78 THE BIKDS OF DEVOX. 



E. P. K'.. MS. Notes). The late Mr. J. Elliot shot a beautiful male near Sorlej in 

 October 1841, and his son Mr. E. A. S. Elliot shot a vounor bird on tlie cliH's at Thurles- 

 toue, ^Xovemter 18th, 1885 (MS. Notes). An adult was shot by Mr. Luskey. November 

 8tii, 18-J9 (H. N.). A mature bird was shot October 29th, 1809, near Il'sham Farm, 

 Torquay (Von H., Zool. 1870, p. 1983). 



Several specimens have been obtaiued near Exeter and on Haldon (W. R. S., Zool. 

 p. 23S.5). The Snow-Buntiug is not unfrequent on Dawlish Warren in winter, and 

 I'our were shot there on 10th and 11th April, 18(57, in nearly perfect summer plumage, 

 by Messrs. E. Taylor and Cecil Smith (Zool. 1807, p. 832; and 'Birds of Somerset,' 

 p. 158). It is also sometimes seen at Exmouth in autumn and winter in the state 

 of plumage in which it was known as the " 'J'awny Bunting." 



\Ve ob^erved one close to Barnstaple for more than three weeks in January 1858, 

 which frequcutly pitched on trees aud bushes (M. A. M., Zool. pp. OUlo, 6208). Although 

 some English ornilhokigists doubted this fact, we can affirm that we have often seen 

 flocks of Snow-Buntings silting on trees and buslies in Canada (W. D'U.). Mr. G. F. 

 Mathew met with a hirge flock feeding in a stubble-fiekl early in the autumn of 1803 

 between Barnstaple and llfracombe. Jind tliree of them in different stages of plumage 

 were killed at a single shot (Zool. 1803. 8845; and ' Naturalist,' 1800, p. 358). Tlie 

 Snow-Bunting is sometiuies met with on Nortliam Burrows in October (Zool. 1870, 

 p. 2025'). A female with well-developed eggs in her occurred on Lundy Island at the 

 end of May 1858 (M. A. M., Zool. 1858, p. 00l5). Some specimens were shot there in 

 November 1809 (Zool. 1877, p. 12). 



Family STURNID^. 



Starling. Stumus mihjans, Linn. 

 [Stare, or Steer, from the cry.] 



Ecsident throughout the couuty, except on Dartmoor aud its borders, 

 where it is an autumn and winter visitor. It has greatly increased in 

 numbers in Devonshire since about 1844, and now breeds in the south- 

 western portion of the county, where less than forty years ago it was only 

 known as a winter visitor. It breeds freely under the eaves, in chimneys, 

 and in rain-shoots of houses in and near Exeter ; in holes in the masonry 

 of railway-bridges and viaducts ; in hollow trees in woods ; amongst ivy ; 

 in holes in walls ; and in the cliffs of the sea-coast. Hundreds breed in 

 the walls of the trenches of the fortifications at Devonport (J. G., in lilt.). 

 Vast flocks arc seen on the marsh-lands in the winter months, and there is 

 a large immigration from the eastward in autumn and winter. Thousands 

 die in severe winters — as at the beginning of January 1S71, and Pebruarv 

 1888. 



This bird has now become a terrible pest to the fruit-grower, being 

 most destructive to cherries, pears, apples, &c., and it is so bold and fearless 

 that it cannot be scared away. 



Polwhele (1797) says that Starlings never breed in the county. Dr. 

 Moore (1830) remarks on this bird : — " Common here (Plymouth) in 

 winter; arriving in flocks in October, and departs in spring; but some of 

 them have been known to breed at Haldon, the seat of Sir Lawrence Palk. 

 Mr. Comyns has a siiecimcn entirely Avhite " (Trans. Plym. Inst. 18,'JC>, 

 p. 313). Turton and Kingston (1830) say it rarely breeds in their district 



