424 



6 ad. capite, collo et pectore superiore nigris purpureo nitentibus : pilei plumis elongatis : dorso, uropygio 

 scapularibusque pulchre roseis : remigibus et rectricibus nigris vix viridi nitentibus, primariis in pogonio 

 interno saturate nigricantibus : pectore imo et abdomine pallide rosaceis : tibiis et subcaudalibus nigris : 

 subalaribus quoque nigris, sed rosaceo marginatis : rostro rosaceo, ad basin nigricanti-brunneo : pedibus 

 saturate brunneis : iride castanea. 



2 ad. man similis sed ubique saturatior : capite, collo, alis et cauda fusco lavatis : dorso et corpore subtus 

 brunnescente adumbratis : subcaudalibus conspicue albicante rosaceo marginatis. 



Juv. adulto dissimilis, nee cristatus : corpore supra pallide grisescenti-ochraceo : pilei plumis medialiter pallide 

 brunneo notatis : remigibus saturate brunneis, primariis extus cervino marginatis, secundariis et tec- 

 tricibus alarum rufescente cervino conspicue marginatis: rectricibus saturate oehraseenti-brunneis, 

 pallidiore marginatis : mento albido : gutture et pectore albidis, cervino limbatis et vix brunnescente 

 cervino striatis : abdomine albido : hypochondriis et subcaudalibus pallide cervinis, bis medialiter 

 pallide brunneo notatis : rostro flavicante, versus apicem brunneo : pedibus brunneis. 



Adult Male (Genoa, June 1871). Head, neck, and fore part of the breast glossy black, with purple 

 reflections; feathers on the crown and nape elongated, forming a thick, heavy crest; back, scapulars 

 (excepting the outermost, which is black) , and rump delicate rose-colour ; wings and tad deep black, 

 glossed with green ; the inner webs of the primaries dull blackish, lower part of the breast and abdomen 

 delicate rose-colour ; thighs and under tail-coverts glossy black ; under wing-coverts black, margined 

 with pale rose-colour ; beak rose-coloured, dark brown at base ; legs dull brownish ; iris rich reddish 

 brown. Total length 83 inches, culmen 0'95, wing 5 - 0, tail 2 - 7, tarsus 13. 



Adult Female (Genoa, June 1871). Differs from the male in being everywhere much duller in colour; the 

 head, neck, wings, and tail are washed and marked here and there with brownish ; the rose-colour is 

 deadened by being washed with brownish white, and has a dirty appearance; and the under tail-coverts 

 are broadly margined with dirty white, tinged with rose-colour. 



Young bird of the year (Smyrna, July 24th, 1871). Head, neck, back, and rump greyish buff, or light sandy 

 grey, the feathers on the crown, which is not crested, having slightly darker centres ; quills dark brown, 

 margined with dull buff; secondaries and wing-coverts broadly edged with rufous buff; tail dull sandy 

 brown, all the feathers having lighter edges; chin white; throat white, washed with buff, and striped 

 with dull sandy buff; rest of the underparts pale buff, except the centre of the abdomen, which is 

 white ; beak yellowish, brown towards the tip ; legs brown. 



The Rose-coloured Starling inhabits Southern Europe and India, occasionally straggling even 

 into far northern countries ; and there are consequently but few parts of Europe which have not 

 been visited by it. 



It is one of those stragglers which from time to time visit our islands, being met with at 

 irregular intervals, usually in the summer or autumn ; and examples have been obtained in most 

 parts of the United Kingdom. Amongst other occurrences during late years I may refer to one 

 recorded by Mr. G. Dawson Eowley (Ibis, 1861, p. 113), of a male bird which was shot near 

 Southampton amongst some Starlings which were feeding on cherries. Mr. J. Brooking Eowe 

 also states that one was obtained, in June 1851, near King's Tamerton, another at Chudleigh on 

 the 13th of July, 1851, one at Sephington in July 1852, and one at Prowle Point on the 13th of 

 May, 1871. Mr. Stevenson, writing from Norfolk, says that "this beautiful species, as will be 



