44 Bird-keeping. 



This Starling had a great enemy in the cat, who used 

 to steal his food whenever an opportunity offered. 

 The'bird would sometimes take his revenge by hiding 

 behind the window-curtains when the cat's-meat man 

 came to the door, and calling out " Not to-day " so 

 exactly like the cook as quite to deceive the man, who 

 would walk off in the full persuasion that the meat was 

 not wanted. 



The Starling's natural song is a melodious one, con- 

 tinued through the greater part of the year. 



The female has a less brilliant plumage than the 

 male, and has large white spots on the under part of 

 the body. She is a very affectionate mother, and Mr. 

 Wood relates an anecdote of one who carried off her 

 five young ones, one after another, from the thatch of 

 a burning barn to a place of safety. 



The young Starlings are brown, with patches of 

 purple and green after their first moulting. They do 

 not acquire their full plumage till after the second year. 

 White and buff-coloured varieties of the Starling are 

 not uncommon. 



In captivity, if not allowed the range of the house, 

 the Starling should have a large wicker cage at least 

 two feet long and twenty inches wide, or a round 

 domed one, in which his plumage will not be injured. 

 He must be well supplied with water for drinking and 

 bathing, and the cage must be kept very clean. 



The ROSE-COLOURED PASTOR (Pastor roseus). 



