ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE STARLING. 13 



movement. All the birds in one locality collect into a single roost, 

 but in addition to this there is a large increase~in the flocks along the 

 seacoast and a considerable movement southward from the breed- 

 ing area. For three years a varying number of starlings appeared 

 in a fall roost in Washington, D. C, before breeding birds were first 

 found in 1917. Other localities south of the breeding range have 

 also reported wintering flocks for several years before the birds 

 have become permanent residents. 



ECONOMIC STATUS IN OTHER COUNTRIES. 3 



While the behavior of the starling in its native home and in coun- 

 tries to which it has been introduced can not be interpreted as a 

 certain indication of its conduct under the new conditions it will 

 meet in this country, its activities elsewhere will serve to call atten- 

 tion to its capabilities for doing good or harm. Throughout most 

 of its breeding range in Europe, particularly in France, Germany, and 

 Hungary, the bird is held in great esteem and is encouraged, by the 

 erection of nest boxes, to breed about farms and gardens. 



The chief German authorities, with one exception, have considered 

 the starling more beneficial than injurious. The birds there do consid- 

 erable damage to grapes and cherries, and to a smaller extent injure 

 various cultivated"berries. On the other hand, they feed freely upon 

 injurious snails and slugs, beetle larvae, caterpillars, maggots, and grass- 

 hoppers. Among their prey are such pests as ticks, gadflies, stable flies, 

 cockchafers, fern beetles, pine weevils, fir weevils, spruce moths, and 

 field and mole crickets. 



French authors mention damage by the starling to olives and 

 grapes, but are unanimous in declaring the species useful. It is 

 significant, moreover, that, although one of their articles was pub- 

 lished in a viticultural journal, damage to grapes, one of the greatest 

 points made against the starling, was not considered sufficient to 

 exclude the bird from the list of useful species. 



In Belgium the starling is said to be very useful and its damage in- 

 significant, as it prefers an insect diet. It eats about the same pests 

 as in Germany, and in addition wireworms, grass moths, plant lice, 

 and oak leaf-rollers. 



The late Otto Herman, distinguished Hungarian ornithologist, 

 asserts 4 that, taking its feeding habits of the whole year into consid- 

 eration, the starling does a thousand times more good than harm and 

 richly deserves protection. Starlings have rendered particularly 

 efficient service during locust plagues in Hungary. 



The single Swiss author consulted gives the bird about as much 

 adverse criticism as praise; and a communication from Tunis states 



3 The data presented under this topic were compiled by W. L. McAtee, of the Biological Survey. 

 * Herman, Otto, Nutzen und Schaden der Vogel, Leipzig, p. 181, 1903. 



