THE STARLING 133 



orchards are besieged. But it remains to be ascertained how far 

 the statement is true in all places and under all conditions. 1 



Gradually the various families in a given area tend to meet and 

 unite to form flocks, which may be seen flying about as early as the 

 middle of May, the young being easily recognisable by their uniform 

 greyish-brown plumage. The proportion of young and old in these 

 early flocks in any case the young preponderate depends no doubt 

 on the number of parents that go to rear a second brood. 2 Sooner 

 or later the flocks retire each night to the common roosts already 

 described. 



A word in conclusion on the notes of the starling. The usual 

 alarm- or warning-note is the harsh "krrrrf" which may be heard 

 when the bird is disturbed. I have heard this followed by a sound 

 like "whit! whit! whit!" when a cat happened to be prowling near 

 the nesting site. The note of fear is a loud metallic note, difficult 

 to syllable. I have heard it at close quarters uttered by a wounded 

 bird. It is probably this note it utters when struck by a hawk. 

 What other notes the species has, besides the familiar petulant 

 squabbling note, I do not know, and have not been able to find 

 any information on the subject except that according to Naumann 

 the bird may utter a note, which he figures as a clear and sharp 

 "spelt," when it alights, and often just before it sings. 3 



1 Martin Hieseman, Hmv to Attract and Protect Wild Birds, p. 43. 



2 There is good evidence that starlings occasionally rear a second brood. A marked pair 

 have been observed to do so. See the Zoologist, 1876, p. 5165, and the " Classified Notes " above. 



' Naumann, Vogel Mitteleuropas, iv. p. 10. 



