NEST OF THE STAELING. 



435 



leave mdicatious of its home in the manner already described, but is so very loquacious 

 that it cannot resist the temj)tation of squalling loudly at intervals, especially when 

 returning to its domicile laden with food for its young, and so betrays the position of its 

 home. The eggs are generally five in number, and of the faintest imaginable blue. 

 I often used to get these eggs out of the deep holes in which they had been placed 

 by means of a little bird-lime at the end of a fishing-rod. 



Oftentimes the Starling makes 

 its home in the vicinity of man, 

 and it is a very common thing to 

 find Starlings and pigeons occu- 

 pying the same cote. In such 

 cases the neighbours seem to be 

 perfectly friendly, and there seem 

 to be no grounds for the assertion 

 that Starlings kill and eat the 

 young pigeons. The Starling is, 

 however, very eccentric in its 

 choice of a locality for its domi- 

 cile, having been known to breed 

 in the most unexpected places, 

 such as chimneys, empty flower- 

 pots, and deserted rabbit-burrows. 

 The affection of the Starling for 

 its young is very great, as was 

 shown some years ago. A barn 

 was on fire, and a poor Starling 

 had her nest full of young in 

 the thatch. As the flames nearcd 

 her residence the bird darted 

 about in great consternation, and 

 at last flew to the nest, drew out 

 one of the young birds, and re- 

 moved it to a place of safety. 

 She then returned for another 

 load, and before her nest had 

 been reached by the fire, she had 

 placed the whole ^v^ of her 

 young in security. 



I once remember seeing some 

 Starlings in a great state of per- 

 plexity. A few very cold days had 

 suddenly come at the beginning 

 of autumn, and a heavy fall of 

 snow descended while some Star- 

 lings, who had built in the roof 

 of an adjoining barn, were in the 

 fields collecting food for their 

 young. On their return they 

 were quite unable to discern the 



entrances to their nests, and flapped about in the soft snow in the most pitiable manner, 

 screaming with alarm and half frantic at hearing the cries of their young, without being 

 able to reach them. 



The food of the Starling is very varied, but consists chiefly of insects. These birds 

 have a habit of following cows, sheep, and horses, fluttering about them as they move for 

 the purpose of preying upon the insects which are put to flight by their feet. The 

 Starlings also perch upon the backs of the cattle, and rid them of the parasitic insects 



FF 2 



COMMON STARLING.— SiurftMS vulgari. 



