8 X 26.4 and 38 x 28.5 mm., 

 Min. 34.3 x 25.3 and 39.5 x 21.5 mm. Average weight of 8 eggs 847 mg., 

 varying from 650 to 960 mg. (Rey). 



STURNIDAE. 



13. Common Starling, Sturnns Tulgaris L. 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab, XXXVIII, fig, 1, a— b. Hewitson, 

 I. Ed, I, pi. IX; II, Ed. I, pi. XLVH, fig. 1; III. Ed, I, pi. LV, fig. 1. Baedeker, 

 Tab. 50, fig. 12. Taczanowski, Tab. XXXIII, fig. 2, Seebohm, Brit. Birds, 

 pi. 11; id. Col. Fig., pi. 54. Frohawk, Br. Birds, II, pi. VI, fig. 210—213. 



British Local Names: England: Stare, Shepster or Sheepstare, 

 Starnel, Gyp; Brotvn Starling (juv.). Welsh: Drudwy. Scotland: Stirlin\ 

 Shetland: Sta^'n. Erse: Dridh or Drid-yogne. 



