INSESSOEES. 93 



neighbourhood of London many years ago ; on 

 being opened, its stomach was found to be filled 

 with grub-worms, caterpillars and beetles." 



COMMON STARLING, Sturnus vulgaris. Generally 

 distributed over the county, where it is resident 

 throughout the year. After the nesting season the 

 broods unite and form large flocks, when they keep 

 together until the following spring. As winter 

 approaches there is a perceptible increase in the 

 number of Starlings, which leads us to suppose that 

 they are to a certain extent migratory, and that 

 many move southwards before the cold weather sets 

 in. An interesting trait in Starlings is their beau- 

 tiful mode of flight in the evening before retiring to 

 roost, and the variety and intricacy of the evolu- 

 tions which they execute at that time is singularly 

 curious. Where the locality is favourable, they 

 evince a preference for reed-beds, but frequently 

 roost in shrubberies among the evergreens. 



I do not remember to have seen anywhere noticed 

 the partiality which Starlings have for water. I 

 have not only seen them running along the edge of 

 a stream or pool, with the entire leg submerged, but 

 have also observed them bathing in great enjoy- 

 ment, throwing the water over their backs like 

 ducks, and occasionally dipping their heads. In 

 such situations they feed upon some small species 

 of Coleoptera; the stomachs of several which I 

 examined were filled with these, looking like a mass 



