IT 



ST0RNID.E. 



Mr. Vigor*, who assign* to the Sturnidit a pUoe between the 

 PritiffUlida nd the Corridor, in his Coniro*/r, observes that this 

 family embrace* a considerable number of groups, approaching each 

 other in their gregarious and migratory habits. They are, he remarks, 

 found in erery part of the globe united in large 6ocks, carrying destruc- 

 tion among the cultivated fields, and following herds of cattle for the 

 lake of the insect-i or grain* which they may piok up from their bodies 

 or in their neighbourhood. " In addition to the American genu> 

 Jetaiu," continues Mr. Vigors, " and the contiguous genera Catricn* 

 and Xanlliornia of H. Brisson, together with Pcndulintu, Vieillot, and 

 several corresponding groups, we may observe the genus Amblyram- 

 fJtvi, I -each, united to the family, as also the Buphaga, I.innteur, and 

 Pattor and Lamprolornw, which M. Temminck has separated from the 

 Thrushes. The whole of the family, united by their manners and the 

 straight and conical form of the beak, the ridge of which passes back 

 to some extent over the forehead, may be observed, by those who 

 cast even a casual glance over the three adjoining group*, to hold an 

 intermediate rank between the weaker conformation of the PringiUida 

 and the more powerful structure of the Corrida." And he passes into 

 the family of Corrida by the genus ffucifraga. [NuciFBAGA.] 



Mr. Swainson divides the family into five groups or sub-families. 



Sturnida. Starlings. 



Size smaller than that of the Corridit. Stature less robust. Bill 

 angulated at the base ; the upper mandible entire. Lateral toes 

 equal (Sw.) 



Sub-Family Stamina 1 . 



Bill in the form of a lengthened cone, longer than the head ; the 

 commissure with an acute angle at the base. 



Slurnta, Linn. Bill depressed from the base as fur as the tip, which 

 is slightly infiVxed, and obsoletely notched ; culmen convex aud 

 rounded. Wings lengthened, pointed ; the first quill minute and 

 spurious; the second and third longest. Tail short, divaricated, 

 reet moderate, terrestrial ; the lateral toes equal ; the middle toe as 

 long as the tanus ; hinder toe shorter. The Conirostral type. (Sw.) 



.S. ruJgarlt, the Common Starling, the Stare. This bird is too well 

 known in Great Britain to need description. It is one of the hand- 

 somest of our birds, and is a general favourite. It is intelligent, 

 sprightly, ha* a retentive memory, and when kept in confinement the 

 males learn to whistle tunes and imitate some of the sounds of the 

 human voice. They are nocial, living in flocks throughout the greater 

 portion of the year. The Starling builds in church steeples, tinder 

 eaves, and in hole* of houses, towers, or ruins. The nest is made of 

 slender twig. The eggs are four or five in number, of a delicate pale 

 blue, 1 inch 2 lin-s in length by 10 lines in breadth. Their food con- 

 sists of worms, insects, and snails. They are frequently seen in 

 meadows starching for food amongst cattlu and sheep. They some- 

 times eat berries and grain. They occasionally congregate together in 

 prodigious numbers in shrubberies and plantations. 



The Starling is common in almost every part of the United 

 Kingdom. It is found in the north of Europe, and as far eaat as 

 Kepaul, the Himalaya Mountains, Calcutta, China, and Japan. It 

 has been seen in Africa as far south as the Cape of Uood Hope. 



^ 



llr>a ud Foot of Stalling (Sturtut tulfarlt). 



Fatior, Temm. Dill depressed only at the base, comprefped beyond ; 

 culmen slightly bent ; tip of the upper mandible deeply notched ; 

 commissure distinctly angulated at the base ; no-trila large, feathered 

 Wings moderate in length, amide in breadth ; first quill very minute, 

 the second nearly equal to the third. Tail short, broad, rounded 

 Feet very Urge snd strong : middle toe as long as the tanus ; hinder 

 li'rt-r; lateral toes equal; claws somewhat slender, acute, but not 

 much curved. 



P. rottui, the Pone-Coloured Ouzel. This bird is nn accidental 

 vUitor in the British Island*. Like the Common Starling, it has a 

 wide geographical range. It is very numerous in various parts of 



Hindustan. It inlmbiti Syria, Egypt, and Africa. It flies in flocks, 

 and has many of the habits of the Common Starling. 



The adult male has a beak of a yellowish rose-colour ; the head, 

 neck, wings, and tail hlsck, glowed with violet-blue ; the feathers on 

 the head elongated so as to form a flowing crest ; the back, scapulars, 

 and rump of a delicate rose-colour ; the chin, throat, and front of the 

 neck, black ; breast, sides, and abdomen, like the back, of rose-colour ; 

 thighs and under tail-coverts black ; legs and toes yellowish-brown ; 

 claws darker brown. (Yarrell.) 



Croatia, Auct [CoRACUS.] 



Acridothtrct, Vieill. General structure of Pallor; but the whole 

 of the head entirely naked, and furnished with fleshy crests and 

 wattles ; nostrils large, naked. Feet moderate. Tail even. Bill very 

 wide at the base. The Tenuirostral type. (Swainson.) Ex. A. carun- 

 culatiu. 



O.rytlomiu, Sw. Bill much lengthened, longer than the head ; the 

 sides are compressed ; culmen flattened, nearly straight, and angulnted 

 on each side, the base advancing very far upon the bend and dividing 

 the frontal feathers ; nostrils placed in a large depression towards the 

 base of the bill. Wings very short and considerably rounded Tail 

 moderate, rounded ; all the feathers, and the secondary quill-, ending 

 in setaceous points. Legs long and robust; tarsus much longer than 

 the middle toe ; lateral toes unequal, the inner shortest. It is 

 native of the Pacific Islands. The Scansorial type. (Sw.) Ex. 0. carun- 

 culutut. 



Sub-Family Lamprotornina. Grakles. 



Bill thrush-like, compressed ; the culmen curved from the base. 

 Lateral toes uneqaul. 



Ptilonor/iynchus. Size large. Bill short, very thick, convex above ; 

 both mandibles distinctly notched ; nostrils placed half-way between 

 the gape and the tip, partly concealed by the short thick-set feathers 

 of tue front, which lie on the basal half of the bill. Wings rather 

 short, rounded; the first and second quills graduated; the third 

 shorter than the fourth and fifth, which are the longest. Tail 

 moderate; the feathera broad, their tips truncated. Feet ambulating, 

 large, and very strong ; middle toe and tarsus of equal length ; hinder 

 toe very strong, but much shorter; lateral toes unequal, the outer 

 longest, and united to the middle as far as the first joint. It is a 

 native of Australia. (Sw.) Ex. P. holotericeut. 



Lamprotornit, Temm. (Grakle). Bill thrush-like, compressed its 

 whole length ; culmeu curved from the base to the tip ; upper man- 

 dible notched ; commissure slightly curved ; nostrils midway between 

 the tip aud the gape, naked, but with the frontal feathers reaching to 

 their base. Wings long, ample ; the first quill spurious ; the third, 

 fourth, and fifth of equal length, and longest. Tail short, even, 

 rounded, or (as in the Uasori.il type) considerably lengthened and 

 cuneated. Feet very large and strong ; middle toe and tarsus equal ; 

 hinder strong, but much shorter ; lateral toes unequal (Sw.) Ex. 

 L. ptilonorhynchiu. (' Birds of West Africa,' i. 140.) 



Sub-Family ScajMdurina. Boat-Tails. 



Bill of a very lengthened conic shape, entire, and compressed ; the 

 culmen slightly curved. Tail graduated, the sides reflected upwards, 

 or boat-shaped Feet strong. (Sw.) 



A si rapid. [CORVID&l 



frajAidura, Sw. Bill longer than the head, conic ; both mandibles 

 equally thick ; the base of the culmen broad, flattened, and advancing 

 very far on the front of the head ; commissure angulated at the base, 

 and sinuated ou the sides ; nostrils basal, placed in a small triangular 

 hollow on the aides, the membrane obsolete. Wings lengthened, 

 pointed ; the first quill longest Tail moderate, graduated, boat- 

 fthaped. Feet strong ; middle toe and tarsus of equal length ; hinder 

 toe much shorter ; inner toe hardly shorter than the outer. It is a 

 native of South America. (Sw.) Ex. S. Barita. 



Quucalta, Viuill. Bill longer than the head, compressed. Both 

 mandibles equally thick. Culmen slightly curved, and compressed 

 from the base, where it simply divides the frontal feathers, without 

 being dilated. Commissure considerably sinuated. Nostrils broad, 

 naked ; the aperture round Wings moderate, somewhat pointed ; 

 the first two quills slightly shorter than the third and fourth, which 

 are the longest. Tail rather lengthened, much graduated, boat- 

 shaped ; tips of the lateral feathers truncated. Feet large, strong. 

 Middle toe and tarsus equal ; hinder toe shorter ; inner toe scarcely 

 shorter than the outer. America. (Sw.) Ex. Q. rerticolor. 



Scolecophagtu, Sw. Bill shorter than the head, straight, slender ; 

 the margin inflexed, but not sinuated. Wings moderate, pointed; 

 the first quill rather shorter than the second. Tail divaricated, flat, 

 anil slightly rounded. Legs lengthened, slender, formed for walking. 

 Middle toe and tarsus of equal length; hind-r toe shorter; lateral 

 toes of equal length. Claws slender, acute, slightly curved. (Sw.) 

 Ex. S. fcrrugineui. 



Sub-Family Ictcrina. Hang-Nest*. 



Bill completely conic, entire, rather shorter than the head, either 

 straight or with both mandibles slightly bent. Feet formed for 

 grasping. The claws thick, broad, and much curved. (Sw.) 



CVurictu, Oaudin (Cassicans). Bill rather longer than the head 

 the base thick, very convex, and enlarged into a broad oval plate 



