THE STARLING. 205 



and' in a straight unwavering course. He who has 

 dissected a Starling will know at once that the bird 

 is admirably adapted for a flight rapid and well sus- 

 tained. 



The Starling is a strictly gregarious bird, and would 

 breed in societies, like Rooks or Jackdaws, did circum- 

 stances favour them ; but every one is against them, no 

 one offers them his protection, and the poor Starling is 

 a lonesome wanderer. Perhaps the most interesting 

 time to study the habits of the Starling is when the 

 young are reared, and the birds at liberty to follow 

 their gregarious habits. By the middle of May Starlings 

 are seen in flocks, for once the duties of the year are 

 over, each family seeks the company of its kindred. 

 Family joins family, and soon a large flock is formed, 

 and now the birds are seen feeding together, roosting 

 together, and, in fact, in company all the time. Here 

 one large flock roosts in a group of whitethorn trees, 

 and every evening I see them wheeling about in a dense 

 and compact body, now as it were disappearing, and 

 again appearing, as the birds, by one common impulse, 

 present themselves in various attitudes to the light, 

 waving about in the air like animated network, to 

 settle at last on the trees of the selected roosting place. 



There is a certain regularity of movement peculiar to 

 gregarious birds alone. Every evening, as soon as the 

 sun nears the western horizon, the Starlings may be seen 

 at their accustomed roosting place, perched on the top- 

 most branches, and blackening the trees with their 

 numbers. They are constantly in motion, flitting from 

 tree to tree, or struggling for some post of vantage. 

 Every few moments fresh arrivals appear, and glide 

 gracefully down from the surrounding tree tops to join 

 ' the main company. Now one comes alone, sailing with 



