THE STARLING. 79 



THE STARLING. 



" I CAN'T get out, I can't get out, said the star- 

 ling." I know not any thing, except Gay's " Hare 

 and many Friends," that made so much impression 

 on me, when a boy, as Sterne's description of the 

 captive starling in its cage. His attempt to re- 

 lieve the prisoner bird, its pressing its breast 

 against the wires, its telling every body who 

 came down the passage that it could not get out, 

 its remaining in hopeless captivity, all tended to 

 make this pretty bird particularly interesting to me ; 

 and, in days long past, I have spent many an hour 

 in listening to its morning warblings, and in admir- 

 ing its aerial evolutions towards the close of day. 



I wish I could do it a friendly turn, for the plea- 

 sure it has so often afforded me ; but, in taking up 

 the pen to clear its character, my heart misgives 

 me, on account of the strong public prejudice 

 against it. 



There is not a bird in all Great Britain more 

 harmless than the starling : still it has to suffer per- 

 secution, and is too often doomed to see its num- 

 bers thinned by the hand of wantonness or error. 

 The farmer complains that it sucks his pigeons' eggs ; 

 and, when the gunner and his assembled party wish 

 to try their new percussion locks, the keeper is or- 

 dered to close the holes of entrance into the dovecot 

 overnight ; and the next morning three or four 

 dozen of starlings are captured to be shot : while 



