352 



-BIRDS.- 



the upper mandible generally exhibit a slight notch- 

 The wings in the Starlings are long and generally 

 pointed ; the tarsi are of moderate length, stout, and 

 covered in front with broad shields ; the toes are long 

 and tolerably powerful, the hinder one especially being 

 of considerable length and stoutness, and the outer 

 front toe is united to the middle one as far as the third 

 joint. 



It is impossible to mistake the close alliance of these 

 birds with those of the family Corridas, with which 

 they have much in common both in their structure and 

 habits. They are for the most part sociable in their 

 habits, collecting in flocks, especially during the autumn 

 and winter ; and even during the breeding season they 

 are generally to be seen in company. Their food con- 

 sists of worms, insects, fruits, and grain articles which 

 also constitute a considerable portion of the diet of the 

 Crows ; but the Starlings do not appear to imitate the 

 latter birds either in their taste for carrion or in their 

 predatory propensities. They are, however, sagacious 

 birds, and become docile and amusing in captivity, 

 when some of them may be taught various tricks, and 

 even to speak a few words. 



THE COMMON STABLING (Sturnus vulgaris), Plate 

 12, fig. 40. This well-known bird, which occurs 

 abundantly in almost every part of the British isles, is 

 also an inhabitant of the continent of Europe, and 

 appears to be generally distributed over the whole of 

 the eastern hemisphere. It is a handsome bird, its 

 black plumage exhibiting tints of purple and green, 

 according to the direction in which the light falls upon it, 

 and being also adorned with numerous spots and streaks 

 of buff and pale reddish- brown. In the autumn the 

 Starlings collect into large flocks, consisting of old and 

 young birds, which fly together in search of food, and 

 roost together at night. Sometimes many of these 

 flocks select some mass of trees as a common roosting 

 place, to which they come, night after night, in thou- 

 sands, until at last, from the accumulation of excrement, 

 the place becomes most offensive. The food of these 

 birds consists of worms, insects, slugs, and snails, 

 together with berries and seeds, the latter especially 

 during the autumn and winter. In pursuit of insects 

 and worms, they may constantly be seen in small 

 parties upon meadows and lawns, sometimes in com- 

 pany with rooks and other birds. When thus engaged, 

 they run by the alternate movement of their feet. The 

 nest is built in a hole in some rock or building, or 

 occasionally in a hollow tree, and the Starling is accused 

 of building sometimes in pigeon houses. The materials 

 of the nest are small twigs, straw, grass, and roots. 

 These appear to be collected and arranged principally 

 by the female. The eggs are four or five in number, 

 and of a beautiful pale blue colour. 



In confinement the Starling is an intelligent, docile, 

 and sprightly bird, which may be taught many tricks, 

 and exhibits a good deal of resemblance to some of the 

 Crows in his disposition. He will learn to whistle short 

 times, and even to repeat a few words, although, not- 

 withstanding the celebrity he has acquired in this 

 respect from Sterne's well-known story, his power of 

 imitating the human voice is far inferior to that of the 

 raven or the magpie. 



THE ROSE-COLOURED PASTOR (Pastor roseus), a 

 common bird in Asia and Africa, is also met with in 

 the south of Europe, and specimens have occasion- 

 ally found their way into this country. It is of the 

 same size as the Common Starling, namely, eight inches 

 and a half in length ; the plumage of the body is of a 

 delicate rose colour, and the head, neck, wings, tail, 

 lower tail-coverts, and legs, are black, with a blue gloss. 

 The feathers of the crown of the head are elongated, 

 so as to form a sort of crest. In its habits this bird 

 resembles the Starling, associating in large flocks, and 

 feeding upon insects, worms, and grain. From the 

 great quantities of insects, especially locusts, which 

 these birds destroy, they are in some places regarded 

 almost in the light of sacred birds. Like our Starlings, 

 they exhibit a great fondness for the vicinity of cattle 

 and sheep, upon which they are nearly constant attend- 

 ants, and this habit is alluded to in their name of 

 Pastor. Their principal object in frequenting the 

 society of cattle is to seize the insects which are dis- 

 turbed by them from their resting-places in the grass ; 

 but the Pastors also frequently perch upon the backs 

 of cattle, and seek for the parasitic insects which infest 

 their hair. 



THE COMMON MYNAH (Acridotheres tristis), which 

 is very nearly allied to the preceding, is a native of 

 India, where it is a very abundant and familiar bird. 

 Its habits present a sort of combination of those of 

 the Starling and the Jackdaw. It is fond of the vici- 

 nity of cattle, like the Bose-coloured Pastor, and is very 

 destructive to locusts and other insects. This bird is 

 remarkable as having been introduced into the Mauri- 

 tius in order to destroy the locusts with which that 

 island was infested at one time. It has performed its 

 part so thoroughly, and increased to such an extent 

 under the fostering care of the government, that insects 

 are now very rare in the Mauritius. The nest is built 

 in the hole of a tree, or in some nook about a house or 

 other building. 



THE BANE MYNAH (Acridotheres ginginianus}, 

 another abundant Indian species, is remarkable for 

 digging deep holes in the banks of rivers for the recep- 

 tion of its nest. In other respects it resembles the 

 preceding species. 



THE AMERICAN MEADOW LARK (Sturndla Ludo- 

 viciana). The bird known as the Meadow Lark in the 

 United States is a species of the present family, nearly 

 allied to the common Starling. It is found throughout 

 the eastern part of North America, from Canada to 

 Florida. This bird is about two inches and a half in 

 length ; its plumage above is elegantly variegated with 

 black, yellow, and bright bay ; the lower surface, and 

 a line from the eye to the nostril, are rich yellow; 

 across the front of the neck there is a crescent-shaped 

 deep black band, and the four outer tail feathers on 

 each side are white. 



In its habits the American Meadow Lark presents a 

 considerable resemblance to our Starling, collecting 

 together in flocks, except during the breeding season, 

 and feeding upon insects, worms, and seeds. When 

 these birds perch on trees, they generally select the 

 highest branches, and on alighting send forth a long, 

 clear, melancholy note of great sweetness. They select 



