* 



22 Gbe Marbler 



plumage and structure from the species as it occurs in England. Few birds 

 have been known to the ornithologist for a greater length of time than the 

 subject of the present article, yet notwithstanding this fact, it is quite re- 

 markable how much at variance are the descriptions of its plumage, as 

 given us by the best authorities in ornithology. For example, Newton in- 

 forms us in his Dictionary of Birds that the Starling u is about the size of a 

 Thrush, and, though at a distance it appears to be black, when near at hand 

 its plumage is seen to be brightly shot with purple, green, and steel-blue, 

 most of the feathers when freshly grown being tipped with buff. These 

 markings wear off in the course of the winter, and in the breeding season 

 the bird is almost spotless." On the other hand, Pycraft, the eminent British 

 ornithologist, describing the species in The Living Animals of the World 

 (London), says : " The first plumage is a uniform greyish brown. Later 

 black feathers, with large white spots at the tips, make their appearance 

 among the brown. These spotted feathers eventually replace the brown, 

 and the bird enters upon a second quite distinct phase — a black, spotted 

 with white. Gradually this gives place to a plumage entirely unspotted, 

 the feathers on the breast being spear-shaped. In the adult dress a wonder- 

 ous variety of metallic reflections is acquired — green, purple and violet." 

 (p. 518.) The descriptions given us by some recent American writers in or- 

 nithology are, as we know, quite at variance with the two just quoted, but it 

 is hardly necessary to reproduce them here, as any reader of the present arti- 

 cle will in all probability be familiar with the plumage of this long-known 

 species. 



Starlings are a favorite cage-bird in many parts of this country and 

 they have long been known as such in the Old World. This should not 

 surprise us, for it is a sprightly, handsome species as a pet, and in addition to 

 its not uninteresting and quaint native notes, it is easily taught to whistle 

 several simple tunes, and, it is said, even articulate a few short words with 

 considerable distinctness. At large, it is one of the best friends of all birds 

 to the agriculturist, as it is one of the most active enemies of many kinds of 

 insects destructive to his crops. This being true, it will be sure to find 

 favor in this country where agriculturist and ornithologist appear to be 

 united and bent upon the destruction of every avian species that in any way 

 may be detrimental to the interests of the farmer and the common greed of 

 mankind. Under such favorable circumstances the species, in time, may 

 come to be quite as numerous as it is now found to be in many parts of 

 Great Britain and elsewhere. In those parts of the world where the species 

 occur in great numbers their habits are most extraordinary, in fact so extra- 

 ordinary, that it would quite exceed the limitation of space to describe them 

 in any but the most general way here. Doubtless in a generation or two 

 more they will, as Starlings vastly increase here, be quite familiar to our de- 

 cendants in this country. Remember the common House Sparrow of Europe 



