STURNID^E. 217 



wing-coverts are pale brown ; the under tail-coverts 

 are the same colours as the rest of the under parts, 

 but the feathers are rounder and rather broadly 

 margined with white. Legs and toes dark reddish 

 brown ; claws dark horn-colour. The young birds 

 of the year have the irides light grey ; the beak dark 

 horn-colour, the upper parts are then of a uni- 

 form dusky brown ; the throat is white and there is a 

 tinge of white on the belly : the quill-feathers and 

 tail are dusky brown, with pale yellowish brown 

 edges. In this state of plumage the Starling has been 

 mistaken for other species. About August the young 

 birds begin to assume the more mature plumage, 

 and then present a very curious and mottled appear- 

 ance, the glossy feathers of maturity breaking out, as 

 it were all over the body ; the head and neck seem 

 to be the last parts to change. Varieties occasion- 

 ally occur : one variety is described in the ' Zoolo- 

 gist ' for 1865 as being of a beautiful cream-colour, 

 with bright yellow margins to the feathers ; another 

 as being a light grey ; and another is described as 

 being of a chestnut-brown colour throughout : but 

 white and cream-colour are the most common varie- 

 ties. 



The egg, which is rather large for the size of the 

 bird, is a uniform pale light blue, without any spots 

 or markings : in form it is rather long and slightly 

 pear-shaped. 



