370 IS THE STARLING DOUBLE-BROODED? 



The answer to the question 'Is the Starling double-brooded V 

 must certainly be a negative one with regard to this district. Starlings 

 are very numerous here, and after reading Mr. Mitchell's query in 

 the April number, I set myself the task of carefully attempting to 

 decide the matter. I watched many nests built in different situations, 

 and in no single instance has a second brood been reared, unless the 

 first was disturbed. 



One nest, built in a hole in a tree, contained one egg on 

 May 26th ; this egg was almost colourless. Some days afterwards 

 I again visited the nest, and found it to contain five eggs, the light- 

 coloured one having disappeared. The young were hatched in due 

 course, and after they had taken their departure, I gave the old birds 

 three weeks in which to nest again, but they did not take advantage 

 of the opportunity. I then examined the nest in search of the 

 single egg, and found that a second nest (the one in which the young 

 were reared) had been built over the first one, in which latter I dis- 

 covered the missing egg. 



It has been suggested that two broods may be reared in the 

 season, but in different sites. This I think we may at once dismiss, 

 when we consider how tenaciously Starlings hold to one nesting- 

 place, even though the eggs be repeatedly removed. Moreover, in 

 this district at any rate, the birds flock before there would be time 

 to rear a second brood. — Edgar R. Waite, Headingley, Leeds, 

 August 15th, 1889. 



In South Notts I should say the rule is ' certainly not.' Let us 

 just glance at this bird's habits during the breeding season. I do 

 not think the winter flocks entirely break up, as some are always to 

 be seen, no doubt containing non-breeding birds. 



In the country, nest- building commences about the first or 

 second week in April, in the town, where possibly two broods may 

 be reared, I have noticed Starlings carrying straws in the middle of 

 March. Full clutches of fresh eggs may be found by the 25th April 

 or thereabouts, five or six being the usual complement of eggs. It is 

 a most abundant bird in this district, and several colonies exist near 

 my house. Seeing the inquiries in The Naturalist, I paid particular 

 attention to a colony of about thirty pairs, occupying a stone pier 

 abutting into the Trent. A rise in the river early in May enabled me 

 to examine the nests without difficulty. Most at that date contained 

 eggs, and one or two had young, newly hatched. I noticed in others 

 that three eggs had the appearance of being incubated with two 

 others, apparently fresh. I took the eggs from two nests and marked 

 the nest-holes. A fortnight later, I visited the spot again, and found 



Naturalist, 



