THE ROSE-COLOURED STARLING. 33 



naturally attracted many enemies ; and the 

 remains of birds were lying about in all directions, 

 which had fallen a prey to Jackals, Martens, Wild 

 Cats, Rats, etc. 



In these ravines the oleander is very common ; 

 and a small flock of Rose-coloured Starlings often 

 suddenly becomes invisible as it drops on one of 

 these shrubs, the pink backs and breasts of the 

 Starlings being scarcely distinguishable from the 

 pink flowers of the oleander. 



During the breeding-season, the females of the 

 Rose-coloured Starling sit very close, and are 

 assiduously fed by the males ; and during the 

 short time that the young are in the nest, they 

 are most carefully tended by both parents. The 

 birds are said to take pleasure in killing locusts, 

 even when their appetites are satisfied. 



In the " Zoologist " for 1878, p. 16, is a most 

 interesting account of the visit of these birds in 

 1875 to Villafranca, translated from the Italian 

 of Edoardo de Betta. About four o'clock in the 

 afternoon of the 3rd of June, about a score of 

 Rose-coloured Starlings arrived at the Castle, and 

 were followed in about half an hour by a much 

 larger flock, of perhaps a hundred birds. Towards 



3 



