34 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus STURNUS L. 



STURNUS Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 167 (1758 Type by tautonymy 

 ace. to Opinion 16 Comm. Nomencl. Sturnus vulgaris. Also by 

 subsequent designation, Stephens 1817). 



Bill flat, wide, straight, not very much pointed, about as 

 long as head. Nostrils reached by feathers of fore-head, but not 

 covered by them, protected by a membrane. Wings long and 

 pointed, first primary clearly visible, though very small, pointed 

 and stiff, about 10-20 mm. long. Tail short, straight, about half 

 as long as wing. Sexes alike, but young very different from adult, 

 in which feathers of head, neck, and chest are narrow, pointed, 

 and elongated, and plumage very glossy. 



All forms might be looked upon as subspecies of S. vulgaris, 

 though S. unicolor is generally treated as a different species. 

 S. vulgaris with about fifteen different subspecies. Europe, 

 north Africa, and greater part of Asiatic continent. 



STURNUS VULGARIS 



13. Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris L. THE STARLING. 



STURNUS VULGARIS Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 167 (1758 

 Europe, Africa. Restricted typical locality : S. Sweden). 

 Sturnus vulgaris (Linnaeus), Yarrell, u, p. 228 ; Saunders, p. 227. 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male,. Winter. Whole plumage blackish 

 with metallic reflexions : feathers of upper-parts tipped buff, and 

 those of under-parts white. Crown and nape green (sometimes 

 tinged purple) ; mantle reddish-purple ; scapulars, back, rump, and 

 upper tail-coverts green and purple ; ear-coverts, cheeks, chin, and 

 throat green, merging to reddish-purple on upper- breast and sides 

 of neck ; breast bronze-green ; belly black and bronze-green ; 

 flanks blue-purple ; vent and under tail-coverts black slightly 

 glossed green and broadly margined grey or pale buff ; axillaries 

 and under wing-coverts brown, margined and tipped pale buff ; 

 tail-feathers and primaries black-brown, edged and tipped buff 

 with very slight green gloss inside buff on outer webs ; secondaries 

 same but with wider and more brilliant edging of blue-green gloss ; 

 primary-coverts like primaries ; greater coverts like secondaries 

 but with more gloss ; median and lesser coverts blue-green, tipped 

 buff. Body-feathers especially on throat and breast long, tapering 

 and pointed. This plumage is acquired by complete moult begin- 

 ning sometimes in June. Summer. No moult. Buff and grey 

 tips of feathers gradually wear off, making whole bird darker and 

 more glossy, especially on crown and under-parts. 



Adult female. Like male, but body-feathers shorter and 

 rather broader, not so sharply pointed ; buff and grey tips being 

 thus larger, make female more spotted both in winter and summer 



