STARLINGS. 143 



FAMILY III. STURNID^E. 



The extensive and widely distributed Family 

 before us, comprises species, for the most part, 

 above the average size of Passerine birds, but 

 yet inferior to the Crows. They are in general 

 social, associating in flocks, often immensely 

 numerous; feeding much on the ground, and 

 spreading destruction among the cultivated fields, 

 or following herds of cattle for the sake of the 

 parasitical insects which infest their bodies, or 

 such as they disturb from the grass on which they 

 graze. Hence their legs and feet are robust and 

 powerful, and their gait stately, and frequently 

 swaggering, like that of the Corvidce. Their 

 beak is nearly straight, stout at the base, dimi- 

 nishing regularly to a sharp point, which is not 

 distinctly notched; the ridge ascends upon the 

 forehead, dividing the plumage of that part. The 

 texture of this organ is particularly hard and firm, 

 and its form is well adapted to the penetration 

 of the earth in search of worms and subterranean 

 larvae. 



The plumage of the Starlings, though com- 

 monly of dark colours, has a peculiar richness ; 

 black, glossed with lustrous reflections of steel- 

 blue, purple, or green, is the prevailing hue. Oc- 

 casionally, however, this is relieved by brighter 

 tints, as broad masses of crimson or yellow, and, 

 in a few instances, of white ; as in the genera 

 Icterus, Xanthornis, and others. The numerous 

 species are scattered over every part of the world. 



