STARLINGS. 259 



The Fish Crow can be distinguished from the common Crow in 

 life only by its call. Its voice is cracked and reedy, and its notes re- 

 semble those of a young common Crow. Instead of the loud, clear, 

 open caw of adults of that species, it utters a hoarser car, as if it 

 talked through its nose ! The difference is perhaps not appreciable 

 upon paper, but one who is familiar with their calls need never con- 

 fuse these two birds in the field. 



The Fish Crow, while not confined to the coast or even the vicinity 

 of water, is not found far inland. 



FAMILY STURNID^E. STARLINGS. 



An Old-World family containing some two hundred species. It is 

 represented in America only by the Starling, which has been recently 

 introduced. 



493. Sturnus vulgaris Linn. STARLING. (See Fig. 45.) Ad.,summer 

 plumage. Metallic purplish or greenish ; feathers of the upper parts all tipped 

 with cream-buff spots, feathers of the under parts marked only ou the sides ; 

 lower belly and under tail-coverts, wings, and tail dark brownish gray, edged 

 with cream-buff; bill yellow. Ad., winter plumage. Similar, but the upper 

 parts heavily spotted with brownish cream-buff; the entire under parts heavily 

 spotted with white; bill blackish brown. L., 8-50; W., 5-10; T., 2-50. 



Range. Europe and northern Asia ; accidental in Greenland ; introduced 

 in New York city. 



Nest, of grasses, twigs, etc., in a crevice in a building or hollow tree. 

 Eggs, four to six, pale bluish, 1-20 x -86. 



This Old- World species has been introduced in eastern North Amer- 

 ica on several occasions, but only the last importation appears to have 

 been successful. The birds included in this lot,, about sixty in number, 

 were released in Central Park, New York city, in 1890, under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. Eugene Schieffelin. They seem to have left the park and 

 have established themselves in various favorable places in the upper 

 part of the city. They have bred for three successive years in the 

 roof of the Museum of Natural History and at other points in the 

 vicinity. In the suburbs about the northern end of the city they are 

 frequently observed in flocks containing as many as fifty individuals. 

 These birds are resident throughout the year, and, as they have already 

 endured our most severe winters, we may doubtless regard the species 

 as thoroughly naturalized. Starlings are walkers, not hoppers, and 

 this fact, in connection with the spotted plumage and yellow bill 

 of the adults, makes their identification an easy matter. 



