STARLING. 151 



Starlings are intelligent, quick, and sprightly birds, and 

 have a retentive memory. 



Their flight is straight, strong, vigorous, and rapid, performed 

 with regularly-timed beatings of the wings: on the ground 

 they walk with alternate steps. They alight in an abrupt 

 manner on the open pasture, and immediately disperse, 

 running nimbly along in earnest search of food, which if 

 discovered underground is uprooted from thence. 'During 

 their search they are seldom altogether silent, some individuals 

 commonly keeping up a chattering noise, and occasionally 

 uttering a low scream, when interfered with by others. This 

 scream prolonged and heightened is the intimation of alarm, 

 and when heard from one or more of the flock, they imme- 

 diately cease their search, look up, and if they should judge 

 it necessary, fly off with speed to another generally distant 

 part.' 



They sometimes join flights of other birds in the air, such 

 as Lapwings, and seem to keep in the van, and lead and 

 guide the others backwards and forwards. It is a beautiful 

 sight to watch a cloud of these birds, dividing in a moment 

 into various detachments, and again as suddenly re-uniting 

 with as much harmony as the ranks of the best disciplined 

 army. They assume in these flights all manner of shapes, 

 even that of a balloon, and if threatened by a Hawk present 

 a dense and compact mass, resistant on every side. 



The late Dr. Stanley, Bishop of Norwich, well describes 

 the flight of a large flock as follows: 'At first they might 

 be seen advancing high in the air like a dark cloud, which, 

 in an instant, as if by magic, became almost invisible, the 

 whole body, by some mysterious watchword or signal, changing 

 their course, and presenting their wings to view edgeways, 

 instead of exposing, as before, their full expanded spread. 

 Again, in another moment, the cloud might be seen descending 

 in a graceful sweep, so as almost to brush the earth as they 

 glanced along. Then once more they were seen spiring in 

 wide circles on high, till at length, with one simultaneous 

 rush, down they glide, with a roaring noise of wing, till the 

 vast mass buried itself unseen, but not unheard, amidst a 

 bed of reeds, projecting from the bank adjacent to the wood; 

 for no sooner were they perched, than every throat seemed to 

 open itself, forming one incessant confusion of tongues. If 

 nothing disturbed them, there they would most likely remain, 

 but if a stone was thrown, a shout raised, or, more especially, 



