STAici.r 



The wean be di.stingui.-hed from the common Crow in 



: y by it* call. Its voice is cracked and reedy, and its notes re- 

 vtiiMi- thso of a yoiuii; r<>ininii Crw. Instead of the loud, clear, 

 open cnir of adults of that species, it utters a hoarser ear, as if it 

 talked through its nose! The difference is perhaps not appr. 

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

 fuse these two birds in tin- lit-M. 



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

 of water, is not found far inland. 



FAMILY STURNID^B. 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.) A 

 flmmayt. Metallic purplish >r greenish ; feathers of the upper part* all tip]H-d 

 with ert'ain-hutt cpot*, feathers >t'th<- under parts marked only on th- 

 lower belly ami under tail -% i-rt.-, wing*, and tail dark brownish gray, edged 

 with cream-huff; hill yellow. Ad., iri/,t>r jiluiiHtyt. Similar, hut the up|*-r 

 part* heavily spotted with l>r<-wnish cream-huff; the entire under part* heavily 

 potted with white; hill hlaekish hrown. L., 8-50; W., 5-10; T., 2-50. 



U'iil<>. EUPIKT uiul northern Auia; accidental in Greenland; introduced 

 in New Y<>rk city. 



j>rt, of grameti, twigB, etc., in a crevice in a building or hollow tree. 

 E>j<j*, four to six, palo 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. Knijene Srhieffelin. They seem to have left the park and 

 have established themselves in various favorable places in the U|I|HT 

 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 naturali/ed. Starling? are too/fowl, not hoppers, and 

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

 of the adults, makes their identification an easy matter. 



