124 BIRDS. 



Mr. Irvine-Fortescue says that the large flocks of Starlings 

 disappear when cold weather arrives, but a few remain through 

 the winter. They do not roost in the bushes in cold weather, 

 but in holes about the farm-steadings, several going into the 

 same hole. They also roost in the cliffs, and when netting Rock 

 Pigeons in a dark night, he has seen the Starlings fluttering 

 about the lanterns quite bewildered. Albinos are by no means 

 rare, and we have seen several, the last being in a church- 

 yard at Pierowalin Westray. a pure white specimen. Starlings 

 are perhaps less numerous in the Westray group, and North 

 Isles generally, than in the rest of the Orkneys. 



The following amusing account of this bird was sent us by 

 Mr. Moodie-Heddle : "A Starling has bred here for some years, 

 which is so tame that it will sit close by and imitate, or try to 

 imitate, any sound I make to it. It whistles to the dog, calls 

 like a Crow, Landrail, gull, Ring-dotterel, etc., so well, that I 

 am often deceived myself. Sometimes, after trying in vain to 

 imitate a sound I have made to it, it will lose its temper, and 

 shuffle up close to where I am, ruffling its feathers up and 

 screaming with anger. It has been here for three years at least." 

 Low also mentions the fondness of the starling for imitating 

 other birds' notes. 



Pastor roseus (L). Rose-coloured Starling, 



Has occurred on several occasions; indeed rather frequently. 

 Besides those mentioned by Baikie and Heddle, a MS. note by 

 the last-named author says that two were killed at Kirkwall 

 in 1855. 



Mr. Moodie-Heddle tells us he has known of five or six 

 instances of its occurrence in Hoy alone during the last four 

 years, the last being in 1886, when the bird was observed by 

 his factor and several others : he also adds that whenever he 

 has looked into the stories of white starlings, it has been a 

 Rose Pastor : this in some three instances. 



One of the two referred to as having been killed near Kirk- 

 wall in 1855 was shot by Mr. T. W. Ranken's father in Sep- 



