^0 THE STARLING. 



and even crows, jackdaws, and pigeons; 

 feeding on insects, worms, grains, seeds, 

 and berries. The female builds in old 

 walls, towers, ruined edifices, trees, and 

 sometimes in cliffs that overhang the sea, 

 forming her nest of dried grass, lined with 

 a few feathers. She lays four or five eggs, 

 which are of a pale bluish green. The 

 young birds are generally hatched about 

 the end of May, and may be taken when 

 about ten days old. 



In rearing, they require the same atten- 

 tion and treatment as the blackbird, feeding 

 them every two hours on the same kind of 

 food, gmng them but little at each meal, 

 Every time they are fed, or taken in the 

 hand, repeat the words you wish them to 

 learn. The practice of slitting their tongues 

 " to make them speak the plainer," is a 

 custom as absurd as it is cruel, and of no 

 service whatever. 



When they can feed themselves, put them 

 into a large cage, with a little straw or moss 

 at the bottom, giving them occasionally 

 some clean water to wash themselves in, a 

 thing which they are very fond of doing, and 



