BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 271 



two of them are invariably less marked than the 

 remaining four. Size about 1/65 by 1-3 in. 



Time. April, May and June, depending some- 

 what upon a southern or northern district. 



Remarks. Resident. Note: alarm, a harsh 

 scream. Local and other names : Pigeon Hawk. 

 A close sitter. I have known the hen return to 

 the nest and continue to sit even when badly 

 wounded. 



STARLING. 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about eight 

 and a half inches. Bill rather long, nearly straight, 

 and yellow, except at the base, where it is light 

 bluish-grey. Irides brown. The head, neck, and 

 upper-parts are black, glossed with purple-green 

 and steel-blue ; the feathers of the head and neck 

 are very slightly tipped with huffish- white ; those 

 of the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts are tipped 

 with larger spots of the same colour. Wing and tail- 

 quills greyish-black, edged outwardly with huffish- 

 white ; breast and belly black, glossed with purple 

 and steel-blue ; vent and under tail-coverfcs black, 

 tipped and edged with buffish-white, lighter than 

 on the back. Legs, toes, and claws reddish-brown. 



The female is not so bright as the male, either 

 in her plumage or bill. 



Situation and Locality. Fissures and crevices 

 in cliffs, holes in the gables of old houses, stables, 

 and barns ; in ruins, under eaves, in hollow trees, 

 and sometimes even amongst the loose sticks forming 

 the foundation of a Book's nest. Our illustrations 

 represent a hollow apple-tree, in which a pair of 

 Starlings breed every year. During 1894, three 

 clutches of six, six, and five eggs respectively, were 



