154 BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



beetles in all stages. It nests in hollow trees, crevices in 

 buildings and in bird houses. It is gregarious and, excepting 

 the breeding season, is usually found in flocks numbering 

 anywhere from a dozen to several hundreds. As its name 

 implies, this bird is a native of the old world, summering in 

 western and central Europe and wintering in Africa. 



The first starlings brought to this country were liberated in 

 Central Park, New York City, in 1890. A few other importa- 

 tions were made subsequently to other localities, but what 

 became of them is not known. They are now found in Mas- 

 sachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, 

 Pennsylvania, and, in winter, as far south as Virginia. Thus 

 far the starling has been on trial in America. As a destroyer 

 of insects it is undoubtedly useful. It has, however, some 

 undesirable traits which cause it to be regarded with suspicion. 

 For example : its gregariousness and its fondness for fruit are 

 an unfortunate combination. It goes without saying that gre- 

 garious birds are nomadic, as their numbers make it impossible 

 for them long to find sufficient food in one place. Such birds 

 sweep over the country and descend like a plague wherever 

 they discover food. If starlings continue to multiply as they 

 have during the past few years, the time is not distant when 

 flocks of hundreds, or even of thousands, will drift hither and 

 yon from orchard to orchard, from vineyard to vineyard in 

 late summer and early fall and commit unbearable depreda- 

 tions. Another reason for apprehension concerning this bird 

 is its habit of nesting in cavities, which makes it a competitor 

 of some of our most useful birds, as flickers, martins, tree- 

 swallows, bluebirds, crested-flycatchers and wrens. Already 

 complaints have been lodged against it on this score, and 

 the grievance must inevitably become increasingly acute. 

 Turning from probabilities to actualities, we find that the in- 

 troduction of this bird into Australia was followed by results 

 quite similar to the expectation suggested above. A writer 

 from Melbourne states that it attacks peaches, apricots, plums, 



