STARLING. 19 



others are grayish-white, thickly freckled with pale ash- 

 brown. Average measurement, i'35 inch in length, by 

 ro inch in breadth. Incubation, performed chiefly by 

 the female, lasts eighteen days. 



DIAGNOSTIC CHARACTERS : The size, abundance, and 

 smallness of the uniformly distributed markings and 

 their brown colour readily distinguish the eggs of the 

 Magpie from all allied species breeding within the 

 British area. 



Family STURNID^). Genus STURNUS. 



STARLING. 



STURNUS VULGARIS, Linnaus. 

 Double Brooded. Laying season, April to June. 



BRITISH BREEDING AREA: Widely distributed, and 

 breeds more or less abundantly throughout England 

 and Wales, becoming the least abundant perhaps in the 

 more thinly-populated districts of Wales. In Scotland 

 it has increased in numbers, and extended its range to 

 such a very remarkable extent during the past half- 

 century, that it may now be said to breed in every suit- 

 able locality. It also breeds throughout the Hebrides 

 (including St. Kilda), and in the Orkneys and Shetlands. 

 In Ireland it becomes much more local during the 

 breeding season, being there most widely distributed 

 and most abundant, especially in the south, during 

 winter. 



BREEDING HABITS : The Starling is another life- 

 paired species, and returns annually to its old nesting- 

 place ; indeed, like the Rook, it may, in a great many 

 .instances, be seen to visit its nesting-site from time to 



