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for many hours at a time, only pausing occasionally in order to go in search of food. The breeding 

 season commences early in spring, when Starlings build their nests, usually in the hollows of trees, or, 

 should these not be attainable, in holes of walls or old buildings, and many are the disputes and com- 

 bats that take place among the members of a flock before all are suited with a home. The nest itself 

 is formed of stalks of grass, thickly lined with a bed of soft feathers, collected from the neighbouring 

 farmyards ; but, should such warm materials not be procurable, the architect is equally contented to 

 employ hay, straw, or even small twigs. The brood consists of five or six long, large eggs, having a 

 somewhat rough but glossy shell, of a light blue colour ; upon these the female alone sits, but both parents 

 assist in obtaining the constant supply of food required by the nestlings, though the father of the family 

 manages now and then to steal away from his duties and pass an hour in singing with a party of pleasure- 

 seeking companions. No sooner have the young left the nest than the vocal performances to which 

 we have alluded may be heard throughout the entire day, for they do not require attention from 

 their parents except during the first week ; after leaving their home they immediately associate 

 themselves with others of their kindred, and fly about in companies that are often very numerous, 

 being in time strengthened by the addition of the second families, to the rearing of which the parents 

 almost immediately turn their attention. When the duties of incubation are terminated, the old birds 

 at once leave their nests, and congregate in immense flocks, which pass the night either amongst the 

 trees or in beds of reeds or osiers. These swarms, occasionally containing hundreds or rather 

 thousands of Starlings, fly about in dense masses during the day, and retire at night to the same roost- 

 ing-place, their numbers frequently occasioning the reeds upon which they settle to break beneath 

 their great weight, thus obliging them to seek shelter elsewhere, a proceeding always accompanied by 

 an amount of squabbling and screaming that is absolutely deafening. Before leaving the country, the 

 parent birds revisit their nests, upon which they perch and sing every morning and evening. They 

 only commence their migrations when compelled to seek shelter from the snow and frost, and lead 

 as blithe and active a life in the countries to which they resort as they do in their summer haunts. 



Few species are so deserving of the protection of man as these most useful birds, an account of 

 whose services in clearing the ground from snails and other hurtful creatures would sound almost 

 incredible, were we to compute the hosts of active destroyers from whose attacks our fields and 

 gardens are thus preserved. With characteristic patience, a German naturalist has been at the trouble 

 of ascertaining that a single young Starling will consume 140 snails in fourteen hours out of the 

 twenty-four, during which the young nestlings are constantly fed, only about three minutes intervening 

 between the arrivals of the parents with fresh supplies for the hungry beaks of the little family. We 

 cannot follow the writer through all his intricate calculations concerning a large swarm of Starlings 

 that visited the part of Thuringia in which he lived, and must content ourselves by giving our 

 readers the extraordinary result — namely, that the 180,000 birds of which this unusually large flock 

 was composed could not have cleared the ground of less than 12,600,000 snails and worms daily 

 during the time they remained in that neighbourhood. The proceedings of the Starling when in 

 search of food are extremely amusing, as it runs hither and thither, prying into every conceivable 

 nook with keen eyes and ready beak, so as to render it impossible for its victims to escape detection ; 

 even when search by sight is impracticable, the tongue is employed to feel amongst the grass, and 

 accomplishes its duty with most unerring precision. When exposed to the attacks of their foes, the 

 cunning of these birds is of the utmost service in securing their safety. It will frequently happen that 

 when flying about in company with Crows and Jackdaws, the enjoyment of the party is interrupted 

 by the sudden appearance of a Falcon or Sparrow-hawk ; no sooner does the enemy approach than 

 the vigilant Starlings at once take the alarm and beat a hasty and quiet retreat, leaving the bird of 

 prey to seek a victim among their less intelligent or observant companions. From man they have 

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