Birds in Winter. 



ONE of the most interesting features in bird-life in 

 chilly winter days is the disposition of certain 

 species to live together in companies. The rooks, 

 the jackdaws, the lapwings, the starlings, and others are 

 noteworthy for this peculiarity, the last-named especially 

 so. Those who take any interest at all in the countryside 

 cannot fail to have observed how very obtrusive these 

 sombre feathered folk are at the colder periods of the year. 



Starlings, moreover, have increased in numbers more 

 rapidly than any other bird, unless it be the sparrow. 

 People who are by no means in the "sere and yellow 

 leaf" can remember when the starling's nest was a 

 novelty; now the birds are to be found everywhere, and 

 they behave in a manner quite unlike their neighbours, 

 presenting a subject of interest and study to which the 

 ornithologist has given not a little attention. From this 

 it need not be assumed that the starling is wiser than his 

 congeners, though if there are degrees of intelligence 

 among birds this familiar specimen will not suffer by 

 comparison, his movements often suggesting method and 

 purpose. To understand and explain why the starling 

 acts as he does is as difficult as are bird problems 

 generally. 



The average town dweller need not go far afield to see 

 bird life in all its varied activities, and the remark applies 

 particularly to the starling, which delights in human 

 companionship so obviously that he haunts our domestic 

 roofs and chimney-stacks when no other bird, except the 

 sparrow, will deign to come near, 



99 



H 2 



