34 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus STURNUS L. 



Stubnus Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 167 (1758 — ^Type by tautonymy 

 — ace. to Opinion 16 Comm. Nomencl. — Sturnua vulgaris. Also by 

 subsequent designation, Stephens 1817). 



Bill flat, wide, straight, not very much pointed, about as 

 long as head. Nostrils reached by feathers of fore-head, but not 

 covered by them, protected by a membrane. Wings long and 

 pointed, first primary clearly visible, though very small, pointed 

 and stiff, about 10-20 mm. long. Tail short, straight, about half 

 as long as wing. Sexes alike, but young very different from adult, 

 in which feathers of head, neck, and chest are narrow, pointed, 

 and elongated, and plumage very glossy. 



All forms might be looked upon as subspecies of S. vulgaris, 

 though S. unicolor is generally treated as a different species. 

 S. vulgaris with about fifteen different subspecies. Europe, 

 north Africa, and greater part of Asiatic continent. 



STURNUS VULGARIS 



13. Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris L. — THE STARLING. 



Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 167 (1758 — 

 Europe, Africa. Restricted typical locality : S. Sweden). 

 Sttirnns vulgaris (Linnaeus), Yarrell, 11, p. 228 ; Saiuiders, p. 227. 



Description. — Adult mule. Winter. — Whole plumage blackish 

 with metaUic reflexions : feathers of upper-parts tipped buff, and 

 those of under-parts white. Crown and nape green (sometimes 

 tinged purple) ; mantle reddish-purple ; scapulars, back, rump, and 

 upper tail-coverts green and purple ; ear-coverts, cheeks, chin, and 

 throat green, merging to reddish-purple on upper- breast and sides 

 of neck ; breast bronze-green ; belly black and bronze-green ; 

 flanks blue-purple ; vent and under taU-coverts black sHghtly 

 glossed green and broadly margined grey or pale buff ; axiUaries 

 and under wing-coverts brown, margined and tipped pale buff ; 

 tail-feathers and primaries black-brown, edged and tipped buff 

 with very slight green gloss inside buff on outer webs ; secondaries 

 same but with wider and more brilliant edging of blue-green gloss ; 

 primary-coverts like primaries ; greater coverts like secondaries 

 but with more gloss ; median and lesser coverts blue-green, tipped 

 buff. Body-feathers especially on throat and breast long, tapering 

 and pointed. This plumage is acquired by complete moult begin- 

 ning sometimes in June. Summer. — ^No moult. Buff and grey 

 tips of featliers gradually A^ear off, making whole bird darker and 

 more glossj^, especially on crown and under-parts. 



Adult jerrmle. — Like male, but body-feathers shorter and 

 rather broader, not so sliarply pointed ; buff and grey tips being 

 thus larger, make female more spotted both in A\inter and summer 



