THE STARLING 131 



There can be no doubt that starlings do swallow vegetable matter. 

 In the stomachs of five adult specimens examined by Mr. Newstead 

 blades of grass, in one case a quantity, were found, and a "large 

 quantity of fragments of plant remains" were identified by him in 

 the fieces of nestlings. 1 



The building of the nest is the work of both sexes, at least as a 

 general rule. The cock has been observed both to help in incubation 

 and to bring food to the hen when she is sitting. He also helps to 

 feed the young, though, according to one observer, this is not always 

 the case. 2 



Something of the extent and nature of the diet enjoyed by young 

 starlings may be gathered from the following account by Mr. Newstead. 

 " During a total period of seventeen hours, representing approximately 

 the hours of one day during which food was collected for the young, 

 (at least) 1G9 journeys were made to the nest." The food brought 

 consisted of 275 insects, of which 269 were injurious to man, 30 earth- 

 worms, 14 slugs and snails, 1 centipede, 1 woodlouse, 9 harvest spiders 

 23 lots of bread, 19 lots of what appeared to be garbage from a 

 kitchen midden, and 10 lots of unidentified insects. This leaves 

 little doubt as to the value of the starling during the breeding 

 season. 3 



The young starlings that received this liberal diet were, Mr. 

 Newstead observed, fed, at least on four occasions, by three adults 

 (two males and one female), all three arriving at the nest almost simul- 

 taneously. What was the actual extent of the help given by the 

 third bird was not ascertained. 4 In a similar case noted, the third 

 bird proved unwelcome, and was again and again chased away, only 

 to return with food for the young. 5 On other occasions three birds 

 have been seen to share in the building of the nest. On one, the 



1 Food of Some British Birds. Board of Agriculture, pp. 57, 58, 60. 



2 R. Kearton, Wild Life at Home, p. 76. 



3 Food of Some British Birds. Board of Agriculture, p. 61. 



4 Newstead, op. cit., p. 61. 



5 Zoologist, 1896, p. 388. 



