140 THE LABOR OF BIRDS 



in the conduct of these birds previous to their nightly 

 retirement, by the variety and intricacy of the evolutions 

 they execute at that time. They will form themselves 

 perhaps into a triangle, then shoot into a long, pear- 

 shaped figure, expand like a sheet, wheel into a ball, as 

 Pliny observes, each individual striving to get into the 

 centre, &c., with a promptitude more like parade move- 

 ments, than the actions of birds. As the breeding sea- 

 son advances, these prodigious flights divide, and finally 

 separate into pairs, and form their summer settlements; 

 but probably the vast body of them leaves the kingdom. 

 Travellers tell us, that starlings abound in Persia and 

 the regions of Caucasus. 



No birds, except sparrows, congregate more densely 

 than stares. They seem continually to be running into 

 clusters, if ever so little scattered ; and the stopping 

 of one, to peck at a worm, immediately sets all its com- 

 panions hastening to partake. This habit in the winter 

 season brings on them death, and protracted sufferings, 

 as every village popper notices these flocks, and fires 

 at the poor starlings. Their flesh is bitter and rank, 

 and thus useless when obtained ; but the thickness of 

 the flights, the possibility of killing numbers, and mani- 

 festing his skill, encourages the trial. The flight of 

 these birds, whether from feeding to roost, or on their 

 return to feed, is so rapid, that none with any impedi- 

 ment can keep company ; and in consequence we see 

 many, which have received slight wing or body wounds, 

 lingering about the pastures long into spring, and pining 

 after companions they cannot associate with. 



These birds are very assiduous in their attentions to 

 their young, and in continual progress to collect worms 

 and insects for them. However strong parental affec- 

 tion may be in all creatures, yet the care which birds 

 manifest in providing for their nestlings is more obvious 

 than that of other animals. The young of beasts sleep 

 much ; some are hidden in lairs and thickets nearly all 

 the day, others take food only at intervals or stated 

 periods, the parent ruminating, feeding, or reposing 

 too: but birds, the young of which remain in their 

 nests, as most of them do, excepting the gallinaceous 



