172 



Bird- Lore 



appearance mornings seems to be as they 

 emerge from a hole, causes me to believe 

 that the young, as well as the old, sleep in 

 holes. I think, but cannot say with cer- 

 tainty, that the young, until each takes a 

 mate, sleep in the hole in which they were 

 hatched ; for those that I watched played 

 every morning about their birthplace long 

 after they were fully grown. Possibly about 

 the time of the fall migration they seek new 

 quarters for themselves; but so secretive are 

 they that it is almost impossible to study 

 their habits through the summer months. 

 Even before the young can fly, the parents 

 are seen no more on the lawns with Robins 

 and Crackles, but hunt for food where they 

 cannot be seen. 



In the fall, when not a leaf remains on 

 the trees. Starlings are seen in their tops in 

 small flocks of from three to eight or ten. 

 It is at this time that one hears their loud, 

 clear whistle of two notes, — a high one fol- 

 lowed by one a trifie lower, the two some- 

 what slurred together. It is rather sweet 

 and very easy to imitate; in fact, one can 

 call them. This whistle and the result pro- 

 duced by the ludicrous straining at a song, 

 and which is only a wheezy creaking heard 

 all through the spring, constitute the Star- 

 ling's own singing; but, "to give the devil 

 his due," he is an excellent mimic; he can 

 copy many notes of the Catbird ; he gives 

 the Wood Pewee's call so perfectly that the 

 season is the Pewee's only alibi. One day I 

 was so sure that I heard a Downy Wood- 

 pecker hammering over my head that I 

 strained my neck searching for him; then, 

 to my astonishment, discovered a Starling 

 producing this noise from his throat. 



In proof of my statement that these birds 

 have bad dispositions, I may say that I 

 have seen them annoy many different kinds 

 of birds, and I must tell of one incident that 

 occurred very early one morning only last 

 week. A Flicker was calling so loudly 

 and persistently that I was awakened. 

 Thinking it must be close at hand, I 

 went to the window and saw a male bird 

 in the old hole in the elm I have al- 

 ready spoken of. The female, although 

 quite near, was too timid to join him, 

 evidently because of a pair of restless Star- 



lings just overhead. I was too sleepy to 

 watch any longer, so settled myself for 

 another nap, and, almost at the same mo- 

 ment, heard both Flickers "talking" softly 

 together at the hole. It could not have been 

 more than five or ten minutes later when I 

 heard a bird cry very much like the quaver- 

 ing cry of the Screech Owl, only softer. I 

 jumped to the window and saw the body of 

 a Flicker half-way out of the hole, its head 

 twisted so far back and downward as to be 

 invisible. The contortions it made strug- 

 gling to get away were pitiful, and this 

 pathetic cry wrung my heart, but it got 

 away, and almost at once was followed by 

 a Starling, who gave a satisfied grunt as he 

 came to the edge of the hole, then flew to a 

 branch above, where he began his torturing 

 efforts at singing. — Mrs. Paul R. Bonner, 

 Stamford, Conn. 



A Call for Notes on the Starling 



Seventeen years have passed since the 

 Starling was first successfully introduced 

 into this country, and Mrs. Bonner's esti- 

 mate of the bird suggests calling for 

 information in regard to the distribution of 

 this recent addition to our avifauna, as well 

 as for an expression of opinion in regard to 

 its desirability. Introduced into Central 

 Park, New York City, in March, 1890, 

 the Starling has now spread eastward nearly 

 if not quite to New London, Conn., north- 

 ward to Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, and 

 southward at least to Princeton, N. J. As 

 a contribution to the history of this bird in 

 America, it will be well to place on record 

 now replies to the questions which appear 

 below : 



1. When did the Starling first appear in 



your vicinity ? 



2. What is its status now ? 



3. Do you consider it a desirable addition 



to our avifauna ? 



4. If undesirable, give reasons why. 



5. Do you know of any Starlings, other 



than those released in Central Park, 

 which have been introduced into this 

 country ? 



6. Was the introduction successful ? 

 The Editor will welcome replies to one 



