2288 The Zoologist — September, 1870. 



with grain alone ; generally, however, there was an admixture in the 

 above proportion. The grain was not confined to the oldest birds, as 

 the stomachs of two baby-sparrows, from appearances hatched but a 

 few hours, contained nothing but grain. One little bird had its gizzard 

 filled with a large moth, which unfolded was half the size of its body. 

 Where grain was present there was also a proportionate supply of 

 small stones to assist digestion. Those gizzards containing the largest 

 proportion of grain had invariably the most stones. The insect 

 remains were principally those of various Coleoptera and many small 

 caterpillars and grubs. 



A Starling roost. — There is a famous roosting-place of the starling 

 in a "spinney" near my house, where thousands resort nightly at this 

 season. This place is also much frequented by flocks of rooks and 

 jackdaws. From the injury done to the trees, attempts have been made 

 in past years to get rid of these various lodgers, by discharging guns 

 at sunset round the plantation, but with only partial success, as, 

 although for a time the birds forsake the place, they invariably 

 reoccupy it each succeeding year. The starling retires early to bed, 

 companies coming in from every quarter by six o'clock, and at seven 

 all the trees, excepting those on the outskirts, are more or less 

 tenanted, but more thickly towards the centre of the plantation. The 

 trees are spruce and larch, averaging eighteen to twenty feet in height, 

 the lower branches trimmed off to six feet from the ground ; the 

 upper portion, however, is very thick and close, with the boughs much 

 interlaced, forming a shady retreat, impervious alike to sun and rain. 

 I have stood in the centre of this place on a summer's evening with 

 hundreds of starlings roosting within a few feet of me, and, as long as 

 1 remained perfectly quiet, without disturbing them. Most of thera 

 are asleep — balls of dark feathers, looking like clusters of fruit as they 

 sit, row above row, on the slender larch boughs, their collected weight 

 often bending the branch to such a degree that it is marvellous how 

 the outsiders manage to hang on, and yet they never seem to slip, or 

 tumble off, but roost on with an utter disregard to position. Nine- 

 tenths of the birds are sleeping, old and young mixed indiscriminately ; 

 now and then I see one, more restless or suspicious than his fellows, 

 with neck outstretched peering downwards, as if not quite satisfied 

 that all is well, but, seeing nothing to be alarmed at, he too settles 

 himself on his perch, tucks his bill away, and soon, may-be, (for why 

 should birds not dream?) his little wits are wandering in bird dream- 

 land. The starlings occupy the central portion of these trees; above 



