i8 OUR RESIDENT BIRDS 



trees, shrubberies, trained fruit trees, faggot piles, 

 amongst ivy, etc. 



Materials. Twigs, roots, coarse grass, leaves, moss, 

 &c., plastered with mud, and then lined with fine roots 

 and dead grass, which the Song Thrush never does. 



Eggs. Four to six. Greenish blue, closely spotted, 

 and mottled with red-brown. Variable ; might be 

 confounded with Ring Ouzel's, Fieldfare's, and possibly 

 Missel Thrush's, and Jay's. 



STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris). 



Generally distributed and abundant ; as ubiquitous 

 as the House Sparrow. 



Plumage. Glossy black, beautifully shot with green, 

 purple, violet, and Prussian Blue reflections, more espec- 

 ially on the head, mantle and breast ; feathers to upper 

 parts tipped with pale buff, under tail-coverts margined 

 with white. Bill yellow. Legs ruddy brown. Length 

 8 in. Female, less brilliant reflections, and spotted 

 below. Young, uniform greyish brown (hence Brown 

 Starling). 



Language. Song, contains certain phrases like the 

 notes of other birds. It is delivered in an energetic 

 manner, and is a conglomeration of whistling, hissing, 

 gargling, warbling, chattering, and squealing. It also 

 makes a noise like the snapping of fingers. During the 

 performance the head feathers become slightly erected, 

 the throat distended, and the wings quiver. Another 

 cry, probably that of anger, is a harsh " cah," whilst 

 that of alarm is a shrill reedy whistle. 



Habits. In autumn and winter Starlings congregate 

 in huge flocks. Flight straight and rapid. Fond of 

 aerial evolutions performed with wonderful precision, 

 especially when gregarious. On the ground it walks, or 

 runs hurriedly about with bobbing head, poking its bill 

 most indefatigably into every likely hole for food. It 



