278 BIRDS 



squirrel, being a substantial, warm structure in which the 

 birds lay two to four eggs. 



STARLING 



The original home of this bird is Europe. About two 

 hundred varieties of the Starling occur in various parts of 

 Europe and Asia, but this introduced species is the only 

 true starling to be found in America. The starling was 

 originally given a place on the list of North American 

 birds through record of a specimen from Greenland. Sev- 

 eral unsuccessful attempts were made to introduce this 

 bird into the United States before the last importation 

 proved only too successful. About half a hundred birds 

 were liberated in Central Park, New York, in 1890. They 

 are now found resident from New Haven and Boston on 

 the east to Philadelphia on the south and Albany on the 

 north. So prolific are they that they increase in numbers 

 and extend the range almost as rapidly as did the Enghsh 

 sparrow when first introduced. It is likely that a war of 

 extermination will soon be declared. 



Like our other foreigner, the English sparrow, these 

 birds take refuge about the habitations of man, nesting 

 in the crevices of buildings and hollow trees and lately in 

 branches of trees. Outside of the breeding season they 

 congregate in flocks about parks and orchards. Like our 

 crow and meadowlark, the starling progresses on land by 

 walking instead of hopping or running. 



They are birds with handsome, glossy plumage and 

 exhibit to a certain degree some of the intelligence and 



