246 THE DEAD AND WOUNDED. 
the greatest impetuosity ; and immediately, 
the sky was obscured with an appearance like 
the falling of snow, descending gradually 
to the earth, while great numbers of the bo- 
dies of Starlings, speared through by hostile 
beaks, literally fell like hail. It was grow- 
ing dark at the time, and I could only see 
the contending flocks at a great distance 
above me; and, while the combat was still 
lasting, it grew darker, and I retired to the 
house. In the morning, in company with my 
friend, I visited the field of battle; and, to- 
gether, we picked up, by careful enumera- 
tion, one thousand and eighty-seven birds, 
some quite dead, and others, for the most 
part, severely wounded ; besides an amazing 
quantity of feathers. 
‘* These Stores, or Starlings,” continued the 
narrator, ‘* were of the species called Common 
Starling,* of which we have many always 
resident in England ; and which, from time to 
time, in great multitudes, from foreign coun- 
tries, throng in upon us in autumn; and it 
was, no doubt, between two of these bands 
* Sturnus Vulgaris.—Linn. 
