in LETTERS TO MARCO 19 



about and continually pecking up something, 

 the solitary thrush takes a few hops and 

 remains dead still, his head raised slightly ; 

 on perceiving his worm, or whatever it is, 

 he makes a sudden hop to the spot and 

 then proceeds to extricate it, giving it a 

 number of masticating pecks before swallow- 

 ing. Robins and blackbirds do the same, 

 all these birds being very silent, very swift 

 and observant, but doing everything with 

 a dead pause between. Not so the starling. 

 He bustles about pecking right and left 

 incessantly, which makes me think he feeds 

 not on worms, which wary creatures, having 

 such notice of the bird's proximity given 

 them, would easily escape by retiring into 

 their holes. Thrushes too are always alone 

 on the feed, whereas with starlings the more 

 the merrier. This flock-feeding saves a lot 

 of time spent in looking out for danger, as 

 the multitude of eyes in the skirmishing 

 party affords mutual safety to all, whereas 

 the solitary bird has to keep his eyes on 



