THE STARLING. 101 



Starling responded by flapping her wings and answering 

 as of old. I held out a mealworm which she took and 

 ate with considerable appetite and while she was dis- 

 posing of a second one I caught her by a rapid move- 

 ment of my left hand, and, in spite of her remonstrances, 

 consigned her once more to " durance vile". She did 

 not like it, I think, for she flew up and down foj some 

 time, but finally settled down on the edge of the 

 crock where the gentles were kept and had a good feed 



Of course, after that I took some pains when going 

 into the aviary to guard against the Starling getting 

 out again, and was making inquiries for a tame mate 

 for her, when one day off she flew once more and that 

 time for good at least I never saw her again to 

 my knowledge, though she may have been one of 

 several that used to come on the grass every day 

 during the ensuing winter, to feed on the varied scraps 

 that were placed there for their special benefit. 



I have no doubt, could I have left the door of the 

 aviary open, that "Jack" would soon have got into 

 the habit of going out and returning of her own accord, 

 and would, perhaps, have brought her handsome male 

 acquaintance with her, and have set up housekeeping 

 in the vicinity of the gentle-crock, but on account of 

 the other birds I could not do so, and as she resented 

 being shut in against her will she decided not to return 

 after getting out for the second time, which was ungrateful 

 on her part, and somewhat foolish, too. 



