122 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



case of the Starling. A large Starling roost is a very 

 imposing sight, and has attracted the attention of a great 

 many writers. The very remarkable turns of flight 

 displayed by these birds at roosting time constitute, 

 perhaps, one of the most striking phenomena which 

 British bird-life has to show. 



In the Barnstaple district there are four or five such 

 roosts. I have not discovered the birds travelHng more 

 than six miles to and from a roost. I have repeatedly 



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noticed how strictly the birds keep to their arbitrarily 

 prescribed line of flight. The best instance I can give 

 is shown in the accompanying map. 



The flocks sweep along this main course with astonish- 

 ing regularity every night, flock succeeding flock, and 

 each separate flock pursuing the same course, as a rule 

 dividing at x, one half going to one roost, and the other 

 hah to another roost. They fly high — well above the 

 neighbouring hills and valleys — although it will be noticed 

 that they follow a valley for some distance ; this route, 

 moreover, was not merely roughly followed, but the birds 



