BIRDS. 207 



tudes. Their general food consists of insects and their larvae, snails, earth-worms, 

 grains, seeds, berries, &c. Fifty-seven individuals of this species were once killed 

 at a single shot near Kirkwall in Orkney, where they are as common as sparrows 

 elsewhere, and flocks of them perch on every wall and chimney top. The flight of 

 stares is not undulatory, but smooth and even ; and they walk very nearly in the 

 manner of a wagtail ; but when they assemble in flocks their movements are noisy 

 and tumultuous, describing a sort of vortex, combined with an advancing progress. 

 They chatter much in the evening and morning, both when they assemble and when 

 they disperse. On the approach of predaceous birds they rally in close array, and 

 visually succeed in driving them off. The kings of Persia used to have starlings trained 

 to hunt butterflies ; but they are now principally tamed for their imitative talent, 

 which enables them to whistle simple airs. They also articulate very distinctly, and 

 may be taught to repeat words. 



S. tmicolor, Tern. Plumage of the body, the wings, and the tail, of a 

 shining black, with light purple reflections j base of the bill 

 blackish, point yellow ; legs yellowish brown. Eight inches long. 

 Inhabits Sardinia Tern. 33. 



S. Capensis, Lin. Cape Starling. Plumage blackish, with white 

 spots on the wings and neck ; sides of the head and belly white ; 

 bill yellowish at the base, the apex reddish. Inhabits Cape of 

 Good Hope. BM^. Ois. PL Enl 280. 



S. Ludovicianus, Lin. Plumage spotted with brown and gray ; yel- 

 lowish beneath ; a white line on the head and eyes ; throat black ; 

 bill whitish ; four lateral tail-feathers white. Nine inches long. 

 Inhabits America. Buff. PL Enl. 256. 



S. mititarls, Lin. Plumage grayish j breast and throat reddish ; a 

 white spot behind and under the eyes : vent and tail black. Eight 

 inches long. Inhabits S. America Buff. PL Enl. 113. 



S. carunculatiis, Gmel. Black, with the back and wing-coverts fer- 

 ruginous; base of the under mandible with a yellowish wattle or 

 caruncle. Ten inches long. New Zealand Lath. Syn. iii. t. 36. 



Gen. 18. PASTOR, Tern. Turdus, Gracula, Gmel. 



Bill in the form of an elongated cone, edged, much compressed, 

 slightly arcbed, point feebly notched; nostrils basal, lateral, 

 ovoid, half shut by a membrane furnished with small feathers ; 

 legs robust ; three toes before and one behind, the exterior 

 joined at the base to the middle one; wings with the first quill- 

 feather very small, the second and third longest. 



They fly like the starling in great flocks, and follow cattle, alighting on their backs 

 for the insects-on their bodies. The greater number of the species have accessary 

 appendages on their head, either crests or caruncles. The young always want these, 

 their head being only covered with short and rounded feathers. 



P. roseus, Tern. (Turdus roseus, Lath.) Head tufted; the neck 

 and the top of the breast black with violet reflections ; abdomen 

 and back of a fine rose-colour ; wings and tail brown- violet ; co- 

 verts of the wings bordered with clear rose-colour ; those of the 

 tail and thighs black, banded with whitish ; feet yellowish ; iris 

 deep brown. Eight inches long. Asia and Africa Shaw,*, pi. 26. 



P. calvus, Tern. (Gracula calva, Lin.) Plumage cinereous, gray- 



