409 



and frequent the damp meadows and lakes. I observed it numerous in various parts of the 

 Danube ; Messrs. Elwes and Buckley record it as common in Turkey ; and Mr. G. Cavendish 

 Taylor saw it near Constantinople and in the Crimea. 



In Southern Russia, according to Dr. Radde (J. f. O. 1853, p. 57), it arrives, even in late 

 springs, as early as the middle of March, and in 1853 some arrived on the 10th February; and 

 Mr. Goebel records it as common in the Uman district, Southern Russia, in the spring and 

 autumn ; but few remain there to breed. In the autumn, he writes, thousands frequent the small 

 lakes which are overgrown with reeds. Menetries records it as found in large flocks in the 

 Caucasus, but states that it leaves in November ; and Mr. Strickland met with it in Asia Minor. 



In Palestine it occurs, according to Canon Tristram, in winter only, leaving late in February. 

 It visits also Northern Africa during the winter, but does not appear ever to remain there to 

 breed. Heuglin (Orn. N.O.-Afr. p. 529) says that it is found in Northern Egypt and Arabia 

 during the winter in small flocks, frequenting pastures and meadows, but that it does not visit 

 that country every season. He never observed Sturnus unicolor in North-east Africa. Dr. A. E. 

 Brehm speaks of it (J. f. O. 1854, p. 74) as "resident" in Lower Egypt; but this statement is 

 not confirmed by any other author on the ornithology of North-east Africa. He observed it at 

 Fayoom on the 14th February, which agrees with Captain Shelley's statement that it is numerous 

 in the Delta of the Nile up to the end of March. In North-western Africa it is likewise common 

 during the winter; and Canon Tristram writes (Ibis, 1859, p. 293) that "va'st flocks of the 

 Starling resort to the date-forests in winter, and do incalculable damage to the ripe fruit. They 

 are snared and destroyed by thousands, being prized for food ; yet there seems no appreciable 

 diminution of their numbers till the date-crop is gathered and spring commences, when not 

 a straggler remains in Africa. They are accompanied occasionally by a few individuals of 

 8. unicolor." Mr. Taczanowski also met with it commonly in the mountains of Algeria, but 

 never saw it in the desert ; and other authors on the ornithology of North-western Africa refer 

 to it as a common winter visitant in Algeria; but Mr. C. F. Tyrwhitt Drake records it (Ibis, 

 1867, p. 428) as uncommon in Tangier and Eastern Morocco. It likewise occurs in the Canaries 

 and Azores; and Mr. F. DuCane Godman writes (Ibis, 1872, p. 213) that "according to Bolle 

 the Starling is a regular visitant to the pine-woods of Teneriffe ; it is less commonly seen in 

 Fuerteventura. Perhaps, as it does not breed in the islands, it might more properly be placed 

 amongst the accidental stragglers. Webb and Berthelot consider it occasional in Canaries ; and 

 Vernon Harcourt gives it in his list of stragglers to Madeira. In the ' Azores it is a common 

 and resident species.' " And he further states, in his work on the Azores (p. 30), that it is 

 " plentiful throughout all the islands of the archipelago. It breeds principally in the sea-cliffs, 

 and is precisely similar to European examples. When vines were more cultivated it was much 

 destroyed, as it was said to feed upon the grapes and to do much mischief in the vineyards ; 

 lately, however, it has not been persecuted, and has greatly increased in numbers." 



To the eastward the Common Starling is found throughout India and in Eastern Siberia ; 

 but, curiously enough, two forms which, though closely allied to our bird, are so far distin- 

 guishable as to have been described as distinct species, occur in Persia and Cashmere. The 

 first of these, Sturnus purpurascens, Gould, is very common at Erzeroom and Trebizond ; and 

 the latter, Sturnus nitens, Hume (Lahore to Yarkand, p. 250, pi. 24), is abundant about Srinagar 



