26 ALLEN'S NATURALIST'S LIBRARY. 



which it associates in large flocks. During the nesting season 

 it is more familiar, and frequents dwellings and farmyards, 

 where it nests under roofs and in chimneys, or in holes of 

 buildings or trees It does an incalculable amount of good in 

 the destruction of grubs and noxious insects, but it devours a 

 quantity of fruit during the period of the year when the cherries 

 are in season, at which time its good deeds as a grub-destroyer 

 are apt to be forgotten. 



Nest. A rough structure of straw and grass, with a few 

 feathers and wool for lining. 



Eggs. From four to seven. Pale blue or bluish white. 

 Axis, 1*15-1*35 inch; diam., 0-8-0-85 mcn - 



THE FIELD STARLINGS. GENUS PASTOR. 



Pastor^ Temm., Man. d'Orn., i., p. 83 (1815). 



Type, P. roseus (Linn.). 



In the " Rose-coloured Pastor," as this bird is sometimes 

 called, the bill is of different shape to that of the true Star- 

 lings, being shorter, higher, and more curved. Only one 

 species of the genus is known, and this is an unfrequent 

 visitor to the British Islands. In addition to its brilliant 

 plumage, the Pastor has an enormous crest. 



THE ROSE-COLOURED STARLING. PASTOR ROSEUS. 



(Plate IV.} 



Turdus rostus. Linn., S. N., i., p. 294 (1766). 

 Pastor roseus, Dresser, B. Eur., iv., p. 423, pi. 250 (1873) ; 

 Newt. ed. Yarr., ii., p. 243 (1877) ; B. O. U. List Br. B., p. 

 66 (1883); Seeb., Hist Br. B.,ii., p. 20 (1884); Lilford, Col. 

 Fig. Br. B., pt. vii. (1888) ; Saunders, Man., p. 219 (1889); 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus., xiii., p. 63 (1890). 



Adult Male in Breeding Plumage. Clear rose-colour, with black 

 wings and tail shot with green or purple. Total length, 8 

 inches; culmen, 0-8 ; wing, 5-1; tail, 2-5; tarsus, 1*25. 



Sexes alike ; the female not quite so bright in colour, and 

 with a shorter crest. 



Young. Different from the adults. Brown, with darker 



