1 6 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



still appears to be much doubt as to the Starling 

 being double -brooded ; and persons favourably 

 situated for the purpose would confer a favour 

 on naturalists by recording their own individual 

 experience. As soon as the young are hatched, 

 the old birds may be seen visiting the nest every 

 few minutes with worms which they obtain from 

 the nearest grass lands. All the droppings of the 

 young are also carried away with scrupulous 

 cleanliness. When fledged, these young birds 

 possess none of the brilliant glossy plumage which 

 characterises their parents, being almost uniform 

 brown ; the adult dress is assumed after the first 

 autumn moult ; and even before this is completed 

 the young males may often be heard engaged in 

 song. The food of the Starling consists largely 

 of worms, slugs, and grubs, for which it searches 

 the pastures assiduously. Few sights are prettier 

 than a flock of feeding Starlings, the birds nimbly 

 running to and fro, and every now and then 

 taking short flights in their eager quest. If 

 frightened, the entire flock rise together with 

 amazing promptness, and after a wheel or two, 

 again alight in another part of the pasture to 

 renew their search. As soon as the earliest 

 broods are fledged, the Starling becomes even 

 more gregarious, and its gatherings get larger 

 and larger as the summer advances. Generally 

 the Starlings in each neighbourhood have a 

 recognised trysting-place, where every evening 

 the flocks unite into a vast assembly upon the 

 tree - tops, keeping up a noisy clamour until 

 roosting time. Very often the gathering will 

 break up into two companies at dusk, each going 

 off to a chosen sleeping-place, but before doing 



